yesterday's news

In the Constitution State

Congratulations to everyone in Connecticut who worked to give Joe Lieberman the defeat he deserved. We have indeed taken one step closer to a coherent political party as Democratic voters did what Senate whips could not: demand that we behave as an opposition party.
However, any conclusion that is larger than that, I have to approach with skepticism. I'm not so sure that this was a victory for "progressives" as much as it was a victory for anti-war politics with an electorate that is increasingly hostile to the Bush Administration's so-called "foriegn policy". Ned Lamont is at best a mainstream Democrat, not a barnstorming progressive as some have made him out to be. Lieberman's attack dogs, while clearly overemphasizing some of Lamont's votes as a local elected official, were not totally off-base.
I don't mean to rain on anyones parade (OK, yes, I do), but we need to be careful about substituting a candidate's position on one issue, even an important one like the war in Iraq for a comprehensive shift in politics. We'll see what kind of Senator Lamont becomes, but both the hopeful left and the spiteful right need to be careful before concluding that the Democratic Party finally aligning itself with the views of a majority of Americans signals as decisive shift to the left.
But speaking of Party Unity, rumors are flying that Connecticut Republicans will endorse Lieberman's bid as an independent. I'm not sure what to make of this. I am not an expert on Connecticut's electoral laws, though I know that they do have some sort of fusion which allows cross-endorsements. At any rate, it will be a fine and fitting end to the guy's political career if he went out running as a Republican.

In the Peach State
What are we to make of Cynthia McKinney's defeat in her own primary run-off for the Georgia 4th? Most of the analysis I have read has focussed on her physical confrontation with a security guard and voters' "wearyness" surrounding her often controversial personality and opinions.
McKinney has been a solid and outspoken critic of the Administration, from its handling of Katrina to its adventures in Iraq. At the same time, she's also done some strange things, including cozying up with African dictators. McKinney became the darling of the 911 conspiracy crowd when she intimated that the White House knew about the infamous attacks before they happened- no doubt those folks are spinning theories about the plot to silence her. Then there's the comments made by her father, a ranking State Legislator after her defeat in the 2002 Primary. According to dad, Cynthia was another victim of the "J.E.W.S."
Any thoughts out there in cyberspace?