This has to send a potent message to Lieberman. The symbolism is simply stunning. Rabbis protesting outside Joe Lieberman's home in Stamford? This from a man who nine years ago had huge approval ratings in his home state and was within a hair of becoming the first Jewish vice-president.

From the Danbury News Times.

STAMFORD -- Quietly holding candles, hundreds of clergymen, congregants and reform advocates lined the sidewalks outside Independent U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman's Stamford home Sunday night in a show of support for universal health care.

"When we heard not only would he vote against it, but he'd use his power, his position as a swing vote ... to block it from coming to a vote, we had to send a message so he knows people who vote overwhelmingly favor the public option," said Rabbi Stephen Fuchs, of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford.
...
The vigil began at Stamford High School, Lieberman's alma mater, and ended at the senator's home, the Hayes House, across the street.

"In some sense, it's poetic," said Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy, who attended the vigil. "The place where Sen. Joseph Lieberman received his high school education, the place he visited upon his announcement to seek the vice presidency, a place where his run for the presidency began -- and it just so happens, a place across the street from where he lives."

--Sen Joseph Lieberman, Nov 8, on Fox News Sunday.

Rabbi Fish of Beth El, in Norwalk, calls on Lieberman's conscience to do the right thing. His invocation of the Torah commandment (Lo taamod al dam reakha, "Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbors") was especially poignant.

"The moral imperative for our time is clear. Anyone whose guide in public policy is conscience, anyone who argues that faith and religious traditions should direct our actions, such a person must stand for universal health care in America," Fish concluded. "It happens we are all also citizens of Connecticut. That fact leads us to ask you Senator Lieberman, what is it that you stand for?"

An estimated crowd of 475 files out of Stamford High School to hold a candle light vigil outside of Sen. Joseph Lieberman's Strawberry Hill Ave. apartment building in Stamford, Conn. on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009 urging to withdraw his opposition to the public option in the health care reform bill. The event was held by the Interfaith Fellowship for Universal Health Care.

Joe Lieberman proves he's independent of his Connecticut constituents by opposing a public option in health care reform.

C&L is honored to have proud progressives Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, and 2006 Democratic nominee for US Senate from Connecticut Ned Lamont, joining us for a live chat at 3 pm Pacific / 6 pm Eastern. The conversation will be wide-ranging, from health care and the economy to the upcoming 2010 mid-term elections. Ned Lamont endorsed Joe Sestak in the Pennsylvania Senate race earlier today.

Everyone is invited; if you haven't registered as a commenter here you will need to do that at this link in order to participate.

Linda McMahon has begun airing tv ads in Connecticut in her quest to secure the Republican nomination and take on Chris Dodd for the U.S. Senate next November. When she recently stepped down as the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) it was known her approach would be a little different. And from not bothering to vote, to publicly supporting Democrats from time to time, not to mention her own wrestling antics, her entering an already crowded Republican field guarantees Connecticut politics won't be boring.

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(Peter Asher (L) and Gordon Waller (R) - A very important wing of the British Invasion of 1964)

I was very sad to learn today that Gordon Waller (the Gordon half of Peter and Gordon) died yesterday at his home in Connecticut.

It reminded me of how much of a presence Peter and Gordon were, during the British Invasion of 1964 and just how long ago that was.

I never saw them live, but rather via television. Their popularity waned by the end of the 60's, with Peter (Asher) turning to producer and being responsible for a string of hits for artists such as Linda Ronstadt.

But it was their sound, their voices that made such an impression. Several of their early hits were written by Lennon-McCartney, and I'm sure it had much to do with their initial success, but they were talented song writers on their own.

By way of a tribute, I dug up a live version of "World Without Love" originally featured on an album "Tribute to Michael Holiday" recorded in 1964 and added as a bonus on a Japanese CD release in 2002.

I doubt if it's been heard very much. I'm sure you're all familiar with the hit studio version. I thought I would offer something special.

Because they were and Gordon was.

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There is an irony on display here as a U.S. Senator describes how a colleague cannot use the same loophole he himself used to get a second electoral chance. Sen. Joe Lieberman lost the 2006 Connecticut Democratic primary to political neophyte Ned Lamont, yet was able to form a bogus political party (of one) and run as an Independent. Lieberman went on to win in November as the de facto Republican candidate. Connecticut is one of a handful of states which does not have a so-called "Sore-Loser Law" which permits these kind of shenanigans to take place.

Sen. Arlen Specter echoed this in his press conference today that the primaries have become a haven for extremists in both political parties. Neither seemed all that thrilled with the new democracy, something which no doubt offends their sense of entitlement.

From Salon's War Room, this little tidbit from A.B. Culvahouse, the lawyer who led McCain's vice-presidential vetting process:

One other interesting point from Culvahouse's talk: Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a prominent supporter of McCain's during the campaign, was apparently a serious contender for the vice-presidential nod. But, because Lieberman is not a registered Republican, there would have been legal issues in some states.

"Five states have sore loser statutes... [making] it very difficult for someone who's not a member of the Republican Party to become the vice presidential nominee if they only switch parties to become a Republican shortly before the convention," Culvahouse said, according to Politico's Jonathan Martin. "So you were looking at going to the Supreme Court, which is not particularly appetizing."

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Sean Hannity of Fox News tried this week to goad Republican challengers Sam Caliguiri and Rob Simmons into calling Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) "a lying weasel" on national tv. One gladly took the bit in his teeth and ran with it, one did not. Hannity's glee came from a local Connecticut rag publication, the New Haven Register.

The knives have come out in earnest for Senator Dodd in recent weeks in the wake of the AIG bonuses fiasco, and some recent bad poll numbers, and we can expect more yellow journalism in the coming months as this plays out until the senate election some 18 months away.

If these republicans want to lay with the likes of a Sean Hannity, intent on negative campaigning for the duration, then I fully expect Senator Dodd to recover. In recent years three republican congressmen in Connecticut have gone down to defeat employing such tactics, one of them being Rob Simmons himself.

NEW HAVEN Conn. - Former Gov. John G. Rowland had decided to plead guilty to charges in a two-year corruption investigation that drove him from office, The Associated Press has learned.

Rowland, a three-term governor who resigned July 1, was scheduled to make the plea Thursday morning in U.S. District Court, according to a source familiar with the case.

Rowland, 47, was once one of the GOP's rising young stars. He became engulfed in scandal in December 2003 when he admitted accepting renovations at his lakeside cottage - including a hot tub and new heating system from employees and state contractors - and lying about it. Other gifts and favors soon came to light.