On This Week with George Stephanopoulos a few minutes ago, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the Democratic Party Whip, was asked repeatedly if he would support the winner of the Connecticut Democratic Primary, whether it was despised incumbent Joe Lieberman or anti Iraq War upstart Ned Lamont. He was reminded that Lieberman might as an Independent if he lost the primary. Durbin said regardless of the outcome of the primary, he would support Lieberman.
While Durbin expressed support for Lieberman in the primary, he didn't take a position on what would happen if Lieberman jumped.
Also on the homefront, Durbin pledged his support for his Democratic colleague, Sen. Joe Lieberman, who faces a tough primary challenge in his bid for reelection in Connecticut. Just six years ago, Lieberman was tapped by then-Vice President Al Gore to join the Democrat's presidential ticket; now Lieberman faces an intraparty challenge from Ned Lamont, an anti-war candidate who says Lieberman's positions have drifted too far right.
"I'm going to support Joe Lieberman and I hope that he wins the Democratic party," Durbin told Stephanopoulos, before continuing, "I'm going to support Joe Lieberman in the Democratic primary."
But, the Illinois Democrat demurred when pressed by Stephanopoulos as to whether Durbin would support Lieberman if he loses the primary and begins an independent campaign for the Senate; "I'm not going to accept your premise," Durbin offered, insisting his statement of support in the primary is all he would say for now.