Looking for a late-night laugh? Check out the fulmination from Ned Lamont’s nutroots gal pal, Jane Hamsher, sputtering about her blackface debacle. Guess whose fault it is that she made an insane decision to publish the minstrel Photoshop of Joe Lieberman on her Huffington Post blog entry? It’s those damned “right-wing Republicans:”

I sincerely apologize to anyone who was genuinely offended by the choice of images accompanying my blog post today on the Huffington Post. It’s also important to note that I do not, nor have I ever worked for Ned Lamont’s campaign. However, at their request, I removed the image earlier today.

Unfortunately, Senator Lieberman’s campaign has used this in attempt to hurt Ned and score political points, mustering their own faux indignation in attempt to further distract from the issues important to the voters of Connecticut…

…To the extent that rightwing Republicans like Michelle Malkin are trying to harm Ned Lamont with this ginned up controversy by “defending” his opponent with these absurd charges of racism — I regret it and I invite them to take it up with the person who did it, namely me. I answer to nobody and I operate entirely on my own volition. If you have a problem with something I’ve written, you know where to find me.

Like reader Amy wrote me in an e-mail: “Comedy!”

Tom Maguire notes a defense of the blackface bungle from Hamsher’s Photoshopper, “Dark Black.” Seriously. That’s his moniker:

The comments section at that Huffington Post make it clear that most readers found the graphic to be offensive and inappropriate. But there is hidden gold! The graphic designer, “DarkBlack” (I am as serious as the day is warm), put in an appearance at 2:42 PM to defend his work. I can’t manage a permalink directly to the comment, so here we go:

As the composer of the work in question, allow me to make some broader points clearer. This will be my last word on the subject, but all are free to debate further, of course.

Lieberman has attempted to activate a voting demographic that his strategists believe will aid him in his quest.

To this end, he has imported a figure, Bill Clinton, who has standing with the American black community, and has repeatedly asserted his personal credentials as one who has worked on behalf of that community.

Yet Lieberman has engaged in race baiting (with the Lamont flyer) as a cynical attempt to game this demographic, and he has engaged in other activities which cast doubtful shadows upon this allegiance.

Thus, in my opinion, Lieberman is pretending to be something that he is not for personal gain, exactly like the vile caucasian minstrel show performers of Vaudeville.

And so my artist’s impression stands.

If we as a people run from controversial imagery, we will never stop running. Better to unearth and deal with the unpleasant than to live in fear.

Yes, go ahead: Embrace the blackface.

The Lamont campaign has condemned the Photoshop. Guess they’re still fine with Hamsher’s “bitch is dead meat” threat, though.

The Sixers Blog at NRO reports that Jesse Jackson has no problem with Dems using blackface political propaganda.

Worth noting: While the Lamont campaign stresses Hamsher is not on the payroll, she and Lamont have been stuck on each other like white on rice…or Sheehan on Jackson. An article published in the Hartford Courant today describes Lamont’s trip to do the Colbert Report. He brought a small coterie of confidantes:

Lamont arrived with an entourage: His wife, Annie; their campaign driver, Marc Bradley; a blogger, Jane Hamsher; and Bill Hillsman, the creator of his offbeat ads, one of which was played weeks earlier on `The Colbert Report.’

Hamsher has worked intimately with Lamont throughout the summer. From her blog on July 29:

“We also shot Ned’s first video blog this morning on the set of his new Hillsman commercial.”

Here it is. And here’s Hamsher directing Lamont via Flickr:

Meanwhile, Lieberman responds:

“It’s extremely offensive,” Lieberman said. “I have been the target of the ‘blogs’ on a lot of really offensive stuff, stuff I consider lies and smears, but this picture of me with Bill Clinton and me having my face blackened is offensive to people of all races and colors and just doesn’t belong.”

I’ll give an unhappy blogger at the liberal TPMCafe site the last word for now:

Jane? We have enough problems getting Lamont elected, could you please shut up? You’ve done enough. Really you have.

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