People in the beltway need to realize that they undermine Ned Lamont at their own peril. If Lieberman and his friends, Cheney, Rove, and Bush, are successful in creating the perception that a candidate who reasonably and rationally evaluates the war in Iraq is not mainstream, the Democrats across the nation will suffer. They will be tagged similarly in the popular perception wars.
It's not good enough anymore for candidates to be right about issues. They have to convey the perception they are right to the electorate. And it's the perception battle in Connecticut that will impact on elections across the nation.
So I suggest we let our Democratic leaders know that they should be afraid, very afraid, that perceptions in Connecticut will be extrapolated across the nation. And if they adopt a laissez-faire attitude to false friend Lieberman, they are making life for Democrats across the nation more problematic.
It is so easy to get behind an articulate moderate like Lamont. Did you read yesterday's article in the WSJ? It was a message worthy of amplification. He has caught the wave of public discontent and his reasonable message can only enhance other Democratic candidates in the state.
On the other hand, Lieberman is an egotistical, hypocritical, far right disaster. He sounds more Republican every time he opens his mouth. If the Democratic powers-that-be continue to deny the reality of his negative impact on perceptions, all Dems will suffer. You undermine Ned Lamont at your own peril.