G'bye Joe

Sen. Joe Lieberman likes it in the middle. . .and indeed committed to being there by running as an indy after his loss to Ned Lamont. He may as well have worn a bull's-eye on his back during a debate with his Democratic and Republican rivals Monday.

Joe, why are you surprised that Lamont and Schlesinger both teamed up on you? You picked your position; now lube up and shut up as you get pounded from both directions.

Democrat Ned Lamont fired away, calling Lieberman a career politician in lockstep with President Bush's invasion of Iraq, while long-shot Republican Alan Schlesinger warned moderates to consider Lieberman's record of voting mostly with Democrats. "I'm running against a career politician who says, 'Stay the course,"' said Lamont, echoing the anti-war mantra that propelled him to victory in the August primary. "It's time for us now to redeploy our forces." Trailing in the polls, Lamont hit back at Lieberman's charge that he is running a negative campaign. "It's not negative to say we've got to change course in Iraq," Lamont said.

Lieberman complained that Lamont is more interested in spreading blame than forging solutions to pressing problems. "His finger-pointing ... is the last thing Washington needs more of," said Lieberman, who has accused Lamont of running a harshly negative campaign.

The televised hourlong encounter also included Republican Alan Schlesinger, who saved his sharpest attacks for Lieberman. The two are vying for Republican votes.

DUH!

Schlesinger, recalling Lieberman's public scolding of former President Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal, sniped at the senator for being AWOL in Washington as North Korea pursued its nuclear ambitions. "The question should be why has Joe Lieberman over the last 18 years not been there on this issue," Schlesinger said. "Joe, you had more moral outrage about Mr. Clinton's indiscretions than about North Korea's nuclear proliferation."

He also branded Lieberman as part of what he called the "ostrich club" in the Senate. "They stick their head in the sand and hope something good will come out of it," the Republican said. Schlesinger cast himself as the lone conservative pitted against two liberals. "Don't listen to Joe's rhetoric, look at his voting record," Schlesinger said.

Lieberman has won support from some top Republicans. The White House has declined to support Schlesinger, 48, a former mayor and state representative.

Another DUH! Joe's been their bitch for several years now.

Lamont, 52, a wealthy cable TV executive who has tapped more than $8 million of his personal fortune to fund his campaign, cast himself as an outsider who would take on Washington's powerful special interests. "You need new people in Washington, D.C., a fresh perspective," he said. "Right now, we have a situation in Washington that's out of control."

Understatement of the year! We're taking back control of Congress this year, boys. Just sit back, powerless, as we cut the strings on your puppet regime, and return America to her former greatness. . .