LIEBERMAN GOES FOR THE JUGULAR-- WES CLARK'S

Lieberman has no real game plan to win in Connecticut except the Republican one: fear and smear. He has no ground operation to get out the vote and all he can depend on is that a large Republican turn-out for Governor Jodi Rell and the 3 rubber stamp congresscritters he was campaigning against 6 months ago, Nancy Johnson, Rob Simmons and Chris Shays, will accrue to him as well.

During the primary his infamous vicious campaign tactics manifested themselves through ceaseless bleating that Ned Lamont is a closet Republican. Now that Connecticut's Democratic voters have rendered their decision of what they think of Lieberman's use of typically Rovian projection strategy, he has gone from calling Ned a Republican to calling him a dangerous left winger. (He also tries to insinuate Ned is backed by terrorists, something that is patently absurd, especially in light of the revelations how the Bush-Lieberman policies in the Middle East turned the jihadist movement there from a minor annoyance to a gigantic actor on the international stage.)

Anyway, it turns out Ned is hardly the only one being smeared by Lieberman these days. Last week he was on a right wing website attacking Ted Kennedy, John Kerry and Chris Dodd. I doubt there are any suckers left in Connecticut who think Lieberman has any intention of caucusing with the Democrats if he wins the election in November. He has completely thrown off his disguise and has come out as a full-fledged neocon Republican in all but word; that would come after the election. Today the latest victim of the Lieberman hate and smear messaging is General Wes Clark, an actual Democrat, one who has been all over America campaigning hard and convincingly for other real Democrats, like Jon Tester, Claire McCaskill, Harold Ford, Charlie Brown, Joe Sestak...

If you recall, when they were both running for president in the 2004 Democratic presidential primary, Lieberman turned a debate from fairly collegial to a knife-thrust towards Clark, challenging his loyalty to the Democratic Party. (In retrospect, a perfect tableau for Lieberman's sick, sick politics.) Now Lieberman has told the Journal Inquirer that General Clark is a partisan, name-calling Democrat. Lieberman can only make up his mind about one thing: everyone is wrong and he's right.

So what set off the volatile and desperate Joementum today? Like all reputable Democratic leaders, from Mark Warner, Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy to Barack Obama, Barbara Boxer and Al Gore, Wes Clark endorsed Ned. Did he call Joe names? Did his endorsement disparage the reprehensible Republican shill Lieberman has turned himself into? You judge:

"In Connecticut, Ned Lamont is running the type of campaign all Democrats can be proud of. Standing up to President Bush's failed policy in Iraq, dispensing with self-serving and wishy-washy notions of 'independence,' and pledging to invest in America's future, Ned Lamont is a candidate for Senate who I am proud to endorse."

And for that, Lieberman has gone on an hysterical tirade of name-calling and accusations. The man is clearly cracking. It's hard to believe anyone but hard-core Bush dead-enders still support him.