At State Central there’s this wall with poorly hung and framed 8×10 photos of the state’s top elected Democrats (Congresspersons, Senators, and Constitutional Officers). For some reason, Joe Lieberman’s picture continued to hang there until very recently despite his losing the Democratic Primary and challenging the nominee, despite his endorsement of/fundraising for Republican Senator Susan Collins, and despite his endorsement of Milford’s Republican Mayor Jim Richetelli.

Though Lieberman got away with this crap, it was only a matter of time before he would make a fool of the Connecticut Democrats on a national stage. He did so in a big way by endorsing John McCain. This act killed two birds with one stone, because in itself the endorsement was more about Lieberman maintaining some form of relevance than it was about McCain and because it finally — FINALLY — moved CT Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo to take down Joe’s picture, and speak about how Joe Lieberman is sabotaging the Democratic Party:

I am surprised and disappointed by Senator Lieberman’s choice to support Senator McCain in the 2008 election for President of the United States. For many years, I have held Senator Lieberman’s work and his views as a member of the Connecticut Democratic Party in high esteem, but I consider this choice to be not only a departure from his past practice, but also a departure from the principles that we as a Party hold dear.

OK, so she didn’t speak to Joe’s efforts as a saboteur. But the picture is in fact down, as MattW reported from State Central last night:

Since when must you betray a group FOUR times to have your membership symbolically questioned? Since the group leader is a milquetoast, that’s when. BranfordBoy has the solution to this problem, and it involves all of us progressive Democrats with backbones getting off our duffs and taking over our DTCs:

So what to do? I suggest we start by turning our attention to the eccentric aunt in our little family. You know, the dear but dotty old gal at the family gathering whose ancient knickers have fallen into a puddle around her ankles and who gamely carries on as if nothing is amiss.

I am referring of course, to Nancy DiNardo. When Joe Lieberman pissed all over the Party in the 2006 election, all Nancy DiNardo could say was “Yum!” (Or words to that effect. Perhaps Scarce can dig up the video clip.) She continues to praise our embarrassing eccentric junior senator with faint damns.

Isn’t it high time that she was — gently and respectfully — guided to retirement?

The process has actually begun. MyLeftNutmeg has played (I would like to think) an important role in getting more and more progressive Dems on DTCs around the state. That movement needs to continue and intensify. By my perhaps faulty reckoning we have three election cycles before the 2012 elections to create truly progressive DTCs across the state. The first one is this January. If you’re not already on your DTC, get hopping!

At the same time, progressives already on their DTCs need to back progressive candidates for the State Central Committee. Perhaps step up to the plate yourself and put your name into the running. That’s what we’re doing in Branford. How’s about where you live?