Bill Clinton Endorses Joe Lieberman -- a HuffPost Preview! (Updated)

So Bill Clintonto the big Lieberman rally in Waterbury today (albeit) and offered his endorsement. Among his observations was the rather baffling assertion that the war in Iraq is the "pink elephant in the living room." This expressionto "a question or problem that very obviously stands but which is ignored for the convenience of one or other party." But just who exactly is ignoring the war? Certainly not anyone involved in the Lieberman-Lamont race. In fact, it's the defining issue of the campaign. The only ones who'd love for Iraq to be an ignored pink elephant, of course, are Lieberman's supporters and a certain other notable backer of the war who shares Clinton's last name.
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Update: So Bill Clinton made it to the big Lieberman rally in Waterbury today (albeit two hours late) and offered his endorsement. Among his observations was the rather baffling assertion that the war in Iraq is the "pink elephant in the living room." This expression traditionally refers to "a question or problem that very obviously stands but which is ignored for the convenience of one or other party." But just who exactly is ignoring the war? Certainly not anyone involved in the Lieberman-Lamont race. In fact, it's the defining issue of the campaign. The only ones who'd love for Iraq to be an ignored pink elephant, of course, are Lieberman's supporters and a certain other notable backer of the war who shares Clinton's last name. So perhaps the pink elephant reference was just a case of wishful 2008 thinking on the former president's part. "Convenience," indeed.

During his 20 minute pep talk, Clinton tried to help Lieberman shake off the Iraq albatross by claiming, "No Democrat is responsible for the mistakes that have been made since the fall of Saddam Hussein." Sounds like he's laying Iraq at the doorstep of President Bush -- and rightly so. But what about Joe Lieberman's admonition that "in matters of war, we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril"? I guess it just goes to show that Clinton was right when he said today that Democrats "don't agree on everything. We don't agree on Iraq." Somehow I doubt the Lieberman camp will be highlighting that Clinton quote in its campaign commercials. In any case, I still prefer the endorsement soundbytes we offered up earlier in our exclusive mock preview below.

***

Putting his personal issues above the good of his Party, Bill Clinton will appear at a rally in Waterbury, Connecticut later today to offer his support for embattled Sen. Joe Lieberman.

The Lieberman camp is hoping the popular former president's endorsement will provide its sagging candidate with a shot in the arm -- and a zippy soundbyte or two it can highlight in its stretch-run TV commercials.

Through sources in the former president's neighborhood-busting Harlem office, HuffPost has obtained an exclusive preview of some of what Clinton will say about why he is backing Lieberman over Lamont:

"Like Joe Lieberman, I too have loyalties that are greater than those to my party. Starting with Hillary. I still owe her big time."

"You may not know this, but when Joe Lieberman and I joined the DLC, we swore a blood oath to always support the least progressive candidate in a race. Breaking that would be like Phil Leotardo crossing family lines by jamming that pole up Vito Spatafore's butt. Man, I can't believe we're gonna have to wait until March to see the final eight episodes because Gandolfini fell off his scooter!"

"Joe Lieberman was wrong on the bankruptcy bill, wrong on not filibustering Alito, and wrong on Terri Schiavo. But his position on the war is pretty similar to Hillary's and that's good enough for me."

"Some people say Joe Lieberman is out of touch, that he no longer knows what's good for Joe Lieberman, that he's no longer responsive to the needs of Joe Lieberman. But I disagree: I say Joe Lieberman still knows -- and does -- exactly what's good for Joe Lieberman."

"Eight years ago, Joe Lieberman took to the Senate floor and called my behavior 'immoral,' 'disgraceful,' 'harmful,' and 'damaging.' And you know what they say, slap me in the face and I'll follow you anywhere. That includes Waterbury! Go, Joe, go!"

"The last time Hillary spoke at the DLC (as she's doing today in Denver), the blogosphere gave her hell. I thought I'd pull some of that focus today, and make Peter Daou's job a little easier."

"If Joe Lieberman's daughter Rebecca can postpone her wedding to help her dad, the least I can do is take a train ride to Connecticut."

"Two DLC thumbs up -- way up!"

"Joe Lieberman: Better than Clerks II."

"Joe Lieberman has my endorsement; Ned Lamont has Carl Feen's. 'Nuff said."

"This morning, Don Imus called Ned Lamont an 'Ichabod Crane, pencil-necked phony.' Now, Imus and I have had our differences but the man knows his Washington Irving, so I'll have to go with him on this one."

"Chalk it up to nostalgia. Back in 1970, when I was still a Yalie, I campaigned for Joe Lieberman in his first run for public office. I got laid a helluva lot during that campaign... and that's the kind of experience a man just doesn't turn his back on."

"Sure, Hillary and I know how to triangulate. But, compared to us, Joe Lieberman is frickin' Euclid."

"Some folks have called Joe Lieberman a Fox News Democrat. Well, ever since Rupert Murdoch held that fundraiser for Hillary, that sounds like a compliment to me."

Okay, HuffPosters. Now it's your turn. What do you think Bill Clinton will say about Joe Lieberman today? Post your answers in the comments section.

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