Discomfort turned to pain for the Lieberman campaign when the first town in the 1st Congressional District began the roll call: Barkhamsted cast its two votes for Lamont. The challenger received votes in town after town, sometimes one at a time, sometimes considerably more. When once Lieberman-friendly Windsor cast 13 of its 17 votes for Lamont, a roar of surprise filled the hall. Lamont would sail past the crucial 15 percent threshold before reaching his 4th Congressional District stronghold. Lieberman ought to be grateful it was not a secret ballot. If it had been, some of the 100 missing delegates might have found the backbone to vote.
Delegation leaders revealed more than they may have intended with the tributes to home that preceded the casting of votes. East Haddam reminded the crowd that it's Dodd's hometown and then cast three of its five votes for Lamont. Lebanon announced that it's Dodd's birthplace and tossed three of its four votes for Lamont. If anyone thinks saving the sub base (and one can't fail to mention 30,000 jobs) will rescue Lieberman in southeastern Connecticut, take a look at the roll call. Yes, Groton went for Lieberman 9-4, but neighboring New London stuck the shiv in with six of 11 for Lamont.
The darkest omens for Lieberman came near the end of the night when Southbury, nearly the last to vote, announced it was still waiting for a response to a winter invitation to Lieberman to meet. Until he does, Southbury cast five votes for Lamont, three abstentions and zero for Lieberman. One of the night's loudest cheers rang out.
Will he bolt the party?