Dean: Keeping Lieberman As Chairman Is Shrewd Move

DNC Chair Howard Dean welcomed the decision to keep Senator Joseph Lieberman as head of the Homeland Security Committee and, consequently, in the Democratic Caucus, saying the move was pragmatic, magnanimous and politically shrewd.

Speaking to the Huffington Post just moments after it was announced that Democrats in the Senate had voted to keep Lieberman as committee chair, Dean said the party had done the right thing by not giving into urges for retribution.

"You know, the desire of revenge is great, of course. But the truth is public policy doesn't run on revenge very well," he said. "And when you see the trouble this country has gotten into in terms of foreign policy, where Bush basically ran a foreign policy based on petulance because he was mad at, for example, Mexico, for abstaining on the Security Council when the Iraq War came up, if you have to actually run the country, it is best not to do it based on feeling of anger towards your enemies."

The Democratic Party chair, who will be leaving his post this January, went on to applaud Barack Obama for putting hurt feelings aside and welcoming the Connecticut Independent back into the party fray. He also predicted that the caucus would benefit from keeping Lieberman, who spent the past year campaigning alongside John McCain, often criticizing Obama and the Democratic Party.

"My point of view is that Barack won," Dean said. "He can afford to be magnanimous. And if we happen to win both recounts and Georgia, Joe is the 60th vote. And the truth is -- and I certainly don't have to defend Joe Lieberman because, you know, we have an interesting history -- but the fact is, he does vote 90 percent of the time with the Democrats. And no, he shouldn't have said all those things. But why not clean the slate? Why not start all over again? Why not allow him to vote with us on the 90 percent of the stuff? He will be a good vote on climate change -- and this matters. He may be a good vote on election reform, which I hope we will get to. So, you know, he may end up - though it is a little against the odds -- he may end up being the vote that allows us to conduct business when Mitch McConnell decides we shouldn't."

Comments

[westreal]

The only shrewd move in keeping Lieberman is the lack of b_ alls the Democrats showed yet again. And allowing a senator with ulterior motives to hold such a powerful position as head of Homeland Security is shameful.

[happyez]

One thing I learnt big time from this election is:
• I dont know what really goes on behind closed doors
• I had no idea about Obama's strategy. Which means I only second guessed from the media, like we all do
• People who say 'this is how govt should work' and don't work in govt or an org. near it, have no power. Which means that they have all the things it takes - spirit, determination, opinions ... but none of the knowledge of how to lever it. Some do to a greater degree
• The ordinary person runs on emotions. That means the other side isn't heard.
• Activists don't work in a compromise world. The best work with the shadow and light, and do it positively. Like Obama. Bush doesn't.

I would guess that those who post here regularly are doing none of the above.

So, my guess would be that they aren't anywhere near actually running a government. So the Dems aren't going to pay attention. Only listen to the bits that are relevant, and even so, will listen to those who wholly have something constructive (or destructive in the case of the Repubs) to say.

Which means 99.9% of HPost posters are left on the side ignored. Including this post/myself.

[CEPHALUS]

Please people, do not get all riled up over joe the pawn!

[DreamEmbraced]

Shrewd move. Checkmate! (Trusting that Joe- the-Traitor will indeed reap what he has sown, in due season).

[kutkreata]

Thank you. I'm sure that the people in CT won't let us down when his re-election comes back up. There's not use in blowing up the party & making the Dems look like their petty by throwing out the loser right now.

[wanj]

Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer!

Obama should own Lieberman for the next 4 yrs.... ohh, and he'll lose in 2012 election!

[Beninn]

Lieberman isn't running in 2012.

Once a chairman is seated, he can only be removed by a 2/3rds vote of the entire Senate. It's safe to conclude that Lieberman is owned by the Republicans now. They are what keep him from being removed both from the chair and the Senate itself.

[suemag]

If he doesn't vote with the Republicans they probably won't re-elect him, and the Dems sure won't, so he should be gone in 2012

[underdog]

That's it Dean, get out there and SELL that schtick. Market the sham as GOOD for us. Keep saying it. It LOOKS bad, but it's really GOOD.
Some change. Up is still down. Wrong is still right.
Sheisters still run this country.

[wltdnfaded]

Everytime you show cynicism, an angel's puppy dies.

[ErikW65]

Politics 101 Red Flag: when a decision you're thinking of making affects your opposition in a positive way, and may cost you a vote, it's a bad idea. The Senate Repubs are no doubt disappointed in this conciliatory move toward Lieberman. I'm sure they were secretly hoping for a harsh penalty for Lieberman. That would help any Senate Repubs who would try to stonewall President Obama. Get it?

[boxiana]

There is only one job for Joe as far as I'm concerned... Senate washroom attendant:

"Towel sir?"

[stillfresh]

Little Joey Lieberman has been allowed to keep his toys. If he doesn't want them taken away next time he's bad, he'll have to behave for the duration -- or until he's replaced. Good Obama head trip. He can see through walls.

[Kassandra]

Yeah, well, then there's thisover on FireDogLake:
http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/18/howard-dean-on-lieberman-i-never-looked-into-what-he-was-doing-as-the-chairman-of-the-homeland-security-committee/

[Citizen-Jane]

The Dems drank the cool-aid.

All of this for one vote?? If they should get 60 votes in the senate what leverage do you have on the weasel Lieberman to make sure that he votes the way you want him to. Not cool.

Disappointed in you dems. That's more like a b!tch move to me.

Joe Lieberman is like Joe the Plumber aka Samuel Weaselthefurther or something like that - out for himself.

Come on state of Connecticut is there something you can do to save the nations dems from this treacherous low life traitor?

[trucap]

well done harry ! ! give'm hell harry . what a joke !

[Subhunter]

Lieberman must have known the Dems are wimps and would never hold what he did against him. I'm put in mind of the old fable about the frog (Obama and Dems) and the Scorpion (Lieberman).
A scorpion approaches a frog sunning on a river bank and asks for a ride across the river on the frogs back since it can't swim. The frog knows the scorpion is dangerious and refuses not wanting to take a chance on being stung to death. The scorpion implores the frog, pleading with him to take pity and give it a ride. It offers reassurance to the frog saying that if it were to sting and kill the frog then it too would die of drowning because it can't swim. The frog sees the logic and, his mind now more at ease, agrees to give the scorpion a ride and allows the creature onto his back.. As the two approach the middle of the river suddenly the scorpion stings the frog repeatedly. As the frog takes it's dying breath it asks the scorpion why it would sting and kill him since it was dooming itself to a watery grave in the process. The scorpion shrugs and says, "I'm a scorpion; it's my nature."

[thankulord13]

Thanks for the long caveat but maybe Obama and company are doing what my grandmother would always say give anyone enough rope and they will hang themselves and maybe the Dem's are doing just that to good ole Joe!

[Beninn]

Lieberman hung himself when he stood on the floor of the Senate and locked lips with Bush at the SOTU.

Today the Democrats sent a message to the left-wing of the Democratic Party - "Take a hike!"

[AllenD]

All I can say is that Obama and Dean are better people than I am. I wanted to string up good old Joe.

[Beninn]

This has got nothing to do with being "better people". This is about telling the left to take a hike.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

[toypiano]

Dean has his strong points, but he's become quite removed from the world of ordinary people; he's out of touch with voters on this.

And I don't think Congress is aware of how important these issues are to the voters, either. They think we're the same sleepy buncha folks who trudge faithfully to the polls every four years, then tune out politics until the next time.

News Flash, Congress: We're paying attention, much closer attention than ever before. We don't care to see you play the same reindeer games of the past. Please don't reward republican obstructionism. We don't want republicans overseeing the wars! Please act on OUR behalf.

[thankulord13]

And thank God the ordinary people aren't running things any longer because we have a current president with an ordinary I.Q. and look where that has gotten us. I will go with the professionals on this one because the amateurs are just that amateurs!

[fireW]

Apparently, neither party actually wants to be the party of responsibility. While sacrificing principals for politics, we see that you can pull outrageous crap and get rewarded for it if you're in the elite club. This represents change? Hardly . . .