No - Joe - Mentum

I read this morning that Lawrence O'Donnell predicted that Joe Lieberman would drop his independent run. Now as much as anyone Mr O'Donnell usually knows what he is talking about but in spite of that I thought egomentum would make it unlikely that Joe would quit. As the day went on I have been forced to reconsider. As I reported this morning it looks like Joe will not receive any support from the Buchanan wing of the Republican Party, that will probably include a big chunk of the Libertarian wing. Next we hear that the Connecticut Republicans may dump their hapless candidate, Schlesinger, and run a "real" candidate.

Of course we have the real problem for Joe, Joe Lieberman. As the Republican candidates themselves try to distance themselves from Bush and the Rovian White House Joe himself continues with the offensive White House talking points. Josh Marshall explains:

Readers of this site know I've always had a soft spot for Lieberman. I was ambivalent about the primary race, didn't have a horse in it, I think I said. And it only became a simple matter for me after Lamont won. He's the Democratic candidate. End of story. Not because I felt differently about Lieberman necessarily. But I think all Democrats, all progressives, liberals, whatever, should support the Democratic candidate. And that's Ned Lamont. That and tell Lieberman to get out of the race.

But now Lieberman is not only running as the de facto Republican in the race, he's running as the worst sort of Republican, going on the trail claiming that any serious questioning of our policy in Iraq is a victory for the terrorists, even pulling in yesterday's terror plot take-down into his angle against Lamont. With Lamont, those guys might have blown up the plane. Leaving Iraq is a win for the terrorists. A Lamont win is a win for the terrorists. That was after Wednesday when Joe pledged to save the Democratic party from the extremists he seems to think make up the entire Democratic party. Except for Joe.

So questioning the president's policy on Iraq is a win for the terrorists. The Democratic party is outside the mainstream of American politics. I can go to Republicans for that, right?

So it's not just about the independent candidacy any more. It's about him. Enough. Just leave.

Lawrence O'Donnell thought Lieberman would drop out the end of September, I wonder if it will last that long.