The Courant's Kevin Rennie
writing at Political Wire:
Lieberman Plans for Loss Next Week
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) will shake up his campaign staff if he loses Tuesday's Democratic primary to challenger Ned Lamont. Lieberman supporters have watched with growing dismay since the spring as the three term senator's campaign has gone from oblivious to defensive. They expect to reap a bitter harvest in 6 days.
Expect Lieberman to can anyone who was associated with 2004 Kerry campaign and replace them with a team of pungent veterans who will take the fight to Lamont. As Lieberman tours the broiling state, you can almost hear the gloves coming off in preparation for a fight to the finish in November.
Lieberman will face pressure to abandon his independent run if he gets clocked on August 8th. But on August 9th he will be able to capture the spotlight by filing his petitions for his independent run.
IF Lieberman loses, and IF he stays in the race as an independent, he will continue to harm the Democratic Party up through November.
Senate and House Democrats want nothing more desperate than to focus everyone's attention on Republicans and their embattled incumbents and open seats. Lieberman stays in, and I can confidently predict that a HUGE amount of netroots (and thus media) attention will remain on Connecticut's Senate battle and not elsewhere where it could be greatly needed. The Senate and House party committees tolerate Lieberman's independent bid at their own peril.
If Lieberman bolts the Democratic Party and becomes and independent, Harry Reid will be under intense pressure to immediately strip Lieberman of his committee assignments. Those are reserved for Democrats and loyal allies (e.g. Jeffords or Sanders). Let the Republicans give their committee seats to their favorite Democrat. That's the last thing Reid needs right now, but it'll happen if Lieberman stays in the race.
Money spent on this race today is not detracting from picking up seats in the Fall. But that will obviously change if Lieberman stays in the race.
Lieberman will make Barbara Boxer, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton look extra stupid if their defenses of him, as a Democrat, are repaid with a big "fuck you" and a flip of the bird.
And finally, what's this "take the fight to Lamont" bullshit? They've spent the last four months "taking the fight to Lamont". They've accused him of being a racist, they've accused him of being a Republican, they've accused him of being a left-wing extremist, and they've accused him of trying to buy the election.
Does this mean that Lieberman, if he stays in the race, plans on throwing away what little of his so-called integrity he might have left?