But at the same time, aren't you putting your need to kick ass and relieve anger ahead of other possibilities to get things done?  You don't have to be a Tai Chi master to know that sometimes rolling a little to the side and giving a gentle push is all you need to do to send the adversary to the mat.  

In letters I have suggested to Senator Lieberman that there are a lot of options open to him, a lot of chances for service in other arenas.  I agree with the thrust of this diary.  Back a person into a corner and they are very likely to get their backs up and resist just as a defensive reaction.

Flaming someone does not win hearts and minds.

Lieberman may no longer be your cup of tea, but he does serve a recognizable constituency.  Anyone who got 48+ percent of the Democratic Party votes in CT is someone who has supporters, who also do not wish to be villified.  Lamont is comporting himself, generally, about as well as could be asked for.  The GOP candidate seems a bit of a tarnished vessel, so if Lieberman decides not to run as an independent the election is pretty much a Lamont shoe-in.  With Lieberman in the race, who can say?  I am inclined to think that Lamont's demeanor will help ease Lieberman out of the race and on to another phase of his life, but let's face it, this was a close election.  Lamont no more has a "mandate" than George Bush did in 2004, and we know what happened after Bush tried to cash in that mandate, right?  Nope, this is all about local politics, about reaching out to Lieberman supporters, about representing the concerns and needs of all Connecticut voters.  Importantly, strident voices ought not to be the story.  Moving on with dignity and without delay should be the order of the day.  

Or, everyone could go out and run victory laps and talk about how relevant they are, making the story about them, instead of about Lamont and about Connecticut.  Lamont made a lot of his own luck by being who he is.  A weaker candidate, frankly, a dumber candidate, would have been roadkill, but Lamont proved himself to be smart, calm, engagingly low-key and able to handle a tough interview.  Watch his appearance on the Colbert Report and you'll see all of those qualities at play.  I agree, honey is a lot more likely to work than waving a club and talking smack.