Ned Lamont’s gubernatorial campaign caught some flak yesterday for launching a scorched-earth-style attack on Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy’s little effort to announce a slate of gubernatorial endorsements.
Well, today it’s Malloy’s turn to be the mean Democrat picking on a fellow Democrat.
Some bloggers on My Left Nutmeg were troubled by Malloy’s comment to the Hartford Courant about Lamont and other Greenwich multi-millionaires who are seeking office in 2010: “When you get bored with the polo ponies, you run for office … When our American political discourse devolves to that low point, we’re all in trouble.”
“We need to stick to the issues and not eat our own,” wrote Saramerica at My Left Nutmeg.
Lamont’s wealth has been a sensitive issue since he ran for U.S. Senate in 2006. Myself and plenty of other reporters often referred to him as “the Greenwich millionaire” or “multi-millionaire” and his then-opponent, Democratic U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Stamford, sought to discredit Lamont as a monied candidate with little depth.
(Of course this year is particularly interesting because Lamont is hardly alone. So many candidates, Democrat and Republican, reside in wealthy Fairfield County. They’re not all millionaires, but you need some coin to own a home. None of these folks are boiling Ramen noodles in a studio apartment. Even Attorney General/Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Dick Blumenthal, viewed by some as the great champion of the underdog, lives a comfortable existence in Greenwich.)
Following his official campaign launch in Hartford today, a couple reporters asked Lamont about the recent round of critical attacks with Malloy.
Lamont blamed it on the campaign managers.
“I’d tell both sides to tone it down,” Lamont said.
i like the guy, but calling Dick Blumenthal’s “a comfortable existence in Greenwich” is a significant understatement. someone i know went to a house party there and overheard a guest’s question: “Wow, big house–how many rooms are there?” and Blumenthal’s response: “You know, I have no idea–we’ve not had time to count them.” For the rest of CT (even those of us in Fairfield County), that’s far beyond “comfortable.”
Comment by e — February 17th, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
Right on E …..To me it’s who spends the most money the wisest will be the winner this Election Season….
Here is a vote for Malloy or Fedele for Governor
And Blumenthal or McMahon for Senator…..
Don’t think we would do bad with any of these fine people winning…
Thank you
full
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 19th, 2010 @ 4:00 pm
Notice that despite the fact he’s quite successful and easily worth a few million bucks, no one ever brings up Fedele’s wealth?
No one dares as he actually did it himself after learning to speak English as a second language no-less.
Mike Fedele’s life story illustrates what is right about the country; the man literally personifies the best qualities of our more successful citizens.
Comment by ACR — March 11th, 2010 @ 10:01 am