I just don't get it.

This description of the 'come to Jesus' moment that transformed him from potential opponent to honorary Co-Chair of the Maria Cantwell campaign kind of puzzles me...

…LaMagna has the most insightful take. It's not that Cantwell has changed, but that in a one-on-one conversation she was able to convince him that she cares deeply about getting the U.S. out of Iraq and is not the uncaring neo-con some anti-war activists make her out to be.

"I basically left my meeting with Maria feeling that in my mind she is nowhere near Joe Lieberman, for instance, on the war. She felt compassionate for the Iraqi people that were subjugated by a psychopathic murderer. ... She's not interested in an occupation or permanent military bases and she's willing to happily start engaging all progressives.

"Insightful"? More like astonishing.

How could any sentient being with more than a passing interest in Democratic politics generally, and the Cantwell v. McGavick race particularly, possibly believe that Maria Cantwell is anywhere near Joe Lieberman on the war? The anti-Cantwell equation seems to be powerfully self-delusional...

Supported the use of force resolution = supports "The War" = just like Lieberman = supports Bush =…

Well, what is the conclusion? For some, it's anybody but Cantwell, even at the risk of (if not with the intent of) promoting a win for McGavick in November. Thus they've convinced themselves that Maria Cantwell is Joe Lieberman and Mark Wilson Hong Tran is Ned Lamont.

Neither, of course, is true. That doesn't matter so much as the fact that past Maria's vote to authorize force as a response to a defined set of circumstances after a prescribed process doesn't, in fact, equate with support for "The War." Not this war, not this way. Unlike Joe Lieberman, Maria has been a persistent critic of Bushco™ policy on a number of grounds, from the disgraceful lack of oversight over public contracting to the neglect of our returning veterans to her demand for a framework of concrete benchmarks that can light the path to withdrawal.

Nope, she's nothing like Joe. It's just amazes me that someone as engaged, and presumably informed, as Dal LaMagna could possibly entertain the notion.