A few weeks ago, Harold Meyerson wrote one of the best analyses of the senate race in Connecticut to date, pointing out the real reasons Lieberman is in trouble, and the real issues at stake for Connecticut Democrats:

Lieberman has simply and rightly been caught up in the fundamental dynamics of Politics 2006, in which Democrats are doing their damnedest to unseat all the president's enablers in this year's elections. As well, Lieberman's broader politics are at odds with those of his fellow Northeastern Democrats. He is not being opposed because he doesn't reflect the views of his Democratic constituents 100 percent of the time. He is being opposed because he leads causes many of them find repugnant.

Lieberman supports many of the causes of - and therefore counts on support from - right-wingers Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, Sean Hannity, Tom DeLay, Bill Kristol, and William F. Buckley (hat tip to Liebermania for many of the links).

He pays the lodging, food, and transportation costs of College Republicans who want to come work GOTV efforts for him. Everywhere he goes, the few real supporters he runs into are often if not mostly Republicans, as was the case just yesterday:

The most enthusiastic voter Lieberman ran into on his rounds was someone who cannot help save him on Tuesday. Susan Bushey said she saw Lieberman's bus in Colchester and, with four of her five children in tow, pulled into the parking lot to offer moral support.

"Good luck to you," she said to him. "I'm a Republican and I want to vote for you."

Why do right-wingers feel so strongly about a Democratic primary? Because Sen. Lieberman supports many policies that the right wing agrees with. On Iraq, foreign policy, social security, healthcare, and a whole host of issues.

And this election is about real issues - life or death issues. Real issues are the reason Lieberman is sliding so rapidly in the polls. Real issues are why volunteers are working tirelessly canvassing and phonebanking for Ned while Joe has to pay $60 a day for teenagers who don't even know Joe is for the war. Real issues are why the New York Times so vociferously came out in support of Ned Lamont.

And real issues are why Joe's deep-seated "Connecticut problem" isn't going away anytime soon, no matter what happens on August 8th.

Update: CLP notes one way Joe might be getting around his Connecticut problem: hiring Texas Republicans to collect petition signatures to help him leave the Connecticut Democratic party.