But I think most of us over here at the blogosphere can agree that Matt Brown on most issues is simply better. Better looking, more progressive, an 'outsider', ability to lead statewide (alongside with Whitehouse on this), and simply more charismatic.

I'm hearing a lot of good buzz in Connecticut about Matt Brown.  August and September are going to be great times to be in New England.  We have our primary on Aug 8th.  Rhode Island is Sep 12th, and Massachusetts is Sep 19th.  (Deval Patrick is running for Governor in Massachuetts and I'm hearing a lot of great buzz about him as well.)

So, consider coming to New England for the month of August to work help with Ned's campaign and then stop by in Rhode Island or Massachusetts for some other great campaigns.

Isn't Matt an establishment guy as well?  I remember reading about him a few months back and it seemed like he had a bunch of Clinton and Kerry people working for/backing him.  

thing is, hes not actually the more progressive candidate matt. I dont remember where i heard it, i think rollcall, that said that he draws more support from independents than whitehouse, so that there is no way that Brown and Chafee could make it out of the primary because indies only vote in one of the primaries and both needs indies to win. So, comparing him to Lamont of another liberal blogosphere favorite is a mistake

This election IMO will enable stand-up, straight talking candidates with a message of change and reform an excellent chance. If their messaging is also tough against the FUBAR of Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress on everything from Iraq to terrorism and use the Katrina metaphor they'll capture the angst in the electorate.

Money may be less important this time. of course they'll need enough to introduce themselves and get their message out.

Charisma before boring position papers. Gut over intellect.

As a Rhode Islander, and a strong progressive who supports Whitehouse, I would like to point out that all of those who call Brown the more progressive candidate in this primary is simply wrong.

Need proof? Check out this DLC-awarded "New Dem of the Week" award given to Brown. http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid =252053&kaid=104&subid=116

In fact, Brown is the ONLY elected Dem in Rhode Island who is a DLC member. Whitehouse is the more solidly progressive candidate in this race. I would urge Matt and the rest of the MyDD community to rethink any support they have given to Matt Brown without really examining the race.

No, no, not that White House, I'm talking Sheldon Whitehouse. As in, this post seems a bit anti-Whitehouse.

What gives? Just cause he's an "insider"?

No more than you get tired of being an utter idiot, which is a chronic condition.

Then again, utter idiots, failing to be sentient wouldn't really get tired of it anymore than a paramecium tires of just moving around all day.

Has Whitehouse run any ads yet? If he has and still experienced the collapse you describe, then yes his advisors have messed up, but if not then your conclusion above over-reaches. That 24 pt swing is simply a demonstration of the power of television.

I think all of you have missed the point.  That being Bob Shrum's firm, that firm's track record and the fact that Whitehouse is currently being assisted by said firm.  Over at http://trumansconscience.blogspot.com I talk about Shrum's reverse midas touch and the fact that Whitehouse chosing to associate with Shrum, Devine & Donilen brings his judgement into question.  Yeah, Corizine of NJ and Nelson of Florida got lucky but even a stopped clock is right twice a day.  My hope and dream is that Shrum and Lieberman find one another.  Now THAT would be a dream come true.  It has to give one pause now that its been pointed out Matt Brown is a DLC protege.  That is very troubling to the ears of most progressives.  If that is the case I hope Whitehouse can overcome the "Shrum curse."

Just to clarify, Deval Patrick has closed the gap with Tom Reilly without buying any advertising.  He did it by winning the Democratic caucuses and generating favorable news coverage at the exact moment when the Reilly campaign was imploding.

MUST SAY, I'M AN INDEPENDENT WHO GOT PUSHED INTO THE DEM. CAMP BECAUSE OF BUSH'S IDIOCY, SO I DON'T CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT PRIMARIES.

WHATEVER HAPPENS THIS SPRING, I HOPE WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO WHACK THE REPUBLICANS IN NOVEMBER.

For those of you folks who don't follow the RI race except a litle here and a little there, a great majority of the progressive individuals (including prominent environmental, choice, labor, civil rights and latino leaders), organizations and elected officials are supporting Sheldon Whitehouse. Those that are not with Sheldon Whitehouse are supporting the "impeach bush" candidacy of the 3rd Democratic candidate Carl Sheeler.

Matt Brown does not have the support of progressives except those he's fooled from outside of Rhode Island into thinking he is a progressive. One piece of advice that I learned in the international development world is never believe the 'experts' that don't live in the community. Rather, look for the voices that deal with the problems everyday and listen to what they're saying.

Former NARAL president Kate Michelman was just in Rhode Island last week supporting Matt Brown's candidacy.

He's the real progressive and stood up to the establishment when they tried to nominate an anti-choice Democrat to run against Chafee.  Matt was the only candidate to stand up against them when it mattered.  

I think this post helps to illustrate the benefit of primaries.  We're debating who is strongest on gay marriage and who will bring our troops home from Iraq sooner.  The longer these are debated in public, the more people we can win over by force of our arguments, and the stronger our candidate will be in the fall because he will have been forced to defend his position and articulate good reasons for it (at least that's the hope).  Although I am supporting Whitehouse in the primary, I am looking forward to watching this campaign develop over the months ahead and I hope that the best candidate wins.

This is an example of why someone needs to do something similiar here in Maine - change the dynamics a bit.

I think a lot of people here are missing the point.

Brown and Whitehouse are very similar on the issues; it's not as clear cut as Reilly and Patrick in MA (where yes, Patrick is by far the better candidate).

I think what people really need to know is that Brown is running because he ardently believes in using the office to do good, while Whitehouse is running because he has the money to do so (this guy literally said "I was born and bred" to hold the office).