JI:

After weeks of negotiations, state Democratic Party leaders confirmed today that they had finally and definitely secured the privately owned Expo Center and arranged for the convention to begin a day earlier than they had planned.The parley had been set for a single day, May 20, but the officials now say it will begin at 6 p.m. the day before, Friday, May 19……..the most divisive of the three contests, the battle between U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman and Greenwich cable executive Edward “Ned” Lamont,” was slated to play out first on Friday night.Lieberman, an orthodox Jew, traditionally has refrained from attending political events scheduled after sundown on Friday.Sean Smith, Lieberman’s campaign manager, said today that the three-term senator definitely planned to attend the convention Friday, but would have to leave just prior to sunset.He added that since Lieberman would be permitted to address the delegates only should he win their endorsement, the senator would, as he has in the past, prepare a video that could be shown after the nomination is made…..