Joe could oust Bush
COMMENTARY
By Rebecca Martin

The Democrats have a problem. They have one presidential candidate with a decent chance to beat Bush in 2004. However, this petitioner may not survive the primaries. He is, unfortunately, a moderate.

His name? Joseph Lieberman. He is the closest shot we have to put a Democrat in the White House. He enjoys name recognition from the 2000 presidential election, has a reputation for sticking to his principles and is moderate enough for swing voters. He seems like the perfect candidate -- unless you’re a liberal.

Mainstream Americans may love moderates, but the die-hard, left-wing voters who show up for primaries hate them. Lieberman’s conservative stance on many key issues may spell out his demise early in the campaign.

First, Lieberman supports a war with Iraq. He has gone so far as to criticize Bush for not spending enough money on domestic security. He co-sponsored the Homeland Security Act, which played a vital role in creating the Office of Homeland Security.

This is enough to deter many liberals, but his semi-conservative views extend beyond national security. He supports school vouchers, which allow students to choose the school they attend. Vouchers leave poor schools with less money and make bad schools worse. Lieberman even favors the death penalty for adults and minors.

No wonder liberals are worried. Many think Lieberman has nothing to offer Democrats next year in the presidential race.

They are wrong. He may lean to the right on certain issues, but his core beliefs are in tune with those of his party.

Economically, Lieberman is all Democrat. In the Senate, he voted to allow citizens to sue their HMOs. He supports increased federal funding for health coverage. He is utterly against privatizing social security, and two years ago, he voted against Bush’s ill-conceived tax cut.

His voting record speaks for itself. He voted to close the gun show loop hole. He also voted to expand the scope of hate crimes to include homosexuals, a group whose interests are not taken seriously enough in our country. In a truly progressive moment, he voted for condom distribution in high schools.

Most importantly, he supports abortion rights, and while in office, will fight to protect the right to choose. This means appointing judges who support this right to the Supreme Court.

I would love to have a liberal in the Oval Office, but if we want a candidate who can beat Bush, we have to be realistic. We need a candidate who can win. Lieberman is not ideal, however, he is not that bad either. This year, Democrats must resist the temptation to nominate a liberal and vote for someone who can get Bush out of Washington for good.
Lieberman has the best shot at the presidency of any Democrat in the race. His stance on the issues are modearate, unbiased and well-considered. He may not be a liberal, but he will make a good president.

Rebecca Martin is a columnist for The Daily Aztec at San Diego State University. This column was distributed by U-Wire.