I Was Against the War Before I Was For It... And After... Or Something

On the heels of another new poll showing Ned Lamont up by 13 points in next week's primary battle, Joe Lieberman has decided to take the final refuge of the truly desperate: make a last-minute change on a salient issue to curry favor with the voters:

Embattled Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman - facing a possible primary defeat Tuesday because of his strong backing for the Iraq war - yesterday launched a Hail Mary attack on the Bush administration's handling of the war.
"I supported our war in Iraq but I have always questioned the way it was being executed," Lieberman said.

"This administration took far too many shortcuts. We continue to suffer the consequences, as do the Iraqi people."

Lieberman, an 18-year veteran of the Senate and a former vice presidential nominee, has been stunned by polls showing anti-war challenger Ned Lamont might win the Democratic primary.

"It sounds like he's finally starting to wake up," said Lamont spokeswoman Liz Dupont-Diehl.

Of course, the danger of doing this is manifold. First, Lieberman, by his actions, now supports the charge Lamont has always thrown at him about the war. He verifies Lamont's frame. Second, you have to wonder what core principles Lieberman has if he's gone from "we undermine the credibility of the President at our nation's peril" to "I've been critical since the war started."

But I guess desperation forces risk-taking. I think for Lamont, he has to look at these numbers and think "I need to not only beat Lieberman but demoralize him. Beat him so badly that he'll think twice before coming back as an independent to challenge me again." Of course, that would require a check on Joe's ego that I think doesn't exist.

I also want to say that Jane Hamsher did a stupid thing by posting a photo of Lieberman in black face. And I found her mea culpa to be not a little defensive.

Bloggers have a target on our backs, like it or not. The NRSC is digging at the comment-level on Daily Kos looking to highlight "crazy left" posts, even if they're troll-rated.

Fair? Maybe not. Politics? You betcha.

Jane was doin' what she does, but she hurt the race with this action, unquestionably. If Lieberman mentions it in a press conference, it's news. And with the Michelle Malkins of the world (no link) braying about it, Republicans clearly think they've found their "You don't need papers for voting" moment, and expect the outrage to grow and grow and grow. But this is a Democratic primary. All Ned Lamont has to do is say "Why are Republicans so interested in getting Joe Lieberman re-elected?" Which is what Jane said, too, but she's not in the position to make that statement right now.

If this is played right, it could end up shooting Joe in the foot. If Ned Lamont can be criticized for his supporters, Joe can be as well.

Speaking of those supporters, here they are, in YouTube form: