IT'S BEEN A GOOD BLOGOSPHERE DAY SO FAR... LET'S THINK ABOUT NED LAMONT

The contributions for our Blue America candidates have been strong-- a steady stream of donations from people giving $10 and up. Thank you, everyone. The very first donation came from Santa Fe, New Mexico-- $5 for each one of our candidates right after midnight! (I was so excited I already sent him a Bob Dylan box set!) There are plenty of CDs left for contributors. I love all of them equally so I'm not trying to influence anyone about which one to give to. That said, I do want to talk about Ned Lamont's race against George Bush's and Ann Coulter's favorite Democrat Republicrat or whatever he's calling himself these days, Joe Lieberman.

If you've been reading DWT for a while, you know how strongly we admire Ned and you have probably picked up a clue or two here and there about what we think of Sanctimonious Joe. Lieberman is constantly on the take from Big Business. He has collected millions and millions of legal bribes from giant corporations to serve their interests in the Senate, even when their interests go against the interests of his constituents, as they almost always do. This is a matter of public record. In that way, even though Lieberman votes with Democrats on some issues, he is as much a corrupt Republican whore as someone can be. As Jane points out today at Firedoglake, Holy Joe is the #1 recipient of legal bribes from the Defense Industry in the entire Senate. They don't just shovel the money at him because they think he's a hip and cool dude. He's a WHORE, like Cunningham, Ney, Lewis and DeLay and hopefully one day he'll be rotting in a prison cell with them.

Ned has been financing his valient race against this bucket of corruption from his own personal fortune, a fortune he earned as a good old-fashioned American entrepreneur. And today he announced that he will match dollar for dollar all contributions raised, starting today, until the end of the primary. Here's the letter I got from Ned today:

From the day we started this campaign, I vowed Senator Lieberman's mountains of Washington interest money would not shout down the voices demanding change at home and in Iraq. And while his campaign has raised millions from those who profit from war, high gas prices and expensive prescription drugs, over 15,000 individuals have contributed to our effort, the vast majority in small dollar donations. With less than three weeks to go, I am going to make a pledge: From here on out, I promise to match, dollar for dollar, every contribution made online to our campaign through the primary. You've put this campaign on your back from day one, help carry us over the finish line today.

What you are doing is nearly unprecedented, forcing an eighteen year incumbent to defend an indefensible record of support for failed conservative policies. This isn't a "jihad" as Senator Lieberman claims, this is what democracy looks like. By contrast, theirs is a desperate campaign filled with distortions, half-truths and outright lies. We've tried to keep the debate focused on the issues, but with so much at stake I refuse to let their underhanded campaign tactics go unanswered. That's why I'll match your contribution today.

It's also important to know what your investment in the future of the Democratic Party is paying for. With an unprecedented ground operation, direct mail pieces, radio, television, and online advertising, political campaigns are too expensive. It's going to be close, but your support could be the unforgiving difference between victory and narrow defeat. We need you now.

Sincerely,

Ned Lamont

P.S. If you are from Connecticut or know people who live in the Nutmeg State, please participate in our Family, Friends and Neighbors program. Our campaign has always focused on giving people the power to impact the political process, and your input is critical to our success.

If you donate $5 to Ned's campaign, he'll donate another $5. If you donate $4,200, the maximum, he'll do likewise. And you can do it right here. Thanks.