New York Times Attempts Hit On Lieberman

Well, no real surprise, but the New York Times is going to endorse Lamont in the Sunday paper. (Anyone know if they are in the habit of making endorsements in Connecticut primaries?) Adam Nagourney has a preemptive post-mortem of the Lieberman campaign as well.

“I shared with the senator that Ned was in,” said Mr. Olsen, a former state Democratic chairman. “And I told him that it was very serious.”

Mr. Lieberman, he said, nodded in appreciation.

But Mr. Lieberman responded lethargically to those warnings until two months ago, according to interviews with his associates and aides. They cited a variety of reasons: a misreading of the depth of antiwar sentiment among Connecticut Democrats, an exodus of experienced political advisers after Mr. Lieberman’s failed presidential bid in 2004, a relatively green Senate campaign staff and the pride that often settles around a politician after many years on the public stage.

[The New York Times, in an editorial published on Sunday, endorsed Mr. Lamont over Mr. Lieberman, arguing that the senator had offered the nation a “warped version of bipartisanship” in his dealings with Mr. Bush on national security.] The price of Mr. Lieberman’s slow start was on display on Friday, 11 days before the Aug. 8 primary. Mr. Lieberman, reshuffling his schedule after Democrats warned him that he was still not campaigning with enough urgency, set off on a 10-day bus tour across the state, with a sharp new message.

A half dozen advisers from Mr. Lieberman’s past campaigns turned up at his headquarters to provide support, responding to e-mail messages and other entreaties, including some from Mr. Lieberman’s wife, Hadassah.

As I said, it's no surprise the NYT is coming out for Lamont. It's obvious they have a strong anti-Bush bias and Lieberman has supported the war in Iraq. Lieberman's also one of the few credible voices left in the Democratic party on national defense, though. The more centrist Democrats realize what a disaster it would be for Lieberman to lose, hence all the help. It remains to be seen if they can pull it off. But I've said all along, if Lamont wins, the Democrats as a party will lose.

The other thing is that even with the NYT trying to swing their rapidly diminishing weight behind Lamont, I wouldn't count out a pro like Lieberman too soon.