My Favorite Democrats

This isn’t going to be easy…

I plan to write a four-part series this week about my favorite and least favorite politicians, by party, and so I figured I would start with the most challenging of the four pieces. Since, quite frankly, I can’t think of a single modern-day Democrat that I admire, we will have to turn back the clock about 20 years or so to find one who isn’t 100% nauseating.

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman makes my list for his support of a strong national defense, including the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as his willingness to stand up to his party’s leadership on some important issues. He was also the first prominent Democrat to criticize President Bill Clinton’s handling of the Monica Lewinsky affair, although he later voted to acquit Clinton during his Senate trial.

An opponent of violent video games, Lieberman was largely responsible for the industry-wide rating system for video games that was enacted in the 1990s. He also successfully fought to have the public health insurance option removed from the Affordable Care Act.

Lieberman first won election to the U.S. Senate in 1988, thanks in part to the support of conservatives like William F. Buckley and James Buckley, both of whom had tired of Republican Sen. Lowell Weicker’s liberal voting record. He then won reelection in 1994 and 2000 but lost the Democratic primary in 2006 to a left-wing candidate because of his support for the Iraq War and the subsequent War on Terrorism. Undaunted, Lieberman ran as an Independent on the “Connecticut for Lieberman” ticket and won reelection to his fourth and final term.

In 2008, Lieberman rankled his party’s leadership by endorsing Republican Sen. John McCain for president, a move which cost him one of his committee assignments. Likewise, he remained neutral in the 2012 presidential race between President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney.

Still active in public policy matters at age 81, Lieberman describes himself as being "genuinely an Independent", adding "I agree more often than not with Democrats on domestic policy. I agree more often than not with Republicans on foreign and defense policy.”

Finally, to his credit, Lieberman published an editorial in the Wall Street Journal in 2018, imploring voters to support incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley who had lost to political newcomer Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic primary and was running as an Independent. "With all respect, I certainly hope she's not the future, and I don't believe she is," Lieberman wrote about AOC.

Next on my admittedly microscopic list of Democrats who I could stomach is former Gov. Bob Casey, Sr. of Pennsylvania. Not to be confused with his weak-kneed, lily-livered, and wishy-washy son, Sen. Bob Casey, Jr., the elder Casey was a devout Catholic and strong pro-life advocate who pushed through the "Pennsylvania Abortion Control Act" in 1989. The controversial law placed limitations on abortion – including parental notification when minors were involved, a 24-hour waiting period, and a virtual ban on partial-birth procedures.

Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania promptly sued Gov. Casey as the named defendant in a case that worked its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court in April 1992. Two months later, in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, SCOTUS upheld all of Pennsylvania's restrictions except one (the requirement for spousal notification) allowing states to impose certain restrictions, but still affirming the right to an abortion as found in Roe v. Wade.

Because of his strong pro-life positions, Gov. Casey was denied the opportunity to speak at the Democratic National Convention in 1992. As a result, he refused to actively campaign for the Clinton-Gore ticket that year and even considered running to unseat President Clinton in 1996.

Finally, Bob Casey, Sr. was also a strong supporter of gun rights and the Second Amendment, yet another reason to admire a man who would have made a good Republican.

In case you’re wondering why Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia didn’t make my list, he has proven himself to be a political chameleon, trying to placate the voters in his conservative coal-mining state while simultaneously caving into pressure to support the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which proved to be a green energy boondoggle. Manchin also voted against Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination and to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination.

Despite identifying as pro-life, Manchin has straddled the fence on abortion legislation, voting to require doctors to provide care for babies who survive abortions but also supporting federal funding for Planned Parenthood, who gave him a 44% approval rating. Likewise, Manchin has a mixed record on LGBTQ issues, voting against repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy but opposing President Trump’s proposed ban on transgenders serving in the U.S. military.

In similar fashion, Joe Manchin opposed same-sex marriage as recently as 2015 but voted for the dubiously named Respect for Marriage Act in 2022, which provides federal protection for same-sex marriages. Lastly, Manchin has voted 87.9% of the time in support of Joe Biden’s policies… ‘nuff said.

Tomorrow: My Least Favorite Democrats.