Two Senators Speak Out: Lieberman Should Lose Chair

WASHINGTON — Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman's chances of holding onto his committee chairmanship suffered a blow Friday when two key New England Democratic senators came out against him.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy and his Vermont colleague, Sen. Bernie Sanders, said Democrat-turned-independent Lieberman doesn't deserve to keep his Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chairmanship because of his campaign attacks on President-elect Barack Obama.

Lieberman angered many Democrats by supporting Republican John McCain and criticizing Obama during the presidential contest.

Liberal activists are urging the party's caucus to strip Lieberman's chairmanship when caucus members meet next week. Senate Democrats are scheduled to meet next Tuesday to decide what to do.

"I am one who does not feel that somebody should be rewarded with a major chairmanship after doing what he did," Leahy, D-Vt., said in a Vermont Public Radio interview on Friday. "I never ask people, well you must vote for this person or that person. Everybody has to make up their mind."

Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said he hopes Lieberman will remain in the party caucus and work to regain the trust of those he has disappointed.

"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country," Sanders said in a statement. "Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in.'"

The issue of whether to punish Lieberman is a sensitive one for Democrats, given Obama's calls for bipartisanship during the 2008 race. Lesser penalties are also being considered involving Lieberman's committee and subcommittee posts.

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Some of Lieberman's attacks on Obama "went beyond the pale," Leahy said.

"I would feel that had I done something similar that I would not be chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee in the next Congress," Leahy said.

Lieberman, who was Democrat Al Gore's running mate in 2000, was re-elected in 2006 as an independent after losing his state's Democratic primary. He remains a registered Democrat and aligns himself with Senate Democrats.

Obama has told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada it would hurt the message of unity that he wants for his new administration if Lieberman leaves the Democratic caucus. Reid met with Lieberman last week and was initially inclined to strip him of the Homeland Security Committee chairmanship, according to a leadership aide.

Since then Reid has been working to find a compromise with Democratic supporters of Lieberman, including Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Dodd and Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., have said it would be a mistake if any punishment by the party causes Lieberman to bolt to the Republican side.

Lieberman also spoke last week with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Key Republicans, including Sens. John Ensign of Nevada and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, have said they would welcome Lieberman to the GOP caucus.

Lieberman's presence in the Democratic caucus was essential to the party's control of the Senate because he gave them a 51-49 edge over Republicans. But Democrats expanded their majority in the Nov. 4 elections and won't need Lieberman to control the chamber when the new Congress convenes.

Comments

[pizzmoe]

As Chris Matthews said, what's the point of having political parties if you can smear the people in your party adn suffer no consequences? Joe Must Go!

[FessorFrink]

I am in favor of stripping him of the chairmanship of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. I think he went way too far in his attacks against Obama, which was a broken promise. It is too critical a chairmanship for him to preside over. I am all for healing and what not, but I am also willing to call his bluff that he will bolt to the Republicans. He does not fit with them on about 75-85% of the issues and will be a disaster for him if he does join. I might be willing to give him a smaller, less critical committee that would have him save some face, but again I would call his bluff. Democrats have always been considered too weak, and we have seen that over the years. Whether for political reasons, or ethics violations, we need strong consistent leadership when someone has truly stepped over the line.

[who38]

Joe will be a disaster for the Republicans too. They will have to take him in and will pay the price for that.

[JulianJons]

I hope they dont take it personal, but It would send a message of what would happen if they break from their party. Lieberman should understand that it is a consequence for his actions. He should be allowed to caucus with democrats if he wish but I dont think he deserves a chairmanship anymore. It would be seen as horribly weak considering all the stuff he said. I cant believe this guy was running for VP not too long ago and now he was supporting a republican. He sound like very selfish and would do anything to put himself near power.

[who38]

Thank you for your post. Please understand that Joe was hoping to get the Republican VP nomination this go-round....and he had McCain's support. That would really have been historical---losing the election as a VP candidate from either party. Hope he tries to become Nader's partner in 2012.

[Wolf Larsen]

I would rather live with filibusters then live with this vermin in our midst.

Cut this rat loose and let him tread water with the Republicans.....

[who38]

I agree. And those filibusters are only another Lieberman illusion.

[dare i hope]

To those who say Lieberman was true to himself (or perhaps his conscience?) at the RNC I say we really can't afford to have demagogues who maintain power by spreading fear and hatred. (Obama a marxist?) This kind of hate-mongering, of whipping the masses to a frenzy, is the reason we are in the state we are in. Let's get rid of Lieberman and have a principled person replace him please.

[who38]

Politicians are elected to be true to their constituencies, not themselves. I question whether Joe is , indeed, representing his. However, there a number of Catholic priests out there who are suggesting that political representatives either vote according to their Papal "conscience" or forego communion. Guess this means that Kerry will go to hell and there won't be a Catholic elected to government office any time soon. If a person wants to be true to him/her self, they should avoid politics as a profession.

[dare i hope]

I read your email as saying: if you have principles don't become a politician.

What in your sober view would be the reason to keep Lieberman on, I'm curious to know?

[RepugsOut08]

Joe the bummer must go. A Conneticut Senator who votes Republican will soon be sent packing.
He doesn't worry me with his threats at all.

[PT6]

Good for them!

Since they are Lieberman neighbors their OPINIONS should be Honored as the most reliable!

Let Lieberman earn his way back into a chair one vote at a time!

[entopticon]

Thanks to Leahy and Sanders for standing up for what is right.

It is absolutely insane to even consider letting a man who said that it was an excellent idea to question if Barack Obama is a Marxist, a man who questioned Obama's patriotism, as head of Homeland Security!?!

[who38]

Think their statements will be followed by those of others....or just an echo?

[who38]

Are either of them scheduled for a Sunday morning talking heads show?

[SecretSquirrel666]

He needs to have his chairmanship stripped. We can't have people in Congress acting on their conscience. What might happen if that spread? It must be controlled now!

[shockmagog]

Funny man.

'How could a man of conscience turn his back on people trying to restore their lives and in the same breath look to increase our troop levels in Iraq? He has turned his back on those that did die in that storm and he is turning his back on our soldiers as many more will head off to Iraq.'
http://www.marymacelveen.com/blog/_archives/2007/1/13/2645071.html

You have to have a conscience in order to act on it.

[mandyrtaylor]

I just don't think the solution is to kick him out. I was disappointed to see him not only embrace McCain but join in the GOP rhetoric during the campaign. But kicking him out would be an ironic step in an administration that I hope will TRULY begin to bring America together and redefine bi-partisanship. President-elect Obama understands that the best decisions are made when you throw a bunch of people with clashing ideas and ideals into a room together. Therefore, booting Liebermann would be a disappointing sign of hypocrisy. I say let bygones be bygones and look to the future.

[LisaJeanM]

I'm afraid you don't fully understand what Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh represent. They are both corrupt neo-cons. This goes to the heart of what is wrong with our country right now--and why our country is unraveling in every manner. Our government representatives are working for special interests, not you. Lieberman and Bayh are two of the worst offenders.

[boing007]

The French word for yawn is baille. It's pronounced the same as Evan's last name: Bayh

[who38]

Which one can we get rid of first? I think that we need to establish a PAC that targets these people for extinction. MoveOn got censured by Congress, so we need to move more stealthily and slyly but also show that we can bring in the grass roots to counter attack.

[who38]

Spoken like a true enabler.

[NWBrunette]

We need about 24 more.

[hrhkat]

As Rachel Maddow said a couple days ago, he should be stripped of his chairmanship, because its unlikely the democrats would have a filibuster proof majority anyway, so he is uneeded, plus he turned his back on the democratic party. I would like to see him try and run for senate as a republican in New England LMAO...that would be worth a watch for democrats...

he needs to be punished, and punished hard, it would send a strong message.

[who38]

He doesn't need to be punished; he needs to be ignored. That is a much stronger message.

[dteg]

Liberman was not performing oversight duties over the Bish adminstration, so he should lose his chairmanships. I am fine with him being in the democratic caucus but please take the chairmanship. Call his bluff and if he goes over to the Republican Caucus so be it.

[NWBrunette]

Absolutely right. If he does switch caucuses he'll still vote Democrat just as often as he always did - so it won't matter anyway.

[laire]

I say let Lieberman stay because he knows he has to bend over backwards to keep his chairmanships and he is up for re-election in a couple of years. When you want to lead all of the people as Obama wants to do he should show some humility here. Obama needs to operate like the Godfather here and play lieberman close to the vest and keep him guessing but never just him again.

[ladydriver]

Lieberman's chairmanships should "sleep with the fishes."

[NWBrunette]

If politics were a movie you might have a point. It's not. We have a large progressive agenda to get passed. Lieberman on Homeland Security is a well-demonstrated large obstacle to achieving that. That's the reason his chairmanship must be stripped.

[who38]

If Progressives do not stand up and say loud and clear that Lieberman's Senate appointments must go, we can expect to be ignored for the next four years. I don't care who he caucuses with, but he, definitely, should not have Senate appointments that belong to Dems.

In California, Prop. 8 passed and disenfranchised gays are raising hell all over. Why should Progressives not do the same? We are a grass-roots group; let's do it!

[aznurse]

re-election in a couple of years? Look whats happened to this country in just the past few months!
Hell, even the past two weeks. I guess he can stay, but no leadership appointments.

[who38]

He won't stay without the Chairmanship positions. Won't it be fun to call Harry and say, "Toldga!".

[boing007]

Obama needs to operate like the Godfather here and play lieberman close to the vest and keep him guessing but never just him again.

It's true that most of us, if not all of us, don't know what Barack Obama's ultimate strategy is. What he thinks he can do about Lieberman and whether he will succeed at it none of us can say.

[who38]

Lie down with dogs; get up with fleas.

[who38]

Say what?

[ladydriver]

I listened to Lieberman's speech at the RNC, and he sure didn't sound like a Democrat to me. He was right in there with the other's, slamming Obama, using the "smear and fear" like a pro. If the Republicans want him, I think we should let them have him. The Democrats should kick the b*tch out, and as far as chairing Homeland Security...Lieberman doesn't make me feel safer. I do not trust the man. Period.