LIEBERMAN OVER LAMONT IS NOT A PREVIEW OF McCAIN, BUT A PREVIEW OF RUDY

This much-linked-to article by Peter Brown of Quinnipiac posted at RCP gets is ALL WRONG. He writes:

... both men [McCain and Lieberman] have supported their party leaders more often than not, neither toes the party line. This has led both to alienate the more ideologically based voters within their respective parties. McCain, for instance, was the force behind the campaign finance reform bill that conservatives hate. He also split with the president over the treatment of prisoners in U.S. military custody and forced Bush to compromise on recent legislation on the subject.

Lieberman has not only backed Bush on the war, but is much more socially conservative than many in his party and does not always see eye-to-eye with Democratic interest groups and activists.

I think the fact that both candidates appeal to so-called centrists/independents who pick-and-choose from among each party's platform is trivial. WHY!? Well, Lieberman's margin over Lamont doesn't portend a McCain victory, but a RUDY VICTORY: It shows that a liberal hawk is a very appealing candidate for parts of the GOP and the DNC and the "moderate" independents.

McCain is not a liberal hawk - he is pro-Life and pro-tax cuts. Sure, he is anti-gun and for campaign finance reform (which hinders free speech), but he is really rather conservative - too conservative for many MANY Lieberman-type voters.

Rudy, though, is truly a liberal hawk: he is anti-gun; pro-gay marriage; pro-abortion; and virtually pro-illegal immigation. Lieberman shows that this Rudy-esque combination is truly very appealing.

I seriously doubt that the Democrat Party can nominate a hawk - liberal or centrist. They will nominate someone more like Lamont than like Lieberman, and THAT is the sad-but-true bottom-line of this story.

UPDATE: Welcome ROGER L. SIMON readers. Roger has a feeling on this one, too.
And welcome MEMORANDUM readers, too. And a big welcome to POWER LINE readers! Please chck out the whole blog!