Man, it must have been a slow news day in Connecticut (even though there were several other major stories).  My local paper, the Journal Inquirer, decided to run a story about how a Quinnipiac University poll showed that Barack Obama is 21 points ahead in Connecticut.

No, really?

For anyone from Connecticut who’s reading this, you’ll understand, but out-of-staters (and country-ers) may not.  My home state of Connecticut has been pretty solidly blue for many years.  It voted Kerry in 2004, Al Gore in 2002, and Bill Clinton both times.  The last Republican voted was George H.W. Bush; Connecticut was admittedly a red state for several elections before him, the brief trend starting with Nixon’s second election.

The state used to have three Republican Congressmen until Rob Simmons and Nancy Johnson were voted out in 2006.  Now the states’s final conservative, Chris Shays, remains the last Republican congressman in the Northeast.  Even before their outster, Connecticut Congressmen have been moderates.  On the Senate side, Joe Lieberman is well known, and despite how conservatives sometimes try to portray him, Chris Dodd is also pretty moderate.

Finally, I’m not sure about the political leanings of most of the my state’s General Assembly, but I’m guessing it’s pretty much the same as the national side, pretty moderate.  Yet, Democrats hold a veto proof majority in both chambers.  Republican Governor Jodi Rell breaks the trend toward Democrats on the state side.  Her predecessor, John Rowland, was also a Republican.

So, besides a couple anomalies in the political leanings of the state’s politicians, to say the Barack Obama is 21 points ahead is as if to say the eating fatty foods will make you fat, or that the eyes see things.  Why the JI felt it was lead story worthy is a little baffling.