The dogs and I have arrived safely in Connecticut, neatly timed to coincide with the release of Ned Lamont's new ad, Lieberman's vow to run as an independent in the general election and John Murtha's refusal to support Holy Joe unless he stops banging the war drums. Lieberman's future in the Democratic party seems to be circling the drain.

In a few short months, Ned Lamont has managed to do the virtually unthinkable -- back an 18 year incumbent and former Vice Presidential candidate into admitting that he probably has no chance in the primary.  Anyone wanting to know how this happened need look no further than the previous two campaign ads that each candidate has produced for how their respective campaigns are being managed.

Ned's latest ad (above) is an incredibly skillful, moving production that will leave you with a "To Sir With Love" lump in your throat.  It paints a quite accurate portrait of Ned as a good guy, an upstanding citizen who believes in giving back to the community.  His work as a volunteer teacher is inspirational and the voices of his students as they cheer on "Mr. Lamont" are touching.  He comes across absolutely as the guy you want to have representing you in Washington, D.C.

Lieberman, on the other hand, doesn't seem to know who he's running against (hint:  not Lowell Weicker).  And if you haven't seen it yet, his latest ad can be witnessed in all its appalling, misguided ineptitude here.  As Matt Stoller says, it seems to be aimed at getting Joe Lieberman to vote for Joe Lieberman.  The production values are terrible and it's incomprehensible to virtually anyone under the age of 40, as they probably don't remember the 1988 Lieberman/Weicker race and wouldn't care even if they did.  (Once again, I swear I had nothing to do with the production of this ad, though in my desire to see Lieberman tank I could not have done a better job sabotaging him if I'd made it myself).

Lieberman's petulant sense of entitlement can't help but issue forth every time he opens his mouth; is there no one around him who will tell him how off-putting and grating this is, and how poorly it plays in the media?  Evidently not. You cannot tell me that anyone tested that damn bear commercial; it is utter gibberish and even the most remedial of focus groups would have told them so.  Lieberman seems to have surrounded himself with "yes" men content with giving him bad advice and ripping him off. 

Fine by me. But major Dems ought to think twice about spending their political capital to support someone so intent on flattering their own vanity -- Bush's favorite Democrat will only toss an anvil to anyone who sets about helping him.