At our peril

Lieberman clarifies past statements.

Lieberman also sought to clarify a December comment in which he appeared to upbraid Democrats for criticizing Bush, saying that "in matters of war, we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril." On Sunday he said the words were meant not to stifle criticism but to warn against the kind of partisan exploitation that he said Republicans had used against Cleland.

But even in clarifying his notorious smack-down of "partisan" critics of the war he exposes his ongoing cluelessness. "His words" gave comfort to Karl Rove et. al. that their partisan exploitation of the war would be tolerated by members of the Democratic Leadership Council.

That statement, coming two days before the primary, simply highlight why Lieberman is in such sorry shape. Just as he doesn't understand that his "bipartisanship" is used as a beard to mask Karl Rove's smearing of any democrats who criticize the war, Joe still doesn't understand what's happened to him. There's no telling what will happen tomorrow here in the nutmeg state, but if Lamnont wins, it won't because of the "netroots;" it sure won't be the ghosts of '68 taking down our latter day "happy warrior." It's because Lieberman ran a piss-poor and tone deaf campaign that negated the advantage of his incumbancy and his campaign war chest.

UPDATE: Charles Pierce agrees (and I do so love having my opinions affirmed by The American Prospect)!

Secondly, what Democratic politician has done anything to Bush -- or to Weepin' Joe himself, for that matter -- remotely similar to what the GOP did to Cleland? They matched him up in an ad with Osama bin Laden, for pity's sake. Nobody had to use any technical wizardry to put Lieberman in the arms of President 37 Percent. He did that on his own. Finally, Cleland was attacked over issues relating to the ongoing struggle with al Qaeda, the group that actually attacked us in 2001. Specifically, he got middled on the Department of Homeland Security. Lieberman's in trouble because he went hook, line, and soundbite for the notion that PNAC's Excellent Adventure in Iraq had something to do with the fight against al Qaeda. That's a mistake worth losing an election over. But, beyond that, the desperate tap-dancing above bespeaks someone who's spent far too long being told he's funny by the likes of Don Imus, important by the likes of Tim Russert, and a good Democrat by the likes of Sean Hannity.