HARTFORD, Conn. –Ned Lamont got a boost Thursday from one of the Democratic party’s brightest rising stars, Sen. Barack Obama.

The Illinois senator and potential 2008 presidential candidate sent an e-mail message to his Connecticut supporters urging them to rally behind Lamont’s challenge to three-term Sen. Joe Lieberman.

“Ned Lamont has waged an impressive grass roots campaign to give the people of Connecticut a choice in the November Senate election,” Obama wrote. “Please join me in supporting Ned Lamont with your hard work on-the-ground in these closing weeks of the campaign.”

The Lamont camp said Obama’s e-mail went to about 5,000 Connecticut residents.

Obama has also given $5,000 to Lamont’s campaign through a political committee.

“Ned Lamont and I share a commitment to bringing our troops home safely from Iraq, to achieving energy independence, to helping all our citizens realize the American dream, and to empowering the American people to reclaim their government,” Obama wrote.

Tonight she tried desperately to translate experience into something tangible and ended up saying “we live in a dangerous world”, which sounded exactly like Rudy’s “wolf at the door” one note. The various dirty tricks and gotcha tactics might work in a general election, but in a primary they are considered selfish and damaging to party unity, so they don’t work.

I’m one of those whispering Republicans Obama jokes about. I support him because our only hope is pulling together, regardless of policy positions. In my lifetime I’ve seen Democrats on top and I’ve seen Republicans on top, but neither delivered, always blaming the others for standing in the way. If we can’t get past that, we’re screwed in the 21st century.

We need to come together behind a leader with vision. McCain may seem attractive to some because he looks moderate (triangulation doesn’t just work for Clintons), but he has no vision. Already we seem him grasping at straws like the Bush tax cuts to try to validate himself. I believe Obama has the vision we need and can bring people together to make it a reality.

I take your point.

Obama is contagious.The millions who see him tell others In fact they insist that others check him out, Expose themselves to him. That is the not so secret story of Obama’s rise. I’ve heard a handful of politicians,including Caroline Kennedy , proclaim that their CHILDREN insisted. This is “almost” the flower child moment, except this time, there is potical organization to it.

In the 60’s there was a brief appearance of a love movement, children with flowers who laid them in the path of tanks and national guard, and passersby. ..and poof ..it was over.

most of the kids in the zeitgeist were flower children at least for a weekend. It was a grace note, a souffle on top of the more powerful social movements of that time. A little child shall lead them.

The boomer progeny are leading their parents to Barack.

Look, i’ve got all my fingers crossed. I know what this sounds like…but, I’m a believer. Barack is a believer and he’s leading a nation of those of us ready and willing and yes, desperate to believe that this great advance in civilzation, The AMerican Dream, is still alive and well in our hearts, and our actions.

As Barack always says at the end of his speeches: I love you..(name the city or state)

He doesn’t say ‘God Bless you.” Barack Obama says: I love you.