Lamont won by about four points, his big lead decreasing (late returns of urban voters apparently are more friendly to the former Democrat, Lieberman) to about four points. This held for the last twenty or so percent. Yes, as the Mets and Yanks (extra innings as I type) played, I checked the results periodically after the polls closed. Though Lieberman pushed a "uniter not divider" approach (sounds familiar ... and it was fake when he said it), earlier today the NYT had it right:
The anger that Mr. Lieberman was so surprised to find at his own back door is real, and actually more important than the identity of the next senator from Connecticut. It involves that rarest of breeds, the irate moderate. Self-described moderates have found themselves unnerved over the past few years as the country seemed to be galloping in a deeply unmoderate direction. ...
I haven’t changed,” he told The Washington Post. “Events around me have changed.” The question — still unclear as the ballots were being counted — was whether he and his party have learned that changing is necessary.
-- Connecticut’s Message
Yes. The angry moderate/centrist has been a theme various places, including Kevin Drum over at Washington Monthly. These are people who are not normally that passionate, and smears aside, are real moderates -- some could have quite easily once upon a time voted Republican. Back when that was rational. In fact, some still vote for Republicans in various instances. But, they realize things have changed. They realize that you cannot just play nice and help the opposite numbers.
A party that actively refuses to allow the other side, unless they are actively helping them (neocon foreign policy sorts like JL), a place at the table of legislating. One that is clearly bad for the country from their leader down. But, for Joe, it is just about partisanship. Is he that clueless? Or, has his time passed? Well, apparently as a Democrat. Daily Kos:
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 fuck off. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about promises he made to them to respect the will of the primary voters.
Lieberman's original rationale for collecting signatures was that only 20 percent of Democrats would vote in a summer primary. Well, we got a blockbuster primary turnout. While only about 3 percent of Democrats voted in the Virginia primary a few weeks ago, about 50 percent will have participated today. That's an incredible number -- unprecedented -- for a Senate primary. I'll leave others to do the historical research, but this isn't normal. This is what people-power looks like, and it is changing the face of politics. ...
Joe Lieberman is not an independent Democrat. He needs to be stripped of his committee assignments and have those handed to real Democrats. And then we need to buckle down and finish the job we started.
The announcement is not surprising. His campaign let it be known that the win would have to be something like ten points for him to bow out. And, late polls put the race closer than that, a few commentators notwithstanding.
But, many did not believe he would actually go through with it. He would, with prodding from the likes of Bill Clinton, see that such a turncoat move would ruin his reputation. And, Lamont's chances would suddenly look much better once he won the primary. Not yet, I guess. For now, with a nod to Atrios, he is just a major wanker.
"Sore Loserman." Ironically, Republicans will be his major supporters now. Oh, Yanks lost in the 11th. Not to worry ... another underdog won -- Kansas beat Boston.