What amazes me is how so many people on this site seem to be so quick to write off Ned Lamont. I remember a time when everyone was calling for someone, anyone to challenge Joe Lieberman, and Ned Lamont was the one who stepped forth. After Ned accepted the challenge, the initial polls looked like a disaster, but we perservered and on primary day we achieved what was thought by many to be the impossible. Ned Lamont defeated an 18 year incumbent, who was once the vice presidential candidate of his party.
Very soon after that the republicans and the media entered the fray in full force, and Ned Lamont was swift boated to the max. They practically told us a vote for Lamont was a vote for terrorism, with all the usual swift boat crap. Lamont immediately fell behind in the polls, and the first thing many of his supporters did was complain about Lamont's responses, and his campaign. They were upset because he took what seemed like an untimely vacation. Of course this caused many people to shy away from him, and retreat from his effort. We all wanted him out there, and now we were leaving him out there to fight the good fight by himself.
Yes, nobody ever said this battle against the combined forces of the republican right, and the democrat conservative establishment would be easy, but what is surprising is that so many are so quick to give up the fight. The polls come out, he's losing, and half his supporters seem to be gone. They have other races that excite them more. They like the "winnable ones," and as far as they are concerned this one is not. How really sad.
And, of course, they comfort themselves with the notion, that Lieberman is a democrat anyway, and will caucus democrat, so what's the difference. The difference is he could be lying, or he could just have one of those changes of heart. He owes everything now to the republicans, so let's not kid ourselves. Even more likely is he could get a nice comfy appointment to Bush's cabinet--maybe Secretary of Defense, or something like that, leaving the Governor of Connecticut to appoint a new Senator from Connecticut. Now, let me see, what party does that governor belong too. Oh, that's right, it's the republican party. Sorry guys, but there may go the majority we are fighting so hard to achieve.
We can prevent this scenario from ever taking place. There is one way we can do it, and that's to not give up on Ned Lamont. To hell with the polls. When you have the republican establishment against you, and the conservative democratic establishment against you, and the media against you, did you really think the polls would be for you? Ned Lamont answered our call last spring, and now it's time for us to answer his call. There is still time. We can win this race, but that means we can't give up. Ned Lamont needs our help now, let's get out and be there for him. He has been there for us....