If in fact Lieberman has pulled his ground game and is doing big TV this weekend, what is he going to talk about? He is going to tell the people of Conn. that he will abide by the results of the primary, win or lose.

Think about it, what does he have to lose at this point? No "image makeover" is going to change the mind of motivated primary voters; his only chance of winning is to appeal to disaffected Democrats who have not quite made up their mind. And if he does lose, he has at least cleared the way for future political employment.

We'll see, I guess.

Tom O

The comments on the USA Today article are classic.

Never, ever believe campaign staff on internal polling unless they release the numbers.  A brief translation for the uninitiated:

"Our numbers show this race is still close/closer then you think" -- Our guy/opponent is getting his/her ass kicked, but if I tell you that, you won't volunteer and then my campaign manager will chew my ass for the next three days.  If the race was close, they'd release the numbers.

On another point, I hope Lieberman doesn't pull his ground campaign because that's a bitch move.  Its one thing to fight and lose, its another to give up.  Of course, considering that Lieberman has be part of the "powder-keg dry" Dems, it wouldn't be such a surprise that he went down without a fight.

The magic ponies were going to put him over the top.  But then the International Brotherhood of Magical Ponies, Unicorns and Barge Mules got wind of the whole button thing and that was that.  

Here's a way for not CT'ers to get involved if they can't physically come.

"Dear MoveOn member,

Progressive champion Ned Lamont is challenging Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman in Tuesday's Democratic primary.

The race has national significance: as the New York Times wrote in endorsing Lamont, it "has become a referendum on [Lieberman's] warped version of bipartisanship, in which the never-ending war on terror becomes an excuse for silence and inaction."1

Eighty-five percent of Connecticut MoveOn members voted to endorse Lamont. Now we need to help him win. Turnout in primaries is notoriously low, and victory on Tuesday will depend on who votes. Will you spend 30 minutes this weekend calling progressives and reminding them to vote? Sign up now:

http://political.moveon.org/phone/volunt eer/ct.html?id=8355-7054200-I_g2MpBS_dPb OVcHt5Y.iQ&t=2

Not only will you help Lamont win--we're calling into parts of Connecticut where Republican members of Congress face very tight races. So with each call, you'll also help win back the House in November.

Every time right-wing Republicans want to look bipartisan, Joe Lieberman is their 'go-to guy.' He adamantly defends President Bush's Iraq fiasco. He echoed Republicans in calling war critics unpatriotic. He rubber-stamped illegal wiretapping.  He jumped into the Terri Schiavo tragedy. He wavered on Social Security. Each time, he ignored the values of Connecticut voters.

And yet, 6 months ago, Joe Lieberman's seat was considered safe. A staunch ally of big business, he had a huge war chest and no challengers. When progressive, antiwar businessman Ned Lamont decided to throw his hat in the ring, pundits said he'd be lucky to get 25% of the vote.

But people responded in droves--first Connecticut voters, then MoveOn members and others around the country. Amazingly, Lamont is running even or better in recent polls.2 The race is putting Democrats everywhere on notice that it's time to stand up and fight for progressive values--or step aside.

This is people-powered politics. It's everything we stand for, and we have to make sure it's successful. Will you spend 30 minutes this weekend calling Connecticut Democrats and reminding those who favor Lamont to vote on Tuesday?

http://political.moveon.org/phone/volunt eer/ct.html?id=8355-7054200-I_g2MpBS_dPb OVcHt5Y.iQ&t=3

As long as you can be online and on the phone (cell phones are fine) at the same time, you can use our innovative new system to reach out to Connecticut voters (see below for details). You can start right away--our tool will tell you whom to call and what to say--or you can begin with our training pages. It's easy, but don't take our word for it:

   "So great to be able to help in small increments of time, and from home."
       --Marlene R., San Rafael, CA

    "Just did a bit of practice.  This is easy!!!"
       --Jackie M., Indian Trail, NC

Just like any voter calling, you have to wade through wrong numbers and answering machines, but in a low turnout election like this one, every progressive you talk to is someone who might not vote without a reminder. Please sign up today:

http://political.moveon.org/phone/volunt eer/ct.html?id=8355-7054200-I_g2MpBS_dPb OVcHt5Y.iQ&t=4

This effort is part of Call For Change, our big new program to win back Congress this fall. Because the Lamont-Lieberman race is so important, we're calling Connecticut voters until 9 PM every day this week and talking about Tuesday's primary. After Tuesday (and after 9 PM Eastern this week) we're focusing our calling on defeating Republicans in November.

Thanks for all you do,

-Adam, Justin, Tanya, Jennifer and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
  Friday, August 4th, 2006

P.S. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about this calling:

How much do I need to know about the race or the candidates?
We're not focusing on changing voters' minds about the candidates, so you don't need to be an expert. We're finding people who lean toward Lamont--and then we're reminding them about the election and how important it is. All you have to do is be polite, friendly, and follow our script.

How does it work?
First, you sign up for a calling time. Then you'll get some background info and a link to start calling. We'll provide names of voters to call and what to say on the calls. There's a web page where you can practice if you like before you actually start calling voters. And there are MoveOn members on hand to answer any questions you have. Remember, you need to be on the phone (landline or cell phone) and the Internet at the same time to make calls.

Who are we calling?
We're calling Democrats who can vote in the primary. You might run into a few folks who say they're Republicans or independents--that's because of glitches in the voter file.

Does this make a difference?
We've tested this same approach in other elections and found that it's an effective way to increase turnout among people who might not otherwise vote. In fact, in our test this spring, MoveOn members' phone calls increased the turnout of voters we contacted more than any other volunteer phonebank ever studied.

How good are the lists?
We've done everything we can to buy the highest quality lists, but voter lists are maintained by the local governments and they're notoriously bad. So you will have to wade through wrong numbers and answering machines. It's a bit like panning for gold--each conversation you have with a voter is extremely valuable, and worth waiting for.

Are we trying to change people's minds or convince them of anything?
See above. We're not trying to persuade people to switch candidates. We're asking them if they support Ned Lamont, and if so, we're making sure they vote.

Are we coordinating our calls with other groups?
For legal reasons we can't coordinate with the Democratic Party or candidates, but there are two things we can do to maximize efficiency--avoid duplication among our own volunteers and coordinate legally with other non-party groups (like unions and environmental groups). We are doing both of these things.

Sources:

1. "A Senate Race in Connecticut," New York Times, July 30, 2006
 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/30/opinio n/30sun1.html

2. "Lamont Has Momentum Over Lieberman, Poll Shows," Washington Post, August 3, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1986&id=83 55-7054200-I_g2MpBS_dPbOVcHt5Y.iQ&t= 5

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://political.moveon.org/?id=8355-705 4200-I_g2MpBS_dPbOVcHt5Y.iQ&t=6
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. "

This is perfect for me, as I live in Ohio. Driving to CT is simply out of the question.

Looks like I nailed it again.

That is either snark or a typo.  LOL.

Maybe, but the part about the 200,000 magic ponies was totally accurate.  I've been to the DLC's magic pony breading ground in Fairfax Virginia.  It's quite a site to behold.  They poop mint ice-cream with sprinkles.  The farm imports 4 tons of glitter a month.

It is way, way, way, WAY too early to celebrate.  The only poll that matters in on election day, and if we relax we won't like what it says.  Keep on keepin' on!

 
  Or "down", if you're in Maine or New Hampshire or one of those small blue states up there. :)

 If you still need motivation, picture this headline August 9th:

  LIEBERMAN PULLS OUT SHOCKING VICTORY
   Connecticut voters reject antiwar challenger

 Let's not see that.

 STILL need motivation?

 I met Matt Stoller. NOW I know you're all coming.

Let's not get too cynical or happy here folks.  Pulling money from the ground  game to put it on tv is clearly the right thing to do when one is down by 13 with only days left.  What would Joe do with the ground $$?  Pull Lamont voters out to the polls?  If you're losing you try to find more votes.  If you're losing by a lot, less than a week out, the ground won't be the salvation.  This could be enough to pull it out for Joe, regardless of what his message is.  Let's hope it is just another sign of desperation by an out-of-touch senator.

No fair they all go to the hamburglars.

More information on the ground game:

RichardMarcJ has this description of what is going on with the Lieberman ground game.

Our office in Bridgeport and others around the state now have to completely rework our canvassing efforts. We need to somehow bring the same results with the same amount of people. The only difference is our workers, instead of getting paid $60 a day, are getting paid $0 a day (myself included).

They will continue to work as hard as they can to get out the vote.  If they manage to lose by less than 10% with their 'reduced' GOTV, they may try to  use that as their justification for continuing a destructive independent run if the turnout ends up being high.

And of course, if reports of a reduced groundgame results in complacency on the Lamont side, even better for them.

So, whether you think Lamont needs to win by one vote, by 10%, by 20%, or by 33%, what is really need right now is your help.

For Connecticut people, please, get out and vote.  Please, bring at least five friends with you when you get out and vote.

For everyone, whether you are voting in Connecticut, or coming to connect, please contact all your friends, family and neighbors in Connecticut, please, join the canvasing phonebanking.

Don't let a few corporate lobbyist hamburglars steal your lunch.