Here is an open-thread for Joe Lieberman’s speech at the RNC convention in Minneapolis/St.Paul. A video and transcript of the speech are available here just as soon as he finishes on September 3nd, 2008.
Joe Lieberman RNC Speech
Our writers will be live-blogging the Republican convention speeches either in the posts or comments below. Join the conversation.
Joe Lieberman’s speech is politically historic. Never before has a VP selection spoken at the opposite party’s convention. He ran for Vice President on a ticket with Al Gore in 2000, before switching his affiliation to Independent during a primary challenge in 2006. Lieberman still identifies himself as an “independent Democrat.”
This marks the second RNC convention in a row where a prominent Democrat has spoken. Georgia Senator Zell Miller’s speech in 2004 was one of the memorable highlights of George Bush’s second coronation. Chris Matthews still remembers that one.
Speaking of Chris, is Keith Olbermann fired? The lowbrow countdown host had disappeared from the MSNBC convention team on Monday after last week’s unprofessional bickering with other employees. Word is that the MSNBC brass has banished him to New York to cover a hurricane that fizzled into nothing. May be coincidence, but I did not see him covering the hurricane either. But alas, he is back after a one day hiatus.
The ability of John McCain to reach across the aisle will be highlighted by the Joe Lieberman on this historic occasion. McCain has a reputation as a centrist who can work with both sides of the aisle. Lieberman’s job is to remind the public of why he will be a more effective bridge than Barack Obama, who has been scored as the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate.
So join us for what will prove to be an interesting night at the 2008 RNC convention in Minnesota. While we wait for the transcript and video, tell us what you think. Update: the text is here.
Joe Lieberman RNC Speech
(2 parts)
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Be sure to check out this nice compilation of previous speeches from Lieberman- only 4 years ago. Wow.
W
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Here is Democrat VP candidate Joe Lieberman next up for John McCain…..
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Joe Lieberman always sounds a touch constipated to me.
You can see already this is a broad speech about how non-partisan John McCain will be as president. Bring us all together, etc. Good contrast with Obama.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Uh, he’s no Democrat. He’s from the “Connecticut for Lieberman” party.
W
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Country before party. Theme emerging between Thompson and McCain.
Watch this theme in the upcoming ads. Obama puts self before neighbor, party before country. blah blah.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:50 pm
For those who don’t know– Lieberman was defeated in the Democratic primary in Connecticut by a guy named Ned Lamont because he continuously supported the Iraq war, Bush’s foreign policy, and attacking Iran. Lieberman ran as an independent in the “Connecticut for Lieberman” party, but continues to caucus with the Democrats.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Country before party. Theme emerging between Thompson and McCain.
Where have I heard that before? Oh yes…
Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes.
Well, I say to them tonight, there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there’s the United States of America.
The pundits, the pundits like to slice and dice our country into red states and blue States: red states for Republicans, blue States for Democrats. But I’ve got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the blue states, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the red states. We coach little league in the blue states and, yes, we’ve got some gay friends in the red states.
There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq, and there are patriots who supported the war in Iraq. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.
–Obama, four years ago at the DNC
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:56 pm
LOL, Lieberman snuck by the immigration and global warming lines. That was risky but at least he didn’t get heckled. That was for the TV audience.
Lieberman hitting stride now.
Highlight so far is talking about Obama’s negative ads. Don’t believe Obama’s lies, good message.
here comes Palin….
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:57 pm
No-one is saying MCCain can’t do a presidency, but the republicans are so tarnished at this point can he even put together a “respectable” cabinet and bring in the kind of “help” to run his administration that is needed? Can he rebuild the state department, the intelligence agencies, get all the bush implants out of the various agencies like the EPA, FDA, Osha, treasury, fed, Sec, etc, especially the justice department and frankly rebuild these agencies to do things again? Under bush our domestic side of the federal government has been allowed to drift aimlessly, biased in favor of his implants orders. Only under intense public scrutiny has the HSA-Fema response, and the respective state governments finally gotten their acts together. The other agencys are just drifting aimlessly under instructions to do nothing but further the Corporate and special interests agendas.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Waldo, how do liberals plan on maintaining their abortion loving, gay rights for all, etc lifestyle with a president afraid to fight for the very lifestyle y’all seem so dedicated to ?
Seriously, if we don’t keep the terrorists out of this country, how do you think y’all can continue? Have a latte and talk it over ? That ain’t gonna work.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
[...] Joe Lieberman Speech (RNC Convention) » Right Pundits [...]
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Clearly Palin is inexperienced for the complexities of being a national president. If she had a first rate cabinet and first rate administrative aids with support from enough congressional llubricants she might do okay, but lacking all of that, its hard to believe she is qualified. The key to McCain’s success will be to put together a first rate cabinet, first rate agency heads, and a first rate white house staff, and to court congress for some loyal support from both sides. Can he?
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Waldo, how do liberals plan on maintaining their abortion loving, gay rights for all, etc lifestyle with a president afraid to fight for the very lifestyle y’all seem so dedicated to ?
It’s ALMOST as if that’s a loaded question…
May as well answer though. Yes, I’m concerned about of the terrorists this president has created, and of the hatred and blowback his actions will engender for generations. Our misguided, ill-planned and executed use of force and its terrible consequences have created great harm to our country and he’s virtually written the promotional pamphlets used to recruit Al Qaeda terrorists everywhere.
We live in a much more dangerous world because of Bush’s presidency. Generations of children are learning to hate Americans thanks to his ill-conceived foreign policy. He has reenforced every stereotype about US imperialism, militarism, despotism, corporatism, and religious bigotry that now has poured itself into the hearts and minds of much too much of the world. He has shown a lack of respect for our troops, our country, our economy, the citizens of America and of the world.
We are less safe, and our country is far worse off because of him.
Straight, and abortionlessly yours,
W
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Yup, Brian. sure. And women get raped because they don’t stay home.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:53 pm
molon, no comprende. what you say makes no sense and how you go from considering the right administrative mix to a violent crime against someone is non sequitor city. Add some lithium to the water supply please.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Poor Joe. All that butt kissing, and no VP nomination. Too bad for him.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Poor democrats.
They stabbed Joe Lieberman in the back because he dared to disagree with the party line on the war issue. They actively worked to get him ousted from the Senate by running Lamont as the democrat from Connecticut and Lieberman still managed to win the state as an Independent.
Its really kind of amazing that Lieberman has anything at all to do with the party that demands their followers to walk in lock-step on every issue or risk being destroyed.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Beth are you saying the democrats are a cult? or kult?
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
We should be so lucky for Olbermann to be fired. But no, he was there last night, saying that Fred Thompson’s speech focused on nothing more than placing John McCain next to a “flag and a gun.” Guess he wasn’t listening to the harrowing description of McCain’s POW experience. What a patriot.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
The liberals have Keith Olbermann, period.
The convervatives have:
Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Dennis Prager, Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, Bill O’Reilly, Michael Savage.
And more and more and more….
So yeah, I bet you’d like to see Olbermann canceled. Then you’d have it all….
As for Joe Liebermann, he wants to be President. I have picked up on this. He is always saying things like, “If I were in the White House,” and even “When I am in the Oval Office.” He’s been McCain’s constant companion. He’s always there. It is very obvious that he wanted the VP nomination. I am sure that he was thinking things like, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and…
some have greatness thrust upon ‘em.”
But sorry, Joe, no dice. Your are not Right Wing enough.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Edward, you’re kidding, right? The liberals have every reporter in The New York Times, The Washington Post, most of CNN and MSNBC, 60 Minutes, National Public Radio, and I can go on, but I won’t.