Lieberman Said Conceding if Winless Tues.

AP ^ | Feb 3, 2004 | LOLITA C. BALDOR

[Liz]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Joe Lieberman, facing an uncertain showing in his must-win state of Delaware, was making contingency plans Tuesday to withdraw from the presidential race, according to sources close to the campaign.

The campaign was making calls to close supporters asking them to be at the Hyatt Regency in Arlington, Va., Tuesday night at the postelection party. If Lieberman does not win at least one state - and his best hope is Delaware - he will make his concession speech there, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He then would head home to Connecticut for a formal announcement in Hartford Wednesday.

While campaign staff continued to insist that Lieberman was moving on to campaign in Virginia this week, others close to the senator confirmed they have been told about a tentative 3 p.m. event in Hartford on Wednesday.

Campaign spokesman Adam Kovacevich denied that calls were being made.

"Funny things happen on election day, and I'm certain the other campaigns would love not to have to compete against the candidate who George Bush fears the most," Kovacevich said. "But we're moving forward and will be campaigning in Virginia on Wednesday."

Lieberman had pinned his hopes on the Tuesday contests, dubbed Tidal Wave Tuesday by his supporters, hoping they would catapult him to the front of the pack in the presidential race.

But public opinion polls show front-runner John Kerry, the winner in Iowa and New Hampshire, with the lead in at least five of the seven contests Tuesday. Rivals John Edwards and Wesley Clark were looking for strong finishes to keep them in the race.

With his poll numbers stalled in single digits, Lieberman was never able to overcome a campaign crippled by a slow start, tepid fund-raising and a message that was often haphazard.

And while he was praised as thoughtful and intelligent, his close supporters acknowledged that his moderate views and staunch support of the war in Iraq would be tough sells to the more liberal Democratic primary voters.

Lieberman was the 2000 vice presidential nominee and held off in announcing his presidential bid until former running mate Al Gore signaled that he would not make another run for the White House.

[Liz]

.....he was praised as thoughtful and intelligent, (but) his close supporters acknowledged that his moderate views and staunch support of the war in Iraq would be tough sells to the more liberal Democratic primary voters......

And his habit of saying one thing and doing another made him unacceptable to almost all voters.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

In the end, Holy Joe didn't know who the heck he really was...

[TheBigB]

In other words, "I concede."

[Tijeras_Slim]

Bye Joe.

[kennedy]

Bye Joe.

Here are the latest results from Drudge:

AZ Kerry 46, Clark 24, Dean 13
MO Kerry 52, Edwards 23, Dean 10
SC Edwards 44, Kerry 30, Sharpton 10
OK Edwards 31, Kerry 29, Clark 28
DE Kerry 47, Dean 14, Lieberman 11, Edwards 11

Looks like Clark and Dean are out too. Edwards will be able to hold on for a little while before Kerry locks the nomination.

Too bad. I was really hoping for a lengthy fight to the death among the Democrats.

[small voice in the wilderness]

The Joepus is about to be penned. I'll help.

You'll be missed Joe. Without Loserman, Sore would've looked weird on yard signs.

[tracer]

He'll jump the aisle to the Republican side, where he belongs.....

[Akira]

So much for Joe-mentum.

[RightthinkinAmerican]

I thought at first glance it said he'd concede if he was "whineless". Based on that, I expected him to go on running no matter what. Does this man have any testosterone in his system at all? Is there anyone else out there who just can't STAND the sound of his voice?

[dc-zoo]

Not after all of the rotten crap he said about Bush. By no means does he belong or will he join the republican party.

[dc-zoo]

Sorry, that was meant for "tracer".

[Liz]

So long Joe LIEberman. You were so deserving of losing. The way you publicly berated Clinton then voted not to impeach him. The way you berated Hollywood then went crawling to the moguls to get campaign donations as Gore's VP running mate. Below is the way people will always remember you......especially the "astute strategy" you used to lie your way into the Senate.



http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/872877/posts

[Liz]

You got that right. He better not even think about it.

[Liz]

"Whineless".....heheh.....good one.

[HitmanLV]

I agree. St Joseph, the 'conscience of the senate' is an empty suit who showed his true colors in crunch time. I always laugh when he is on screen - such a shallow fraud, with little conviction or principle.

[small voice in the wilderness]

He'll jump the aisle to the Republican side, where he belongs.....

Where he belongs is right next to Jeffords. Not enough conviction to be anywhere but in an aisle seat. I have no sympathy for Joe.

[Liz]

Nice, very nice, take.

[Bluntpoint]

Joe's convictions:

Abortion is wrong, unless it gets in the way of a few votes.

[WL-law]

In the end, Holy Joe didn't know who the heck he really was...

The voter profile that Joe was going after was the real problem.

Joe was aiming for the voters who really liked George Bush, but thought that Bush just wasn't 'jewish' enough.

[mware]

Well the most moderate of all the dems is bailing out. God help us all if any of the rest win the general election.