Democrats May Kick Out Joe Lieberman If He Addresses The Republican National Convention

Robert Novak reports that Democrats consider Joe Lieberman's planned address at the GOP Convention in September the "last straw" from their colleague from Connecticut:

Despite assurances to the contrary from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democratic insiders are certain Sen. Joseph Lieberman next year will be kicked out of the party's caucus and lose his Senate chairmanship if he addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., as planned.

Lieberman's Democratic colleagues willing to accept his support of Sen. John McCain for president consider speaking to the GOP convention as the last straw. Lieberman was re-elected from Connecticut as an independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic nomination because of his support for the Iraq war.

Earlier, The Hill reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was mum as to what role Lieberman would play in the Senate next year:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Thursday did not rule out removing Sen. Joe Lieberman from his coveted chairmanship in 2009, but he pleaded for critics to leave the Connecticut Independent alone.

Asked whether he plans to retaliate against Lieberman next year by stripping him of his chairmanship on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Reid said, "Let's talk about this year" and stressed Lieberman's importance to the Democrats in the 110th Congress.

Robert Greenwald and Brave New Films have launched a petition drive that would have Democrats strip Lieberman of his committee assignments:

Comments

[RTIII]

Don't forget that if he leaves, THE SENATE IS THEN EQUAL.

The Rs WILL NOT have a majority!
.

[pinkerman2]

Please kick him out! Begone Joe, you have no more power here. I do not want to see his sanctimon ious face in longer.

[meanguy]

if the senate can survive harry reid, it can survive anything

[ibsteve2u]

So they are going to wait until Lieberman addresses the RNC to kick him out?

lollll...reminds me of Chicago's attitude towards the gangsters back in the 1930s...the gangsters robbed, extorted, and killed for years...and then they killed some kids and FINALLY the people of Chicago responded.

Man...and the Democrats wonder why part of America fears that they will be "weak on terror" - hell, they're weak on their own traitors!

[billw8017]

Lieberman's speach to the Republican convention may be the occasion when he announces that he is a Republican, himself. So far, he has -- for some reason -- supported the Democratic caucus and allowed Democrats to chairman Senatorial committees. It has left the Democrats walking on eggshells and stuck the country with some Republican iniiatives much to the aggravation of the total war left wing. I agree, it is creepy. Democratic chairmen have, however, been able to direct hearings and pass some crucial legislation despite how it is in the interest of the Republican that the country should go to ruin rather than allow Democrats to take credit for anything.

[NoSillyName]

Goodbye Joe! You kicked yourself out of the Democrat Partly long ago.

What have you been whispering in McCain's ear lately? "Pick me, pick me."?

[SeanR64]

But....But....But.....I thought dissent was the highest form of patriotism. I thought Joe was simply being patriotic. Isn't that what you leftists have been telling us? Oh. I get it. It's only patriotic when you dissent from republicans or a republican dissents from another republican. Got it.

Hypocrites.

[NoSillyName]

No. JL is a hypocrite. Pretending to remain a Dem while actually being the McCain Whisperer.

[donkat]

Patriotism is Lincoln Chaffee refusing to support MC based on his belief that MC will just continue to flush this country down the toilet - regardless of party. Joe L. is just an angry little man sticking it to those he feels wronged him. JL has no principles. Great big difference. Dissent is what rethugs always characterize as unpatriotic - there is no room for dissent in the GOP.

[schoolmaster]

What is the point in retaining Joe Lieberman in the caucus and as chairman of a committee , if he pays tuppence to party goals, and lends support to the opposite camp. It is possible, he may declare himself as totally independent and remove himself from the caucus so that repubs may take over as senate majority The junior senator from Connecticut giving support to Joe in the name of friendship and not caring for party interest does not speak quite well of him either.

[AnnieinOR]

please do it now, don't wait until the convention.

[truthynesslover]

THATS the last straw???Head explodes!

[steamboat]

Let me play devils-advocate.

Throwing Lieberman out.....So what about what the democrats have always preached. That there's is a " Big Tent philosophy". That everybody and all views are welcome.

[SifSkade]

ou can't kick anyone out of a political party; you can't control what folks put on their voter registration forms or how they vote. And if you read the article carefully, you would see that nobody is talking about kicking Lieberman out of the party. They're talking about stripping him of his caucus position and Senate chair, and that's just common sense: someone who holds views that contradict the Democratic Party platform obviously should not be in a leadership position within the Party, nor should he continue to hold a position of power in the Senate that he owes largely to the fact that he was a Democrat when he got it. Second, being the party of inclusivity in no way means that you're obliged to embrace or even tolerate some jackhole who's working as hard as he can against Obama and the Dems.

[SgtLucifer]

This news was reported by Bob Novak, a man with as much credibility as the News of the World or the National Enquirer.

[tyrdofwaitin]

What a worm! The faster the sooner!

[hotcognition]

check this out:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=aXLIlaf_2bbhd2AIUDxZkkIA_3d_3d

[RebelAlliance]

Joe Lieberman, the Elmer Fudd of Washington...no really...

"Be very very quiet, my nose is up McCain's a**!"

[marc1antony]

why wait - he should be kicked out now - benedict LIE berman arnold

[uhappytoo]

How so many seem to forget that Lieberman is the only thing keeping the Republicans from taking charge of the senate is beyond me. If he comes to believe that he will be expelled from any leadership position all he has to do is declare that he now caucuses with Republicans and Dick Cheney gets to break the tie and hand the senate to Republican control. Admittedly, it won't be for long, but the Republicans will control the agenda until a new congress is seated in January. There's a lot of time left for even more damage to be done to the country.

[ChristopherLib]

Who is going to even watch Lieberman give a convention speech? My advice to those who suffer from insomnia, record Lieberman's speech and then replay it when you need something to put you to sleep. This guy has to be one of the most boring politicians in the history of this country. Yeah he's a snake and traitor too, but he's so dull watching him doesn't even work for a hate buzz.