Ned Lamont and Hard Ball Politics

Ned Lamont got his first taste of hard ball politics last week after winning the Democratic Party primary for U.S. Senator from Connecticut. First Dick Cheney and then Joe Lieberman let loose with blasts about Al-Qaida types being pleased about Ned Lamont winning the primary. Cynthia Tucker this morning in her column, rightfully criticized Cheney and Lieberman for such ridiculous comments. With the traditional start of the political campaigns not until after Labor Day, this attack is a good preview of just how nasty the fall campaign is about to get. Lamont appears up to the challenge. He is very articulate in front of the cameras, and can get his points across forcefully with few words, which is always an asset in a politician. Frankly, he is a breath of fresh air compared to Leiberman, who is a traditional "kiss the baby" politician who took his seat in Congress as a divine right. Leiberman is now campaigning on a theme of reducing partisan politics, but your wouldn't know it from his latest comments. Lamont actually won the debate between the two, and has very clear ideas about where the Democratic Party should be heading. And it's not to the left as the conservative talking heads have been trying to tell us, unless the left has suddenly moved to the center. I think most Americans want our troops out of Iraq, better health care for all Americans, a fair minimum wage, and an energy plan not written by the oil companies. That doesn't sound left wing to me. Good luck to Ned Lamont in waging his war on the political establishment. We need more of his type in Congress; someone bright with his feet on the ground, who wants to restore America's prestige in the world.