Joe Lieberman: the Republican candidate

If you need any more evidence that Joe Lieberman is a Republican, the lateset Quinnipaic poll numbers tell the story.

In this latest survey, Lieberman leads 75 - 13 - 10 percent among likely Republican voters, and 58 - 36 - 3 percent among likely independent voters, while likely Democratic voters back Lamont 63 - 35 percent. Two percent are undecided, but 28 percent of those who name a candidate might change their mind before Election Day.

"Sen. Lieberman's support among Republicans is nothing short of amazing. It more than offsets what he has lost among Democrats. As long as Lieberman maintains this kind of support among Republicans, while holding onto a significant number of Democratic votes, the veteran Senator will be hard to beat," said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D.

uote>With Republican numbers like this, don't expect the GOP to ask Alan GoldSchlesinger to step aside any time soon.

The bright side of the poll is that Lamont gets a 11 point bounce among registered voters in a three way match up. That's an impressive post-primary bounce but Lieberman is the poster child of the Republican Party and Schlesinger is nothing more than a joke.

It's not like Lamont hasn't been in this position before and, as he did in the primary, he'll have to get his message out to the people who still don't know enough about him.

Remember, as Lamont "don't know enough" numbers go down, his approval numbers go up while Lieberman's numbers go down. Lamont has some work to do but don't be fooled, Joe Lieberman is the de facto Republican in this race and this is the game plan of the White House.

But there is rampant speculation that the non-endorsement of Schlesinger is coming from the White House down, not from the local level up.

Some political sources say that the White House put out the word as early as Aug. 8 - when Lamont won the Democratic primary over Lieberman in a national media spectacle - that it was all right for Republican office-holders, nationally and in Connecticut, to endorse Lieberman. One Republican senator, Susan M. Collins of Maine, did just that on Tuesday. Lieberman has won points with Republicans, and alienated many Democrats, by cooperating with Bush on issues including Iraq war policy.

Schlesinger, interviewed Wednesday night by phone as he sought votes at a Torrington Republican picnic, would not comment on the idea of a White House-orchestrated back-channel campaign for Lieberman.

Schlesinger knows the deal because it's painfully clear that Lieberman is the Republican's go-to guy as Schlesinger is even losing to Lamont among Republicans. and Republican Town Committees are presently trying to pass resolutions backing Lieberman.

His efforts, however, are not getting much encouragement even in some local towns. In Wethersfield, for example, a prominent member of the Republican town committee has submitted a resolution to endorse Lieberman, the independent, instead of Schlesinger.

The committee member, John Miller, who once served on the Republican National Committee, said of Schlesinger: "Unfortunately, he's just going to be a blip."

Miller's resolution says the "Democratic Party has been hijacked by ultra-liberal activists." There's a risk that the Aug. 8 primary may decide the November election and oust a valuable 18-year veteran, he said.

"There's going to be an election. The Republican unfortunately isn't going to play much of a role," Miller said Wednesday. "For the good of Connecticut, the Republicans should get into it, and I think the right vote is for Lieberman."

Wethersfield Republicans will consider Miller's pro-Lieberman resolution Aug. 30 in the community room at the police station. He said he hopes other Republican town committees will follow with similar endorsements.

Lieberman (R-CT).