The gutsy, principled thing to do following the convention that put Lamont onto the primary ballot would have been to withdraw from the primary, saying the party had left him behind.

But this thing he's doing instead is just stupid--he's trying to have it both ways not just in terms of getting on the ballot, he's trying to have it both ways right down the line. This blather about being an "independent Democrat" is a ridiculous attempt to run on a line that he doesn't have.

If he had announced his independent campaign, he could have turned the "Bush's favorite Democrat" thing around. Yes, he could say, my bipartisan commitment to principled government does mean that I vote with the President more often than some of my colleagues. That would a great message aimed at Republican and independent voters. Instead, he's presenting an incoherent message--one that is not gonna resonate with anybody.