WHAT DOES JOE WANT IN '06? No surprise that Alec raised hackles with yesterday's post. In light of the primary's outcome and Lieberman's oddly-phrased determination that he will "not let these results stand" -- that is, as we now look to a general election wherein Democratic resources do have to continually be expended in Connecticut on account of Lieberman's independent bid -- surely it's worth flipping Alec's analysis around and putting the onus back on the senator. The real threat to a full-bore Democratic offensive to take back Congress this fall is posed by the guy who lost his primary and won't accept defeat. Lieberman struck a nicely rancid and defiant tone this morning and claims there's no phone call that could be made by anyone to dissuade him from running as an independent, but the The New York Times's reporting this morning (some of it done by Tapped alumnus Nick Confessore) makes, I think, a good case that he could be swimming up hill stream against Lamont's momentum and consolidating Democratic unity behind the candidate. If he's determined to force Democrats to spend precious time, money, and resources dealing with his dead-end hissy fit over the next few months, I don't see why anyone deserves blame for that besides Lieberman himself.
--Sam Rosenfeld
