CT and the Nation

The victory of Ned Lamont over Joseph Liebermann on Tuesday is not a political weathervane. It is a simple case of an incumbent losing support at his grassroots. Was Lamont aided by outside help and money? To be sure but both Republicans and Democrats mourn or celebrate this result at their political peril. The Republicans have for weeks been eulogizing the Democratic Party if it were to oust one of their more centrist senators. They argue that this is a sign of a party lurching to the left and losing the pulse of the country. However, what if the rest of the country concurs in November with Liebermann's constituents?

On the other side, some Democrats may be glad to be rid of the image and symbolism of the President kissings Liebermann on the cheek at the state of the union. Nevertheless, this country will soon grow weary of the strict partisanship of blue and red states, if it has not done so already. For the Democratic party to succeed, it must be careful to court the political center where people are worried about Iraq but unwilling to leave it in chaos, where people do not want to leave massive deficits as an inheritance to their children but are also concerned about their take-home pay. The Democratic party must voice a true alternative to Republican incumbency; the party of opposition must become the party of positive change.

The results of the midterm election are still up in the air, no matter who will represent the Democratic party in CT; hopefully, we as voters will stand up and speak in November.