When The Shoe Is On The Other Foot

For months now, Lamont supporters have done their best to harass Lieberman at every appearance. They have done their best to disrupt events and have posted numerous blog entries and videos to show themselves doing it. But when Lieberman supporters do the same things, Lamont's campaign manager complains. Funny how it works when the shoe is on the other foot, isn't it?

At a construction site on Columbus Boulevard in Hartford Friday, he looked at a knot of 15 construction workers, rattled off a list of labor programs he had supported and quietly asked, "We are one, aren't we?"

Charles LeConche, president of the Greater Hartford-New Britain Building and Construction Trades Council, joined in.

"The seat he sits in is a seat he's worked hard to protect, and he's been there for us," LeConche said, "and now it's time for us to be there for him."

Lieberman quickly picked up the beat. "Bring out members of your union," he said "Bring out your families."

But Lieberman's low-key, one-on-one campaigning belied the intensity of his battle with Lamont, as reflected in several recent appearances by Lieberman supporters at Lamont campaign events. The most recent, Friday night at a rally in Lamont's home town of Greenwich, brought charges of harassment from both camps.

Lamont was greeted by a crowd of about 200 supporters and dozens of Lieberman campaign workers, some of whom followed Lamont and his family to their car.

Tom Swan, Lamont's campaign manager, complained that Lieberman's workers jostled Lamont's supporters and harassed the candidate's family.

"That was nothing but harassment," Swan said.

Swan called Democratic State Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo and asked her to intervene "before someone gets hurt."

Marion Steinfels, a Lieberman campaign spokeswoman, said the Lieberman workers had stayed within bounds.

"They went to Ned's rally in support of Joe Lieberman," she said. "My understanding was there was no inappropriate behavior."

Steinfels said Lamont's supporters had been harassing Lieberman for months.

The double standards are obvious and frankly make Lamont look silly.