Netroots on Joe Lieberman

Earlier I did a roundup of initial blog anaylsis. Here are some more. Jane Hamsher:

Ned had a press conference today in which he made the point -- and I think quite forcefully -- that Lieberman wants to "have it both ways." Absolutely. He's trying to walk out the back door of the party but still be considered a Democrat. He said it over and over during the press conference today -- he believes in the values of the Democratic party, and he'll run as an "independent Democrat." Hogwash. As Digby reminds us, this is what Chuck Schumer said recently:

Schumer said that the DSCC "fully supports" Sen. Joe Lieberman in his primary bid, and he refused to rule out continuing that support if Lieberman were to run as an independent.

There were degrees of independence, Schumer said. "You can run as an independent, you can run as an independent Democrat who pledges to vote for Harry Reid as Majority Leader."

Which says to me that they've been coordinating this little hair-splitting act for quite some time. If Joe wants to run as part of the "Independent Democrat" party, he has to gather signatures to create such a party (and I'm not even sure he can). He won't. If Joe bolts the party, he will be an Independent. Period. There will be no "Democratic" about it. I'm sure his internal polling tells him that if people don't consider him a Democrat any more his numbers abjectly suck, and he certainly wants to retain all the perks his seniority in the Senate would grant him as a Democrat. But why does anyone believe he would do anything but auction himself off like a two-dollar whore to the highest bidder once elected? If we're counting on his principled commitment to the Democratic party, color me skeptical.

There has been a lot of talk about Lieberman's timing, Matt Stoller piles on:

One thing to consider is how badly Lieberman didn't want to make this announcement. Today is the slowest news day of the year, a hot summer day during a long weekend. DC is deserted. People are at the beach. If he really thought this was just an insurance policy, would he really try to bury this announcement on a slow summer day? I don't think so.

Lieberman is a proud man, and an angry man. But he's no dummy.

Branfordboy links to the video and says:

It's no accident that Joe popped this bit of "news" on the slowest news day of the election cycle, when people's attention is focused elsewhere. Let's hope this video gets wide attention, because it shows Lieberman is incredibly weak and unprincipled.

Branford boy also suggests:

This is an opportunity for all the Democrats in Federal elections -- Ned Lamont, Joe Courtney, Diane Farrell and Chris Murphy -- to speak with one voice.

More specifically, it is a chance for our Congressional candidates to rid themselves of the millstone that has been hampering their campaigns and making them the laughing stock of their right-wing opponents.

In fact we should demand that they do. Call them and urge them, politely but firmly, to disown Joe Lieberman and back Ned Lamont, the Democrat for U.S. Senate.

Joe Courtney (860) 577-8283
Diane Farrell (203) 277-5447
Chris Murphy (860) 223-5522

Atrios is having a contest and a question for Chuck Schumer. Matt Stoller also has a diary on DailyKos for people to list their most hated Lieberman moments. Speaking of which, Kos explains how Chris Dodd just ended his presidential campaign.

Ned Lamont is up to $252,191.88 on actblue.