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Robert Schlesinger

Robert Schlesinger

Posted: April 11, 2008 12:02 AM

Whither Joe?


For all the talk of a Democratic senate surge that would carry them to a filibuster-proof majority, the more plausible scenario is an election that leaves them short but with a relatively comfortable majority. And it will raise the question: What about Joe Lieberman?

Currently Democrats hold 49 seats, but they control the chamber because independents Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont caucus with them. But s my colleague at US News & World Report John Mashek writes, Lieberman's Democratic connection is ... tenuous, culminating with his support for the presumptive GOP nominee. But since he's their key to majority status, they tolerate his behavior.

So what if the Dems pick up, say, five more seats? Mashek:

If the Democrats add to their majority in the Senate in November, as widely predicted, they should invite Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, to step across the aisle. He should be far more comfortable on the Republican side.

Might not be a bad idea.

 
 
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08:17 AM on 04/12/2008
Let us hope that the voters of Connecticut finally see Lieberman for the scared fear mongerer he actually is and get rid of him like they should have last time.
HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
marko77
08:02 AM on 04/12/2008
Joe Lieberman has allied himself with the "Rapture Ready" crown of Hagee, Santorum, and other assorted religious nuts. He stands shoulder to shoulder with the most reactionary conservatives and religious fundamentaists. This is sad.
05:26 PM on 04/11/2008
Whatever the reason, 'American Politics' doesn't take very kindly to folks
switching parties. Only recently, Rhode Island Repo Lincoln Chafee was
*urged* to switch, but he just wouldn't do it. His father had been a Repo,
etc. Creates a lot of animosity among those who voted for you, no doubt.

(I know, I know, way down South, Demos turned into Repos all the time,
for awhile, til in the end they all finally were Repos, or gone. That was
different. See above. 'Those who voted for you' had also become Repos.)

So, once there is a 'solid' Demo majority, what does it matter if Smokin'
Joe becomes a Repo. I wouldn't say 'good riddance' to a 'useful idiot'.
Lest we forget, a 'slim majority' is STILL a majority, and that should count
for something.
04:08 PM on 04/12/2008
There never was a "solid" democratic majority. The "majority" was Northern democrats and southern democrats. And southern democrats were democrats only because Lincoln had been a republican.

Southern democrats (LBJ, for example) had leadership positions due to their threat of switching parties.
05:44 PM on 04/12/2008
Lincoln Chafee did quit the GOP and register as an Independent, he just waited until after he lost to Sheldon Whitehouse. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Chafee is an Obama supporter.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
SCG
04:00 PM on 04/11/2008
I don't care where he goes, I'm sorry he's representing my state, period.
03:12 PM on 04/11/2008
Get a clue! Mashek should shut his pie-hole.

The magic number is not 55 democrats, but 60 Democrats!

The Democrats need 60 votes to get cloture and defeat a filibuster.

The Dems won't risk permanently alienating Lieberman as long as they need his support. As long as this is the case, this whole discussion is pointless.
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03:06 PM on 04/11/2008
If he doesn't support the party's nominee, how can he hold a committee charimanship controlled by that party? Eh??
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
TeriMcCarthy
02:43 PM on 04/11/2008
No they should insist he step across the isle by pulling his chairmanship.
07:37 PM on 04/11/2008
I think they should kick his a** across the aisle.
02:25 PM on 04/11/2008
That day cannot come soon enough for me. Joe Lieberman is a neo-con. He is NOT a democrat and he is not a republican either. He does not represent the interests of the people of Connecticut, nor the interests of the United States. He does NOT belong in the US Senate.
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mommadona
I paint. I blog. Therefore, I am.
03:16 PM on 04/11/2008
Pretty sad.

Zionist first
Neocon second

What world do these people live in?

What weird, ideologically tweeked world and hot house have they vegetated in for so long?

Where did these creeps get such support and power?

And WHAT do they actually want?

Again..THANKS SO MUCH, Connecticut - rrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
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NABNYC
02:04 PM on 04/11/2008
Democrats should treat Joe Lieberman as if he had a big 13 or M tatooed across his forehead (like the prison gangbangers, "M" for Mexican Mafia). He is a traitor. He is a pro-war ideologue that is pushing this country into war against Iran. He has used the Democrats' continued acceptance of him to gather information and take it straight to his Republican friends like Bush and Rove. He is out campaigning with McCain, in his Iago role, whispering pro-war comments into McCain's ear.

No Democrat should even speak to him. When I hear Democrats include him in strategy and planning meetings, I think the Democrats are mentally challenged, a few cards short of a full deck. Are all the Democratic politicians stupid? He's not a Democrat. He's a traitor. That's not a suspicion, it's a fact. He's out campaigning for the Republicans. Grow up Dems, cut your losses with that Loser-Man and move on.
02:02 PM on 04/11/2008
This is superficial analysis at best. Lieberman has more influence in conservative circles and on Fox News as a former Dem criticizing Dems than he would if he were just another Repub himself. And Joe knows this. Harry Reid has already promised that Lieberman can keep his seniority and committee assignments in 2009 even if the D majority increases. Since everything in the Senate is majority driven, why would Lieberman switch parties and volunteer to be in the minority? The only thing that could change this equation is if someone else (Dodd?) is Majority Leader next year and exercises some party discipline by kicking Joe off powerful committees and counting his seniority from 2006 instead of 1989. If Joementum has his power stripped from him, then and only then would he officially switch parties and complete his long overdue move from D to I to R.
05:43 PM on 04/11/2008
Sounds like another good reason to give Harry the boot to me.
01:12 PM on 04/11/2008
It's a given that our Staunchest Ally would do just about anything for the US, so presumably they'd be happy to allow HoJoe to transfer to the Knesset.

It's a win-win outcome!
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marignymitch
E pluribus unum percent
01:33 PM on 04/11/2008
Excellent proposal. Lieberman would be pleased, but more important the rest of us would be thrilled.
12:23 PM on 04/11/2008
JOE L is a republican.....the dems are required to dump Joe and let him be w/ his pals like "100years McBush and Little Jerk Graham" til hell freezes over. His committee chair needs to go to a senator who will do oversight! I have always felt it is am embarrassment to the dems to have Joe claim he is democrat. We need to kick his arse out of the party!!!
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bacaja
12:18 PM on 04/11/2008
The people of conneticut got suckered with this guy, And so, subsequently, did the rest of
us.
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BBackSoon
Hello, I must be going.
02:07 PM on 04/11/2008
Pardon me, I don’t think they got suckered they are suckers! I was appalled that the people of Conn were swayed by his about face on the war to win the election. And with all those lies they now have one of the staunchest supporters of the war.

Constitution State my ass!
12:08 PM on 04/11/2008
Lieberman being a Fascist and Sanders the Socialist, at least brings balance among the Independents. Peace
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ProfessorDuh
12:03 PM on 04/11/2008
"Whither Joe?" To hell would be my suggestion.