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Lamont Leads Lieberman by 13 Points in New Poll
Democratic Senator Shifts Strategy for Tuesday's Primary as Antiwar Foe Soars

By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 4, 2006; A05

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Lieberman, a leading centrist Democrat and one of the Senate's most prominent advocates of bipartisanship, seemed invincible until a few months ago. But he has suffered from his strong support for President Bush's conduct of the war in Iraq, in a state where opposition to the war and the president runs high. And he has alienated some voters, who complain that he has neglected his home state over the years.
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Significantly, the new poll findings show that Lieberman received no boost from a high-profile visit by former president Bill Clinton, who came to Waterbury on July 24 to vouch for Lieberman's Democratic credentials and urge Connecticut Democrats not to reject him because of his support for Bush's war policies.

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Another campaign adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss strategy, said the public poll tracked internal campaign surveys. "The race has been headed in that direction for a while," the adviser said. "It's a fairly accurate reflection of where the race is."

The Lieberman campaign, fearing that low voter turnout in the primary would favor Lamont, had plans to build a get-out-the-vote operation bigger than any seen in a state race in Connecticut. But in the face of discouraging polls, campaign officials concluded this week that the money likely would be wasted.

Lieberman plans to spend the remaining days of the campaign making a positive case for himself through television ads and a series of media interviews, according to campaign officials. He has decided not to attempt to discuss the war in his final commercials.

Lieberman began a bus tour of the state late last week, but there has been little sign of a resurgence as he has campaigned in diners, senior citizen centers, retail outlets and construction sites. Lieberman has implored Democrats to nominate him for a fourth term because of the work he said he has done to save jobs and bring money to the state. But opposition to the war and seeming indifference to Lieberman among many rank-and-file Democrats has overwhelmed those efforts.

With five days remaining in the campaign, the Quinnipiac poll painted a gloomy picture for Lieberman and his team. Lamont "has begun to broaden his base," said Douglas Schwartz, director of the Quinnipiac poll. "He's increased his support among moderates and those with less than a college education."
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The withdrawal of the GOTV is a sign that this is done. The Quinnipiac poll was the final nail in the coffin.

But the job is far from finished.

First, Lieberman needs to lose in a landslide, by more than 10 points. He needs to be soundly rejected at the polls. The larger the margin, the more unlikely an independent run.

Lieberman should know that an independent run would be uglier than this and his energies should be spent in electing Democrats to the House.

Second, the Lamont people cannot sit back and cruise and have no intention of doing so. When you go after the king, you better make sure you get him.

Third, what the fuck was he thinking. Endorsements from every right wing asshole available? Was that supposed to help? There's two years of polling demanding that Dems fight Bush and his war. Skippy the wonder dog would have given Lieberman a race if he promised to piss on Bush's leg. So what did Lieberman think? He could insult and mock those who demanded a challenge to Bush?

He's not sitting in the fucking House of Lords, he has to be elected to office.

Seems he forgot that.