Quick Lieberman-Lamont Debate Thoughts

I do think the progressive blogosphere is getting sucked into a distracting four-week odyssey where it will be all Lieberman, all the time. And there's so much work to be done to retain a Democratic majority.

BUT...

Holy Joe is such a self-absorbed prick.

And it's July, anyway.

So, my thoughts are that Lamont was capable, at times sounding almost Kennedy-esque. Lieberman was on the attack, and those blows would probably have landed were he the CHALLENGER. But after 18 years in the spotlight, I don't know that Connecticut primary voters are going to be fooled. He clearly misstated his positions on lots of issues (Stoller has more). To the extent that he helped define an unknown quantity in Lamont, he probably did a decent "divide and distract" job, like any good Republican. OK, he's not a Republican, just a proud "petitioning Democrat." And that's where I feel Lamont dropped the ball the most. He used his "you can't have it both ways" talking point, but he could have been much more forceful, demanding that Lieberman answer why anyone in the state should vote for him in August if he's just going to be on the ballot in November either way?

I don't know if this debate will change any minds. Lamont pretty much went toe-to-toe with Joementum (his "This isn't Fox News" quip in response to the constant interrupting was awesome), and in so doing probably established a little credibility.