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Boston Herald Critics and supporters of his Democratic primary opponent have taken to casting U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch as the Joe Lieberman of Massachusetts - an all-too-obvious attempt to energize liberals and replace Lynch with a single-issue, anti-war candidate. Lynch should be grateful. Lumping him in with the Democratic senator from Connecticut, a man of undisputed integrity who isn't afraid to express views that are at odds with the opinion-makers of his party, should be a source of pride for the congressman from South Boston, who won a special election to succeed the late Joe Moakley in 2001. While questioning the Bush administration's present strategy in Iraq, Lynch continues to be an unflinching supporter of the troops. He has resisted the urge to give in to the Howard Dean wing of the party and demand to leave Iraq by an arbitrary "date certain," though he has offered a plan he says will gradually bring the troops home. Would we be happier if Lynch hadn't done a complete 180 on his original vote for the war resolution? Only if we thought his change of heart was motivated purely by politics. We don't. Unlike, say, John Kerry, who was gearing up for a presidential campaign, we are convinced Lynch's "yea" vote back in 2002 was made in good faith. So often, his is a lonely voice of reason among fellow Democrats in the Bay State's delegation. The 9th District is well-served by Steve Lynch, and the Herald is pleased to endorse his re-election. |