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

[dragbunt]

It's not just that Joe was a lying turncoat during the campaign - it's that he believes in the most evil war in american history - Joe is a significant piece of crap and I would hope that sooner or later his karma will get him - It's been a great year for karma and there's still 6 weeks left!

[UKlondongal]

Nate Silver calls the Alaska race for Begich tonight!

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/11/begich-will-be-alaskas-first-us-senate.html

[ErikW65]

Seeking revenge would be a compromise in Obama's new politics, and I'll bet some shrewd people on the Right are disappointed that Lieberman is not being punished. They'd love for the Dems to sound a note that is discordant from the Obama songbook. There are going to be obstructionists to Obama's plans for fixing the economy, providing tax relief to the middle class, regulating Wall St., and changing the health care system. They will need Lieberman's support and this makes that support less likely. And that really is the bottom line.

[mcfried]

Lie.berman is meant to represent the voter of CT who voted him in on the premise he was a Democratic leaning independent. He is therefore meant as a representative of these voters to lend support - he is not meant to campaign for the G.O.P and then blackmail the Dems with threats of fillibuster. Please this is BS spineless lack of accountability we have come to expect from those in congress and I for one am more than sick of it.

[Wonderwheel]

Removing Lieberman is not about "revenge" but about getting the best person for the job. Lieberman has done a terrible job as chair of Homeland Security Committee and does not deserve the position. The "revenge" factor is just the icing on the cake.

[mcfried]

Traitor Joe on CNN - His arrogance makes my blood boil! Time to change have Reid removed as Senate leader.

[Bruce Tenenbaum - Huffpost Blogger]

More nonsense from the spineless Democratic Congress. Nothing shrewd about selling out the voters.

They accomplished nothing in the last 2 years. They're about to fail the auto industry. And now they've shown they are not really about change.

I'll give these jokers a year to show the new Congress is not just like the old Congress. Then, if they fail to deliver, I'll be supporting the ouster of every single one of them. Are you listening Mr. President-Elect? We said change. Now change something.

[Photofarm]

The bailout is not for the auto industry, it is for the UAW.

[leftbehind2000]

I agree with everything you said. Except laying this at the feet of Dean is entirely misguided.

Even tho I disagree on this issue with the DNC chairman, he has earned both my respect and my gratitude. Dean was one of the few guys actively speaking out against the war in 2004, when most people on both sides of the aisle were too spineless to do so. His 50 state strategy as DNC chairman turned out to not only be successful both in getting us a President and perhaps a bullet-proof majority, but also made all of us Democratic voters valid again, not just the ones in battleground states.

[mcfried]

A bailout without serious concessions from the Auto Manufacturers is a mistake and just throwing money down a black hole. We need new management, a guarentee that the money will be used to keep jobs in the US and promises of fuel efficiency. Reid et al. were unable or unwilling to ask for them- and the Auto manufacturers said no to all of them when suggested. So I don't have an issue with no bail out.

[toypiano]

Exactly. This senate vote to keep the status quo was not done for my benefit, and Dean's ridiculous spin just adds to the insult.

Voters don't want Congress to keep playing the usual reindeer games and sabotaging this important committee -- or to keep republicans overseeing the war (the ranking member on the committee is also a repub).

No more republican obstructionism.

[jneems]

While I would like to believe that we could just "oust" them, I think the reality is that the politicians are doing what they are told to do by someone over them. I don't know if it is corporations, or Wall Street or the Federal Reserve or secretive groups like the Bilderbergs or a combination of the above. But I think the same pressure would be asserted on anyone who was elected. I think we were all sold a bill of goods for years as to how much power we voters have in our govt. We have almost no power.

[ferguskhan]

It's not revenge. It's trust. If you have a dog that behaves perfectly but then one day decides to try and bite your leg off, you never trust that dog again. Best thing is to put him down before he bites you again. Not for revenge, but for your own safety. Lie berman will bite again, bet on it.

[td]

I hate to add this--the current # 666 is perfect for Holy Joe.
But unless Obama has a really tight leash on this snake- preferably around Joe's immense balls-I don't see an upside. Joe, who hasn't held one hearing during the Worst Presidency Ever, will probably start calling committee meetings in a hurry as soon as his lust object Palin starts slamming Obama again.

[Hawka]

Then he goes, he's on a short leash now and everyone knows it, he acts up then letting him keep the chair loses its purpose, that we hang it over his head so that he gets in line and uses his vote as he should.

[ferguskhan]

Not true. Joe thinks he's untouchable and why shouldn't he? After all the crap he's pulled, STILL no consequences. He must believe by now that he can get away with anything and I'd have to agree. It's like a parent telling a kid "Stop that or else!", over and over. Pretty soon the kid learns there is no 'or else' and he just keeps right on misbehaving.

[leftLibertarian]

Democrats all punk out, from not impeaching the criminals bush and cheney to letting the traitor chicken hawk LIEberman keep his seat.

LOL

[spinozista]

Shorter Wimpy Joe Lieberman:

"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

He has everything he wants. The Senate Democrats have ... what? An unenforceable, uncollectible IOU.

This they are happy to call a "win-win situation."

The ruling class - together again!

[darkblack999]

'Shrewd move' - What an unfortunate turn of phrase by Dr. Dean.

Frankly, the lack of competence (or deliberate malfeasance, if one prefers) shown by Lieberman in refusing to investigate the Bush administration's handling of the Katrina matter should have precluded his retention as committee chair.

Once again, Senate Democrats show their proclivity for having a cozy club to be palsie-walsie in, over performing the people's business to some type of diligent expectation.

[bkstylz]

Well we see what kind of spine the dems have. All we are missing now is an announcement that Geraldine Ferraro is being considered for a cabinet position

[jwarrener]

I guess even with a larger majority the Dems prove that they have no backbone.

Somethings never change.

[leftLibertarian]

YUP - Democrats = spineless

[poizinniv]

You know what they say- you can't please all the people all the time. No matter what Obama decides in this he'll be called either weak or partisan. I think he went with the best of two evils, and that is to keep Lieberman close and (hopefully) on his side 90% of the time.

[jneems]

Once again people. This is all about Israel. Israel will be given a seat in Obama's administration. The Democrats in power probably have very little to say about it. Joe had to play up to both parties because he had to represent Israel in whichever party won.

[Hawka]

His Senior Adviser Valerie Jarret was born in Tehran, Iran. Want to keep talking about who he has in his cabinet now?

[jneems]

There is a BIG difference. Jarret is the great niece of Vernon Jordan. She and her family have a strong history of community service in this country, and are not involved in Iranian politics. Lieberman and Rahm Emanuel are strongly linked to Israeli politics.

[joycehelene]

As much as I can't stand Lieberman, it was a very wise move to keep him in the Democratic fold, I do believe that Joe knows he is a weasel and now we can keep track of him better.

[amistad]

Yes, yes yes. Exactly.
A brilliant move.

[08skeptic]

Lieberman is like a car salesman who sells new Brand "D" cars for many years. He
says that Brand "D" cars are the best value on the market. Then the owner of the
competing car dealership across the street who sells Brand "R" vehicles hints
that he might make Joe the New Car Sales Manager at Brand "R" under the right
circumstances so Joe shows no loyalty and becomes a salesman for Brand "R.".
While a salesman for Brand "R" Joe trashes the Brand "D" vehicles as being inferior.
The public, being tired of Brand "R" vehicles because they lack innovation, doesn't buy Brand "R". Joe then comes slithering back to the Brand "D" dealership owner telling
him that his heart has always been with Brand "D".

If you were the owner of the Brand "D" dealership, would you now trust Joe to be loyal?

[gisellestwocents]

Well, at least you've got me laughing. That one term "slithering back" is just priceless.

Even though I don't believe for a minute that he's back to being a Dem, I do feel better now.

Thanks!!!