Top Dem Senators Try To Save Lieberman

Several top Democratic senators have launched a behind-the-scenes effort to save Sen. Joe Lieberman's chairmanship, despite calls from a Democratic base seeking retribution for Lieberman's vocal support of John McCain's presidential campaign.

Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) are all involved in the effort, according to top Senate Democratic aides. These four senators -- along with other Lieberman allies -- are reaching out to the rest of the Democratic Senate caucus to try to ensure Lieberman survives a secret ballot vote on whether to strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[ponderingmuch]

What does Lieberman have on all these democrats? Must be some good dirt for them to fight for him.

Does Lieberman stand for anything progressive?

[PUMAMA]

Wht don't we just rename the Democratic Party the Liebercratic Party.

[OliverTwist]

The previous support of key Democrats including Obama for Lieberman rather than the Connecticut Democratic Party nominee for Senator and the present support for Lieberman after he campaigned against the National Democratic Party nominee for president re-enforces my determination to make campaign contributions only to the candidates themselves and not to the party.

The Democratic party's support for Lieberman is a disgrace.

[Liberoservative]

No Chairmanship for Liebermann!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

He can caucus all he wants but he is moved to the bottom of the pile and gets low level committee leadership seats.....

Definately not Homeland Security... unless Obama decides to get rid of it since it is a money hog anyway and isn't doing its job....

[OnePartyEqualsTyranny]

Several top Democratic senators have launched a behind-the-scenes effort to save Sen. Joe Lieberman's chairmanship, despite calls from a Democratic base seeking retribution for Lieberman's vocal support of John McCain's presidential campaign.

Just why, are they bought and paid for?

[thicky]

Obama's choice to knuckle under to Lieberman in Tuesday's caucus vote makes a good war analogy.

Lieberman viciously and bitterly fought against Obama, his man McCain's enemy. Obama was victorious. As in war, the victors get to name the terms of surrender. Yet Obama has made it known that though he defeated Lieberman/McCain he is afraid(as in Obama is ultimately a coward) to dispense justice to Lieberman and strip him of his committee chairmanship.

This is Obama's first situation where he must deal firmly with an enemy and yet he surrenders and lets Lieberman call the shots, telling Obama to get on his knees and do what Lieberman, the loser, wants. What a wonderful signal this is to our enemies. Obama can't even deal with his internal enemies in a strong manner, which only demonstrates to our foreign enemies that Obama is a pushover, a weak leader who will let America be overrun by any tinpot dictator who shouts BOO! If Lieberman is allowed to get off without any punishment or penalty whatsoever then Americans should be afraid of what an Obama Presidency will do to America's prestige and security in the world.

Stripping Lieberman of his committee chairmanship is not revenge, it is justice. And because justice and morality are healthy innate Human attributes:
http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2007/02/05/morality_play/

To let Lieberman keep his committee chairmanship is not only a sign of weakness but it is ultimately immoral.

[NWBrunette]

Folks, we have an agenda to move forward. In order to do that quickly and effectively we need key leadership positions filled with team players. Lieberman clearly isn't one of them. He can caucus with us - that's fine. But he certainly isn't fit for a Democratic leadership position - especially on Homeland Security. Anybody who thinks otherwise has their head in the sand or has a big bad skeleton in their closet that Joe knows about.

[NWBrunette]

This is an outrage and must be stopped. Raise a ruckus everyone - a big one. This is not about retribution and never was. It's about having team players in leadership positions. Lieberman is clearly not a team player and clearly doesn't support Obama when it comes to foreign policy or homeland security - he's the polar opposite. I can't image the dirt that Lieberman must have on these Democrats - what in the world is up with them? This is the kind of nonsense that makes Dems so frustratingly ineffective. This is absolute nuts!

[Rex11]

Now that we've purged a few more Republicans from Congress, looks like we now need to focus on replacing the lame incumbent Democrats with new and improved ones. A real House and Senate cleaning. Here are few priority suggestions for the Senate:

1. Joe Lieberman - CT (No real convictions of his own-Easily bought )

2. Harry Reid - NV (Absolutely useless - no spine)

3. Diane Feinstein - CA (Easily bought by special interests - particularly the defense contracting lobby and war machine makers)

4. Dick Schumer - NY (All bark and no bite - also, he championed the most recent criminal to be inserted into the Bush administrations version of the justice system, Michael Mukasey as AG - nice going, Dick.)

5. Chris Dodd - CT (his lack of oversight over the economy was appalling, and not to mention his rallying of the boys club that is the Senate to save A-hole LIEberman's ass.)

I'm sure there are more. Feel free to add your own;-)

Yes, they've done some good things, but face it, these people have been there too long and need to be purged. Fresh green faces, fresh green ideas, and most importantly, initiative in getting things done without a lot of lame excuses. I'm so tired of being ignored as a constituent by my representatives in Washington.

Perhaps burn some sage to get rid of that icky feeling left behind when they're gone.

The Obamas will probably be doing that to the White House in

[journey80]

Removing Lieberman from positions, especially from the chairmanship of Homeland Security, is not retribution; it's an acknowledgment of reality - Lieberman is with the Republicans.

What does he have to do, campaign with John McCain? Attack the patriotism of the Democratic nominee? Oh, wait ...

[hugs4u]

Obama hasn't even been sworn in yet, and already Dodd and the others make me feel ashamed that i voted for democrats. I should of went with Nadar. At least he has a backbone and balls.
there should be no question to it. Joe should lose his chairmanship.

[AurigaRa]

WHY?

lost my respect for Dodd --- its good old boys over ethics and country

[LAThinker]

Let Liberman to go home to GOP

http://www.ucubd.com/Index.aspx?id=890&cid=3168

[Manx]

Obama campaigned on a theme of change and now Senators Dodd, Durbin and others are fighting to maintain the status quo. They are out of sync with the new Democratic Party.

[supergranny]

Me thinks a high colonic is in order for the old toad.