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Careerist LieberLiar Dan Gerstein is struggling from a serious credibility problem these days.  So when somebody needed to make the absurd contention that Lieberman’s visit to the Groton sub base with Republicans Rob Simmons and Jodi Rell did not constitute a campaign appearance, how helpful that a surrogate appeared — someone quite unfamiiar with the contours of the race (or obviously with politics in general) who would bridle with self-righteous indignation that such a stop could conceivably be called "campaigning."  Concern-filled calls for retraction and other obscure and weirdly non-tangential anecdotes ensued.

Dan did not, as Dan is wont to do, push his face in front of a microphone and make this ridiculous claim himself.  Small wonder.  The cover story seems to be that they were at the sub base for a "conference," but that doesn’t explain what GOP House candidate Simmons was doing with Lieberman at the Millstone nuclear power plant later that day.  This is how one employee of the plant described the appearance:

[T]hey were walking around shaking hands at the plant. It sure felt like a political thing to me. I am just a voter in Connecticut.

It was a cruel bit of irony that Stephen Elliot’s piece went up on the HuffPo just as Joe was retracting his former endorsement of the three Democratic House candidates in the race, one of whom Simmons is running against:

Lieberman — who after losing an Aug. 8 Democratic primary to Ned Lamont has launched a third-party bid to hold onto his seat in the Nov. 7 general election — was asked whether he still endorses Diane Farrell, Joe Courtney and Chris Murphy, three Democrats looking to unseat endangered Republican incumbents Chris Shays, Rob Simmons and Nancy Johnson.

“I’m a non-combatant,” Lieberman declared. “I am not going to be involved in other campaigns. I think it’s better if I just focus on my own race.”…

“It’s a little awkward for me now” to endorse the Democratic candidates in the general election, he said, “since they all endorsed my opponent,” Democratic primary winner Ned Lamont.

It’s notable that Chris Dodd had the good sense/party loyalty not to get anywhere near this dog and watch Lieberman gladhand with Republicans.  And despite Joe’s addiction to "having it both ways," the campaign’s attempts to do so are getting more and more embarrassing, to the point where they are probably desperate to outsource the more comically daffy claims.  How very convenient that there are those so eager to enter the conversation in a way that will call attention to themselves that they are willing to take a swing at me, Kos and MyDD and assume the ensuing humiliation on Gerstein’s behalf.

I suggest flowers and a nice card, Dan. 

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  3. “He’s With Us On Everything But The War”
  4. Lieberman on Point for Senate DADT Repeal
  5. Klein on How Lieberman Went Bad: It’s All Jane’s Fault