Lolly do dum, lolly do dum day.

(Apologies to the Smothers Brothers)

(Crossposted at DemProgress)

So Senator Kerry, how do you feel about Joe Lieberman's claim that the Democratic party stance on Iraq will strengthen the terrorists?

That's bunk. That's scare-tactic bunk. And it's an unfortunate statement from somebody of Joe's quality, and I regret it....I'm not going to stand for those scare tactics, that's exactly what the Republicans have been doing for the last years. They avoid a real discussion by throwing out a slogan and they scare people....It's a disgrace that people are playing to the lowest common denominator of American politics, which is fear.

Oh, but look! Bloggers!

"Lieberman’s tone and message has shocked a lot of people," said a second senior Democratic aide who has discussed the issue with other Senate Democrats. "He’s way off message for us and right in line with the White House."

But look! Bloggers! Bloggers! Don't you see the nasty, vile bloggers? Look! There's Markos right there behind that bush! When will Ned Lamont take responsibility for the nasty, awful, hurtful BLOGGERS!

"Corliss Lamont was the only Lamont unashamed to declare his communist sympathies and beliefs publicly, but that doesn't make Thomas, Ted and Ned any less Marxist. Red Ned may label himself a progressive, but when he espouses goals shared by Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Castro, et al., he gives away his true color."

So what? What's the matter with you, can't you see the BLOGGERS? They hacked Joe's WEBSITE, for heaven's sake!!

There's just no reasoning with Lamont supporters.

(crossposted at DemProgress)

In mathematics, a proposition is considered proven if it reduces to a previously solved problem. No discussion, no debate. The question is closed.

So it is in the spirit of presenting a solved problem that I present the following fact, from a recent Zogby poll, one which will probably surprise some very much:

An overwhelming majority of Democrats - 79% - nationwide said they are glad that (Lieberman) was defeated by Lamont, who ran a powerful anti-Iraq war campaign. They also said Lamont's victory over one of the few pro-war Democrats in Washington makes them optimistic they can win control of at least one of the two houses of Congress in November.

Seventy-nine percent. That's only 2 percent away from everyone-but-whackos, if you remember my theory about the 19 percenters.

So, there we are. Ned Lamont is simply not a fringe candidate, by any sensible definition of the phrase. In the future, people who try to push this Republican talking point can be dismissed and referred to this post. It's a previously solved problem.

No more referring to Ned as out of the mainstream. No more referring to his whacko netroots. Lamont has the support of 79% of Democrats nationwide. Deal with it.

If you can't lend your support to Ned, guess who is lost out in the fringes.