Joe Lieberman: "Leggo My Ego"

Back-to-school week in Washington DC approaches, and just to make sure everybody knows he's for up for sale and they all better be nice to him, Joe Lieberman leaked this charming little threat to his fellow Democrats in the Washington Post:

The three-term senator is bucking his party after a bitter primary loss, running as an independent in hopes of holding onto his seat. He will find a long line of Democratic colleagues and friends who now oppose his candidacy."It's gotta be pretty uncomfortable," predicted Charles Franklin, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Concerns about the senator's return were evident in an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press.

"We should discuss his schedule when he's in DC and whether it makes sense to go to Caucus events, etc. or not," wrote a senior Lieberman aide to several other top staffers.

The memo sought input on 13 likely questions from the media about Lieberman, including whether he or his staff had tried to shore up support among House and Senate colleagues, and what kind of reception he expected from fellow Democrats.The three-term senator is bucking his party after a bitter primary loss, running as an independent.

And in case it wasn't already crystal clear, from the AP:

Lieberman did not say whether he would attend the traditional Tuesday luncheon with other Democratic senators. He said the demands of the campaign could limit his Washington schedule, though he stressed he would be in the Senate for key votes and other business.

Got that?  Joe's promise to caucus with the Democrats and Reid is a farce, no more substantial than his earlier promise to Reid not to jump parties (and we all know how that worked out).  He's going to threaten and terrorize everyone like he always does, and let's be very clear -- with the way things in November are shaking up, Joe could very well be the seat that gives either the Democrats or the Republicans control of the Senate.

Now,  Ned Lamont would be a secure Democrat and a certain vote for Harry Reid.  He is within striking distance of Lieberman in the polls, and the momentum is all on his side.  There is absolutely no reason for the Democrats not to come down hard on Lieberman and put all their money and resouces behind Ned if what they really want to do is secure control of the Senate; Joe is way too thin-skinned to handle that kind of opposition, and despite his bent for necking with the GOP, his race would crumble in the wake of his own brittle ego.

No, the only reasons not to use all their energy to secure the seat for a solid Democrat are extremely dubious.  Is it simply a matter of the Incumbency Protection Racket?  Or is their fear of Lamont's supporters so abject that they're willing to risk the whole ballgame just to thumb their nose at them?  Are they so attached to their minority status that they are gripped with a cringing fear of success?  Or does Lieberman have some kind of amazing photo collection of key Democrats and domesticated farm animals?

Whatever it is, it looks extraordinarily bad that they don't have what it takes to stand up to Lieberman, and are allowing themselves to have a weak little churl so publicly yanking their chain.  When Harry Reid responds to this kind of manipulation by saying Joe is a "nice guy," or Chuck Schumer wants to pretend that the most hotly contested race of this election cycle simply does not exist, they look like anything but leaders.  (Although I'm sure it would be extra tough for Shumer.  He has many of the same big New York donors as Lieberman, and they have been reportedly putting enormous pressure on him to support Joe. Hard to buck the big money.)

Joe is weak.  His campaign is in chaos.  Who will be the first to say that the price being paid by the party for Lieberman's petty, mannipulative nonsense is way too high, and it's time to stand up to this and play offense for November by putting an end to it now?

Chuck Schumer needs to stick a fork in him.  He's done.

Jane Hamsher blogs regularly at firedoglake.com.