In an example of politics making strange bedfellows, Sen. Joe Lieberman's (D-Conn.) campaign found support from a surprising place over the summer: the Princeton College Republicans.
On Aug. 2, six days before the Democratic primary between Lieberman and challenger Ned Lamont, an email from the College Republicans to its members was posted by Markos Moulitsas Zuniga on his liberal blog, DailyKos.
The email, sent Aug. 1, explains how Princeton students could participate in a trip to Hartford to support Lieberman in the primary.
"In June, I informed you all of a campaign opportunity for State Senator Tom Kean['s] race for U.S. Senate in NJ," the email reads, in part. "Continuing the tradition of letting you [know] about summer campaign opportunities here is a much more unconventional option: Incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman (Democratic Primary). Lieberman is facing a tough primary fight versus far-left anti war activist Ned Lamont."
Lamont narrowly defeated Lieberman in the primary to earn the Democratic Party's nomination.
The College Republicans' president Alexander Maugeri '07 and vice president Clarke Smith '07, who are both editors at The Daily Princetonian, declined to comment on the blog, referring instead to a news release issued by the group.
"Radical lefty blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga is up to his old fact bending tricks, only this time the subject of his half truths and distortions happens to be the Princeton University College Republicans," the news release reads.
The post "implied that the Princeton University College Republicans (PUCR) had endorsed and was organizing on behalf of Senator Joseph Lieberman's (D-CT) primary campaign," a "version of events ... so far removed from the truth so as to be almost laughable."
According to the release, a nonpartisan group that backs Lieberman had contacted the College Republicans wondering if any Republicans wished to participate in supporting the Senator's campaign.
"Because of Sen. Lieberman's bipartisan appeal, it was thought that some moderate College Republicans might be interested in helping out over the weekend," the release said. "We were asked if we would be willing to send out a notice across our extensive membership lists, to let people know about the opportunity."
"We agreed to do so purely as a courtesy to this nonpartisan group," the news release reads, adding that "elements of the email were deliberately edited out in reproduction on DailyKos, including important caveats regarding the fact that our club did not intend to endorse Lieberman."
Scott Overland, a deputy press secretary for the Lieberman campaign, said the Senator welcomed help from all political circles.
"Senator Lieberman has always attracted a broad range of support, and that isn't any different now," Overland said. He added that Lieberman is "receiving support from all parties, including Democrats, Republicans and independents, and when someone offers to volunteer or contribute, we don't ask what party they're from."
Communications director for the Lamont campaign Liz Dupont-Diehl said that "Lieberman does seem to be the de facto Republican candidate."
A poll by Quinnipiac University on August 17 showed Lieberman, now running as an independent, leading Lamont 53-41 percent in the general election, with Republican nominee Alan Schlesinger garnering 4 percentage points.
Schlesinger has received little more than nominal support from GOP party leaders. In August, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said that the Connecticut Republican Party "has suggested that we not make an endorsement in that race and so we're not." President Bush also declined to endorse Schlesinger.
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