War, Lamont Campaign...democratic 'model' for success?

Not all Democrats are die-hard liberals. I am pretty liberal, but still have my conservative values. And watching Ned Lamont surrounded by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton worries me. I feel that associating yourself with these figures isn't the greatest way to win a general election.

Still, Ned Lamont won the Democratic nomination last night, and used the war to do it.

I have been saying for a while that the Democrats need to do a number of things. One of those things is to get the base out. And that is exactly what Ned Lamont did last night.

While I don't think the war is the general election issue that Democrats need to win independents and moderates, it sure is the issue that will drive die hard Democrats to the polls.

In 2004, Karl Rove knew that a number of right-wing Christians stayed home in 2000. In order for Bush to win in 2004, he needed those people to turn out and vote. They did...and he won.

Many Democrats feel that candidates have to capture the center in order to win. This is apparent in the elections of Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. But still, there needs to be polarizing issue that will turn out the base. The war, I feel now, is the best issue. And if we can get the base to turn out and vote Democratic (not Green or whateve), we don't have to sell out to the right anymore.

Ned Lamont was the second high profile candidate to use the war as their main issue. The first was Paul Hackett, and he almost won. And, or course, Ned Lamont did win.

I criticized using the war as the Democratic issue...but I think I might be wrong. So far, the track record looks pretty good.