Update: Lieberman, fearing a loss, shifts his strategy:

Facing a likely defeat, Lieberman has scrapped plans for a massive and costly get-out-the-vote operation on primary day, according to several Democratic sources. Instead, he will shift some of his resources into more television commercials designed to highlight his accomplishments for the state, in hopes of boosting his battered image....a landslide loss to Lamont could complicate Lieberman's hopes of winning a fourth term in a three-way general election contest.

Lieberman's internal polls show him losing:

Another campaign adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss strategy, said the public poll tracked internal campaign surveys. "The race has been headed in that direction for a while," the adviser said. "It's a fairly accurate reflection of where the race is."

Liebermnan's strategy changed at the last minute, fearing a big loss:

The Lieberman campaign, fearing that low voter turnout in the primary would favor Lamont, had plans to build a get-out-the-vote operation bigger than any seen in a state race in Connecticut. But in the face of discouraging polls, campaign officials concluded this week that the money likely would be wasted.

Why are we so focused on the Lieberman-Lamont race?

Lieberman's struggle has drawn national attention because it illustrates the power of antiwar activism in the Democratic Party and because of its potential implications for other races in the November midterm elections.

Update: The Lieberkidz try a thug strategy against Lamont.

Hillary Clinton laced into Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at an Armed Services Committee hearing today.

Like a prizefighter, Clinton smiled and shook hands with Rumsfeld before attacking his policies. "You did not go into Iraq with enough troops," said Clinton, ticking off her grievances. "You disbanded the entire Iraqi army ... You underestimated the nature and strength of the insurgency, the sectarian violence and the spread of Iranian influence."

" . . . You are presiding over a failed policy," she said. "Given your track record, Secretary Rumsfeld, why should we believe your assurances now?"

Afterwards, Hillary said Rumsfeld should quit.

by TChris

Abdel-Jabbar Hamdan was a fundraiser for Holy Land Foundation, an Islamic charity. The government shut down HLF, contending it was a front for Hamas. It then detained Hamdan -- for two years -- because it viewed him as a threat to national security.

The government has never been able to produce evidence that Hamdan is a threat to anyone. While the government claims that Hamdan is deportable because he overstayed a student visa that was issued 27 years ago, Hamdan appealed the deportation order, and most immigrants in his shoes would be released pending the outcome of that appeal. It took two years for Hamdan to finally win his release, over the government's objection.

Why was Hamdan treated differently?

Another loss for Tom DeLay and Republicans....the appeals court has ruled he must stay on the November ballot.

Joe Lieberman went on the attack today against Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher, the blogosphere's most well-known, vocal supporter of Ned Lamont. The issue is this one.

Jane is not part of the campaign, she's working on her own as an unpaid activist. After her mother died, she decided to go to Connecticut to follow the Lamont campaign rather than return home right away. Lamont is lucky to have her and the publicity and support she brings via FDL. I hope she stays right where she is through primary day.

This is a Lieberman distraction. I hope CT Democrats will focus instead on whether they want a senator who is backed by Tom DeLay.

Tom DeLay, on Lieberman: "Lieberman is a liberal. ... He is a liberal on everything but the war, and he's very good on the war. He understands how dangerous fighting the Islamic terrorists, and he's going to fight that. And it just shows you how weak the Democrats are to take on Lieberman when he supports 90 percent of what they believe in" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 8/2).

Crooks and Liars has the video.

Claude Allen, President Bush's top domestic policy advisor until he resigned in February, then accused in March of a theft by returning receipts sfor refunds cheme at Target and Hechts, will plead guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for having felony charges dismissed and receiving no jail time.

Allen was arrested after Montgomery police accused him of stealing more than $5,000 in merchandise from Target and Hecht's stores through a refund scheme. Police said this is how the scheme worked: Allen would walk into a store, pick up items and pay for them. He would later return to the store, pick up identical items and seek a refund using the receipt from the purchase. Police said he did this at least 25 times from October to January, buying items including a Bose home theater system, clothes and merchandise worth as little as $2.50. Several of the transactions were recorded by store surveillance cameras.

As part of the deal, Allen will pay $850.00 in restitution. Background here and here.

The Florida federal terrorism case against Jose Padilla, the American-born so-called "dirty bomber" held for four years in a South Carolina military brig without charges or access to counsel, is floundering.

A federal judge has expressed doubts about the strength of the government's terror conspiracy case against Jose Padilla and others, ordering prosecutors to provide more evidence of alleged violent activities overseas. ....[The Judge] says the case against him appears ``very light on facts.''

Curiously, the Florida Sun Sentinel and the AP don't even mention this in their reports of yesterday's hearing.

History was made this morning when North Carolina Governor Mike Easely, a former prosecutor, signed into law a bill establishing an Innocence Commission.

Gov. Mike Easley signed a measure Thursday, creating the country's first innocence inquiry commission -- a state panel that will examine possible wrongful convictions.

"As a state prosecutor for more 15 years, I know that law enforcement's greatest nightmare is to have an innocent person in jail or on death row," Easley said. "As a state that exacts the ultimate punishment, we should continue to ensure that we have the ultimate fairness in the review of our cases.

"Its creation gives our criminal justice system yet another safeguard by helping ensure that the people in our prisons in fact, belong there. This is something all North Carolinians can be proud of," Easley said.

Bump and Update: According to a new Quinnipiac poll, Ned Lamont leads Sen. Joe Lieberman 54% to 41% among likely Democratic primary voters. This compares to a 51% to 47% Lamont lead in the last poll two weeks ago. 85% of those polled said their minds are made up.

The Washington Post has more on the poll. There's also a nice profile of Lamont in the Hartford Advocate, explaining his opposition to the war.

*****
Original Post:
8/2/06

The Connecticut Primary is six days away. Political Wire reports tonight that Joe Lieberman is planning for a loss and will shake up his campaign staff if it happens.

Expect Lieberman to can anyone who was associated with 2004 Kerry campaign and replace them with a team of pungent veterans who will take the fight to Lamont. As Lieberman tours the broiling state, you can almost hear the gloves coming off in preparation for a fight to the finish in November.

Lieberman thinks he will get the spotlight with his petition run if he loses the primary. Even the Republicans look like they will line up behind Lieberman, since the Republican challenger is so weak:

Los Angeles prosecutors today filed two misdemeanor charges against Mel Gibson, one for DUI and one for having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.

Interesting: The police reports said Gibson was "clocked" going 85 miles an hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. Yet he's not charged with speeding, which would have required a jail sentence if convicted.

Under state law, a driver under the influence whose speed exceeds the posted limit by 20 mph or more on streets or 30 mph on faces a minimum of 60 days in jail if convicted.

Nor was he charged with resisting police or arrest.

In his report, Deputy James Mee said Gibson "attempted to escape custody" and repeatedly threatened him.

by TChris

Voters in Kansas dealt another defeat to extremists who believe that public education about the origins of life should be faith-based rather than science-based.

Conservative Republicans lost control of the State Board of Education on Tuesday only nine months after they had enacted science standards expressing doubt about evolutionary theory. Critics saw the standards as an attack on evolution, and Kansas received international ridicule as a result.

The conservative board majority was 6-4 going into this year's election, and moderate Republicans unseated one conservative incumbent and captured a seat held by a retiring conservative in Tuesday's primary elections. That left the balance of power at 6-4 in favor of moderates who believe the standards should reflect mainstream scientific views - and treat evolution as a well-established theory.

Two conservative Republicans who held off moderate challengers in the primary may still lose to science-friendly Democrats in the general election.

There's a lot going on today-- from Haditha and Murtha (Taylor Marsh has the full scoop) to the release of the 9/11 Norad tapes (Kevin Drum has some thoughts on them) to the countdown to the Joe Lieberman-Ned Lamont primary (Firedoglake has all the latest). Here's an open thread to talk about it and any other topics. After spending the last five days entrenched in the Twilight Zone, I'm ready for a break and something less stressful today, like visiting a few clients in jail.

Thanks to those of you who donated to TalkLeft yesterday to help me with the site fix-it costs. I'll be sending you personal e-mails this weekend. There's still a lot to cover, so if any more of you feel like helping out, here's how:

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