The Courant:

Lieberman To Start Petition Drive
12:45 PM EDT, July 3, 2006
By MARK PAZNIOKAS, The Hartford Courant

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is to announce today he will petition for a place on the November ballot as an "independent Democrat," giving him a chance to stay alive politically should he lose an Aug. 8 primary for the Democratic nomination.

Lieberman, 64, a three-term senator whose outspoken support of the war in Iraq has brought months of grief and inspired a strong primary challenge from Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont, intends to announce his decision this afternoon at the State Capitol.

Even should he lose in August -- and the most recent public poll shows him leading Lamont by 15-percentage points among likely primary voters -- Lieberman would retain his status as a registered Democrat, but his name would not appear on the ballot line with other Democrats.

Lieberman began making courtesy calls to leading Democrats late this morning.

Most other Democratic candidates already have said they would support the winner of the Aug. 8 primary.

So I guess he's Holy Jumpin Joe now.

My question: will CT voters go for the new and improved semi-Democratic Joe, or hold it against him that he has basically said the rules shouldn't apply to him, and that being too cowardly to duke it out in a primary race is a qualification for further office holder status?