Wacky Left Endorses the Wacky Left

It's not all the usual for a major national newspaper to endorse a candidate in a state primary race - especially if they're not located in that state - but two newspapers have done just that in the Connecticut Senate primary. The New York Times has endorsed Johnny Anti-War One Note Ned Lamont:

The New York Times on Sunday backed Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont in his Democratic primary challenge of Sen. Joe Lieberman, criticizing the three-term incumbent for his support of President Bush's national security policies.

[...]

The Times said Lieberman's efforts "to appear above the partisan fray" have turned him into one of the administration's most useful allies.

"If Mr. Lieberman had once stood up and taken the lead in saying that there were some places a president had no right to take his country even during a time of war, neither he nor this page would be where we are today," the Times wrote. "But by suggesting that there is no principled space for that kind of opposition, he has forfeited his role as a conscience of his party, and has forfeited our support."

On the other side, The Washington Post (which probably doesn't want to see the great unwashed wacky left coming to work in their town) has endorsed Joe Lieberman:

This is a talent and temperament that is helpful to the Democrats in the minority but will be needed even more if there's a change in power in one or both houses of Congress or, in 2008, in the White House. Then, more than ever, the Democratic Party, if it hopes to accomplish anything, will need people such as Mr. Lieberman who bring some civility to an increasingly uncivil capital -- who can accept the idea that opponents may disagree in good faith and who can then work to find areas of agreement and assemble working majorities of 60 senators. His ability to do so is a strength, not a weakness, for the party as well as the nation.

Meanwhile two of the hometown papers, The Hartford Courant and the Connecticut Post endorsed Lieberman. Primary night will be very interesting.