Lamont 52%, Lieberman 48% (Connecticut Senate Primary)

I was absent from most of the coverage due to the (ugh) Yankees-White Sox game, but followed coverage via Joe Lieberman supporter, former Connecticut resident and, as of Lieberman's concession speech, former Democrat Irish Trojan.

Lieberman will now proceed to the general election as an independent.

When Drudge called the raise, I posted this on Irisher's comment board:

Things to consider:

1. A four-point loss–if I understand Connecticut politics at all–means that Joe rolls out of bed tomorrow morning as the statewide front-runner.

2. The closeness of the vote gives Lieberman and his supporters–including his supporters on the left–the rhetorical space they need to pursue an Independent run. Watch for one of Lieberman’s soul brothers in the Democratic Party–my money’s on Dodd–to say, in the coming days, “Clearly, the vote was so close that the only proper route now is to leave this crucial decision in these important times up to the entire electorate of the great state of Connecticut blah blah blah knowing that whoever of these two fine men is elected will caucus with the Democrats blah blah blah.” Lamont’s people and the netroots will howl, of course, but these will be howls of frustration, knowing that any possible rebuttal will not sound nearly as magnanimous. Now it’s Lamont sounding of sour grapes, which is kind of the point.

3. I’m about to go over to Kos & Co. for the “Joe should get out” postings. Now, why are they so anxious for Joe to get out? Is it because, come November, they know their boy Lamont can’t beat him?

Over at Daily Kos, Markos is celebrating his man Lamont's win (Kos's record in endorsements is now a sterling 1-23) and rallying his troops for a spirited campaign against such a worthy opponent as Independent candidate Lieberman come the fall.

Yeah, right.

we join Kos already in progress:

Lieberman just announced that he is running as an independent.

I know Democrats in DC, including many of Lieberman's allies, are horrified at that possibility. Lieberman will tell them all to f*** off. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about promises he made to them to respect the will of the primary voters . . .

Now, Lieberman wants to stab his allies and his party in the back. It won't be the first time.

Here's what we all need to do the next few days:

1. Push Harry Reid to strip Lieberman of all committee assignments.

2. Let people know what a sore loser Lieberman is.

3. Get all Democrats -- including Bill Clinton -- to publicly back Ned Lamont.

4. Get the Democratic interest groups who backed Lieberman to switch allegiances in the general.

The DSCC and the DCCC will have to deal with the fact that this race will continue to suck oxygen from great pickup opportunities. And I won't apologize for that, because as a proud Democrat, I will help in whatever way I can the Democratic nominee from the Great State of Connecticut.

The Republicans rejoiced at Lieberman's decision to stay in. They couldn't be happier. And let's not talk about the lobbyists! They're besides themselves!

I'll assume Kos meant that the lobbyists are "beside themselves."

A thought: Complaining about rules that are to your detriment, in politics, is akin to the "tuck rule": you undermine your argument by only complaining after your own vested interests become clear. The Dems tried it with the electoral vote in 2000, and Toricelli by withdrawing in 2002, and DeLay by moving to Virginia. Only Torricelli got anywhere, and he shouldn't have.

One new item: Hotline is reporting that Chris Dodd has been "tasked" by his fellow Dems to convince Lieberman not to run as an indy.

I couldn't describe the dynamics that flow between those two men. Still, I'm guessing that if you remove the "t" from "tasked," you'll have a better idea of things.