Top Dem Senators Try To Save Lieberman

Politico:

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: Politico

Comments

[KathyinCT]

VERY EASY WAY TO TAKE ACTION:

http://tools.advomatic.com/7/kickjoe

This connects you to Firedog Lake's automated calling system -- they will connect you to offices of the members of the Democratic Steering Committee. You don't even have to look up phone numbers.

PLEASE SPEND 20 MINUTES AND MAKE CALLS NOW.

They are making decisions.

They must know this isn't about punishment or retribution -- it is about the fact that Joe Lieberman cannot be TRUSTED chairing Homeland Security. He is devious and says one thing one day, one thing another -- he and the truth have parted company. Let him chair the stray dogs committee -- but NOT Homeland Security. Who could trust what he'd do with the information he had access to?

[impatient]

The problem is that this robo call company won't leave you alone.

Also, i am a little concerned that the senators supporting Lieberman are trying to follow Obama's leadership, so perhaps there is a political consideration that isn't immediately apparent to us, the voters.

[Ladyrantsalot]

Strip him of one chairmanship and let him keep the other. That's one more chairmanship than he will get from the Rubepublicans. It will also diminish his authority in the Senate (so that's his punishment). Dems will consider the possibility of a second chairmanship after the 2010 elections, during which LIEberman will have to have made significant efforts to get more Dems elected (i.e. he will have to put in at least as much effort as he put into the Collins and McCain campaigns in 2008).

[PT6]

Keep him CLOSE!

Simply tell Lieberman "You are going to have to EARN your way back into the party" so for now you can chair the "Ethics Committee" and hopefully learn a lot!

Lieberman can earn his way back by voting for Obama's programs - one by one by one!

[SCG]

SPAM Mac & Cheese bake.

2 pkg. macaroni and cheese
1 lg. can Spam
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, any variety, as red bell pepper, broccoli and baby onion
1 can Durkee fried onions for garnish
2 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. milk
Shredded cheese

Bring water to boil, add macaroni and vegetables. Cook until tender, drain. Chop Spam and add butter, cheese mix, milk and additional shredded cheese. Mix well. Place in casserole dish and top with fried onions. Bake 30 minutes in 350 degree oven.

[nibblybits]

To earn something back, he has to LOSE something. Kick him of the chairmanship and *then* have him earn it back. You leave him on and then there are no repercussions to his actions.

[NWBrunette]

YOU can keep him close. When you get him rehabilitated let us know.

[Beninn]

Something to keep in mind about letting Lieberman caucus with Dems and retain committee chairmanships is that it gives him a sales pitch to make to Connecticut voters when he goes up for reelection. As chairman of a powerful committee and in good standing with the majority party in power, it puts him in good stead to direct limited federal funds to the state.

Do you really want to help Lieberman get reelected to the Senate?

[SCG]

No.

[damosa]

As an independent, it is Lieberman's right to support whomever he chooses. But, he clearly demonstrated that he placed friendship before this country. And, he showed a mean side. I do not trust him but let the people of Connecticut decide what to do with him. Then, too, as I have heard on more than one occasion: "Keep your enemies close." Liebermen is definitely no friend of the Democratic Party.

[nibblybits]

It's fine that he supported McCain, but he didn't have to badmouth Obama, which he did on many occasions. Why leave him in a position of power?

[Plowboy]

While we are rewarding Neocons like Lieberman, I suppose we should start thinking about the kind of severe punishment Howard Dean must suffer for doing the right thing and building the winning Democratic Party. Rahm Emanuel, who fought Dean at every step, would certainly appreciate that!
And Joe Biden, too. He's another DLC (or Neocon-lite) type. Makes one wonder about our victory! The internal enemy is getting all the spoils.
Perhaps Joe Lieberman would be sufficiently appeased with the Secretary of State position?

[Beninn]

I know, isn't it incredible?

Obama owes his success to the small donors, the people, and not to the rightwing of the Dem Party, corporate America. Yet every appointment and every indication of his plans says Obama's moving even farther to the right than as he ran, which was center-right.

HuffPosters fail to recognize what's happening and don't know the real allegiances of these players. Now's the time to make the big noise and demand a seat at the table. Rahm Emanuel is not a man of the people, and he's surely not going to be pushing populist causes.

[loper2008]

A chief-of-staff is an arm twister for Obama's agenda. Do you even understand he does not make any policy positions? So far this is the only official Obama hire. You seem to be getting a little ahead of yourself. Although yes, Obama is a mainstream democrat, not a radical. He will pass health care, energy, education plans but he will not be able to substantially reduce corporate power in our lives. We have to do that on our own by organizing at the local level.

[iPolitics]

Lieberman, America Second

[Bendersky]

To bad he wasn't out there trying to save himself. Talk about your deals with the devil. "We've lost all trust and respect for you, but we need your vote so what the hell." You can take the democrat out of the party, but you can't take the party's spinelessness out of the democrats.

[RSal]

lieberman needs to get the boot. he's neither republican or democrat. his loyalties are with the lieberman party. let him chair that one.

[Beninn]

Lieberman will vote the same way he has always voted - The same way he would vote no matter what party he caucused in. Lieberman doesn't need to be in the Democratic caucus in order to get him to vote as a Democrat on some domestic issues. He will never vote as a Democrat on other domestic issues and most foreign issues no matter who he caucuses with. As a Democrat he became one of the Gang of 14 and threatened Dems to accept far-right judicial nominations or he would join with the others in the Gang to trigger the 'nuclear option' (which was to end a filibuster by majority vote rather than by 60 votes). Breaking his pledge to support the Democratic nominee for President wasn't Lieberman's first offense. His campaigning for McCain, speaking at the Republican convention, saying Obama might be a Marxist, were more like Lieberman's fourth, fifth, and sixth strikes. Lieberman's office stating that if Lieberman doesn't remain as Chairman of the Senate's Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee would be risky for US security is more of the Republicans' "vote for us or you will die" mind-set that Americans voted to reject in this election.

[truth2008]

Get rid of Judas Joe, with friends like him, the Dems don't need enemys!

Go away Judas Joe, you have no honor!

[VAVet4Obama]

Joe is a back stabber and has to GO!!!!

[bmwracer]

Lieberman could've saved himself by not becoming an Independent.

Once again, you reap what you sow.

[Beninn]

Interesting in that what these senators have in common is they're all DLC and secondarily, all but one are known associates of Family Fellowship, Douglas Coe's operation:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-wilson/875-of-family-dlc-affilia_b_112878.html

Tom Carper has come a long way under Hillary Clinton's tutelage. Carper is one who has received funding from Clinton's mighty HILLPAC.

[SanityForOnce]

They will make a serious mistake if they allow Lieberman to keep his Homeland Security chair. Joe cannot be trust on national security matters - he's a neocon. He will not be onboard with Obama.

All Obama said was that he wanted Lieberman to remain in the Dem caucus. He never said anything about Joe keeping his chairmanship. It is essential that Joe pay a penalty for his behavior. Otherwise, you'll have no discipline at all in the Senate if members can actively work against the party and suffer not punishment.

These senators may be friends with Joe, but they have to put that aside and do what's best for their party and the president-elect.