It seems it was just a few months ago that liberal activists were talking proudly about their ability to put litmus tests aside and search for Democrats who could win marginal seats and bring a majority. When Democrats reclaimed control of the House of Representatives, these moderate-to-conservative Democrats were called ‘majority makers.’ When many of them cast tough votes to specify a date-certain for withdrawal from Iraq, or to increase taxes by $400 billion… well, the activists didn’t really thank them, but at least they didn’t attack them, either. But now that some of them have voted not to defund the troops in Iraq, and in favor of continuing warrantless surveillance of terrorists operating abroad, the Netroots are bringing back the litmus tests. Oh well, ‘voting your conscience’ was nice while it lasted, but now is the time to start the purge of the ‘Bush Dogs:’
The model for success of this effort is–don’t laugh–former Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman. As you recall, Senator Lieberman was denied renomination as a Democrat only to coast back into office as an Independent. ‘Chastened’ at the hands of the Netroots, Senator Lieberman allies himself with Republicans more than ever and is backing one of his Republican colleagues (Susan Collins) in the Senate over her Democratic challenger. There are currently 38 Democrats on the list of those in danger of getting ‘Liebermaned,’ but organizers expect to ‘expand the pool.’ So far, the names are a virtual ‘who’s who’ of Southern Democrats and swing seat Democrats. There are very few who could be replaced by a ‘real Democrat’ in the primary who would have any chance at holding the seat in the general. If this is their plan, and this is their model for success–sign us up! We can make calls, talk to friends, or do whatever is necessary to to teach those ‘Bush Dogs’ a lesson. And if it means ‘we’ lose a few seats to the Republicans, well–you can’t make an omelette… Be sure to watch this interview with Representative Brian Baird, whose statement of support for continuing the mission in Iraq we spotlighted here a few days ago. Baird is clearly one of those Democrats guilty of voting his conscience, but he’s not on the list–yet:
