This is really getting funny, because I KNOW you are smarter than this. How anyone can look at these numbers and not conclude that Joe is untouchable is just beyond me. Just to note the obvious: He has a 61% "re-elect" level AMONG DEMOCRATS. And he has many times the money of his opponent (and no general election to worry about, so he can spend it all). And he has most of the institutional issue groups (who appeal mainly to liberals) behind him. And his opponent has nothing except the enthusiasm of the netroots community, most of which lives out of state.

Is there a point at which someone concludes that supporting windmill-tilting candidates like this is bad for our credibility? Or no? I'd strongly encourage folks to think about that no matter how much they hate Joe (as I do).

I live in Connecticut.  I have met Ned Lamont and found him quite impressive: authentic, smart, articulate and a fighting progressive Democrat.  I'm a supporter now.  I question how strong or deep Joe's support really is.  I can tell you from what I've seen there is a tremendous amount of anger towards Bush and his policies amongst the rank and file Democrats I've spoken to.  Given a choice between a progressive Joe who seems to kiss Bush and a progressive Ned who takes the battle to Bush, those same rank and file Democrats will come out to vote against Joe and for a real fighting Dem in an August, pure Democratic primary.  Underestimate at your peril a motivated electorate in a thinly voted primary.

Let's say Lieberman loses in the primary and runs as an independent. The DSCC then is obligated to stop supporting him in any way right? He's left the party at that point and can't get any of the institutional or monetary support? Obviously he'll have plenty of extra-party folks throwing money at him, but the DSCC HAS to support the nominee as opposed to an incumbent yeah?

Not to pour cold water on the hopes of progressives, but a new Quinnipac poll of Democratic voters shows Holy Joe leading Lamont 68% to 13%.

Wow.

So we have a poll which shows.

Democrats favor Lieberman
Republicans favor Lieberman
Independents favor Lieberman.

But Democrats don't favor him AS MUCH.

So the "netroots" decides to take him on.  The strategy to be to knock him out in a primary where the electorate would select someone LESS palatable to the general electorate, because primaries tend to bring out the more extreme elements of a party.

Sounds like a way to win over America.  For sure.

I have signed on to Ned Lamont's campaign, not because I disagree with Lieberman, but because I see Mr. Lamont as part of the new breed of politicians that the Democratic Party desperately needs.

Mr. Lamont is bright.  He is charismatic.  He stands up for what he believes.  We need more people in politics like this.

His appeal is already drawing leaders from the institutional interest groups.  His appeal is already drawing any army of volunteers in Connecticut, the likes of which haven't been seen in ages.

Considering that 93% of the people polled haven't heard enough about Lamont to make up their minds about him, it is pretty impressive that 13% would still vote for him.

If you look at the tracking, you'll see that while Lieberman's favorables didn't decrease this month, his unfavorables did.  The Joe-mentum is still headed in the wrong direction.

Having had both Lieberman and Lamont over to my house, I feel very comfortable saying that in terms of ideas and leadership ability, Lamont is much more palatable to the general electorate in Connecticut that Lieberman is.  The real challenge will be to get voters as well acquainted with Lamont as they are with Lieberman.  If that happens, then Lieberman is toast.

I usually answer people who use polls like this to tout the guy with the leading numbers with the following response...

"Two word...Joe Lieberman"

I seem to remember a guy by that name just killing everyone else in the Presidential Primary. Until he actually had to campaign against anyone could breathe. It seems the mote that Joe guy talks when faced with any competition, the more he seems to go down in the polls.