TNR Cheapshot

The New Republic's blog ad for its Lieberman endorsement issue reads as follows: "The editor's choice for a renewed Democratic party. Plus, the cases for each of the other candidates...." (The ad can't be linked, but it's at Talking Points Memo, Pandagon.net and a bunch of other sites.)

In fact, TNR only makes the case for half of the other Democratic candidates, and doesn't make a case for Kerry, Kucinich, Moseley Braun or Sharpton. Certainly, the viability of these omitted candidacies can be argued, but to claim that "each of the candidates" doesn't include these folks is a petty cheapshot. Particularly since Kerry and Kucinich are outpolling Lieberman in Iowa (where Lieberman's not running) and Kerry's well ahead of Lieberman in New Hampshire.

If TNR can't find anything good to say about those contenders, fine. But it should say that, and not pretend they don't exist.

Update (1/12): As Wilgoren Watch points out, one poll has Sharpton pulling 5 percentage points ahead of Lieberman in South Carolina. (That's one point beyond the poll's margin of error.)