Lieberman to Baldwin: "Make My Day"
Senator welcomes all comers for 2012 race
By JOE PIRANEO
Updated 2:16 PM EST, Mon, Aug 24, 2009
Joe Lieberman is ready for a possible showdown with a "30 Rock" star in 2012.
Alec Baldwin caused a stir when he was quoted in the July/August issue of Playboy as saying he was considering a run for Senate in Connecticut -- along with New Jersey or Ohio.
The skin mag interview quickly made it into the political blogs and elsewhere, but was officially launched into the world of political talk shows Sunday when Lieberman was asked about the possibility on CNN's "State of the Union."
“Make my day,” Lieberman said, laughing when asked about the interview. “You know, I mean, I must say that I respect Alec Baldwin as an actor and as a comedian, and if he wants to run, that’s his right.”
When Baldwin spoke with Playboy, he said he has "no use" for the Independent senator, but has since backed off the notion. In a blog in the Huffington Post, Baldwin basically said he wasn't running.
Matthew Hiltzik, Baldwin’s spokesman, said the actor has no plans to move to Connecticut and challenge Lieberman in the 2012 election.
Baldwin doesn't want to see Lieberman leave the Senate because there are so few moderate Republicans in the Senate.
"Lastly, no I am not moving to Connecticut to run against Joe Lieberman. As much as I think Lieberman is an enormous letdown to the party that gave him their nomination for Vice President, I am sure that Democratic Party leaders in that state will take care of themselves."
Lieberman was re-elected to the Senate in 2006 as an Independent after he lost the Democratic primary. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000 and spoke at last year's Republican National Convention.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Connecticut
First Published: Aug 24, 2009 7:58 AM EST
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