What would keep Joe from turning Republican?

[Old and In the Way]

Let's assume Reid does strip Joe of his seniority as punishment for running against Lamont in the GE. Would anyone be shocked to see Joe negotiate $ and assgnments in exchange for accepting the (R) label from Frist and the GOPer's? They need the seat...badly. His support of Bush on the War is still pretty important. And, of course, a final FU to the Democrats who abandoned him.

If I were Ned, I'd hammer this hypothetical throughout the fall campaign. The bottom line, Joe is turning against our Party...the only question is how far will this turning go?

[Kurovski]

1. I would do nothing to keep him from the Republican Party.

He makes a fine liberal Republican.

Go, Joe. Go with our blessings.

[TwentyFive]

2. Loser Joe is the Mafia hit man

Once people see who he really is...he will pull off the democrat mask to reveal the rethug monster underneath.

Ugly.

[Warpy]

3. Uh, the fact that he has a 76% progressive voting record?

He's not a GOP. There is no way he'd ever be GOP.

However, he not only approves of the GOP war, he approves of its CIC.

That's what sank him.

[Cosmocat]

22. Oh, yes he would ...

Al Sharpton hit the nail on the head ... Joe got reelected twice for good works as a democrate ... That is water under the bridge ... The last 6 years, he has supported Iraq, been a behind the scenes supporter of the Bush attempt to scuttle SS, and generally been a Bush lacky ... THAT is what he paid for yesterday ...

In the runnup ... Where did he go ... To the very bowels, literally, of politics (read the right) ... He had an open invitation to do Frankin's show, as did Lamont ... Lamont did Franken, Joe did not ... He did HANNITY ... He got support from every freakin stinking right wing propogandist, and he slept very comfortably with them, and now it is only going to get worse ...

I have said this all along ... God willing, he loses out here, and when he does, he WILL come back, as a republican ...

[Contrary1]

4. Nothing, I hope. n/t

[brooklynite]

5. Yes, in fact I would be shocked...

Whatever you think of Lieberman, HE thinks of himself as a Democratic, albeit one whose party loyaly has been besmirched by the blogosphere. He's spend the last few weeks reiterating that he was boarn a Dem and will die a Dem. To suddenly shift gears and switch to the Republicans would destroy his ability to attract moderate Democratic votes, and there aren't enought Republicans in CT to win.

[Old and In the Way]

13. I'm thinking this is post GE.....

Joe needs $ to run his Party of One. I don't see a lot of money coming his way for the GE run. Could he enter into a quid pro quo with First? I can imagine Joe, who sees both Parties as too partisan, could be talked into signing up with the R's...getting stroked to be a player for the "new" Republican Party that will need a new image verhaul when Bush exits the scene and the GOP is trying to recover from their 'culture of corruption' stigma that is beginning to take the shine off the Syndicate.

I think Joe could be talked into going down that road if he thinks this will enhance his place at the Washington political table. Joe could become the designated moralist for the morally impaired GOP, while still supporting their PNAC perspective of the world.

[IChing]

6. Nothing

so much ammunition to get rid of the DLC's influence it is a pothook over a fire.

the former chairman of the DLC says:



man, you run with it.

[countmyvote4real]

7. A significant challenge from another "independent democrat" would turn him

He is a selfish, moralizing prick (i.e. a true modern day Republican.)

[whistle]

8. Nothing would stop him, but he would go to the bottom of the heap

[AusGail]

9. Nothing

He already has all the necessary attributes to be a republican

[MurrayDelph]

10. He would never want to become an actual Republican

I agree he still thinks of himself as a Democrat, but I believe that to be a matter of inertia.

He derives too much pleasure in being a spoiler (which he probably deceives himself into thinking as
being "the conscience").

If he were to become an admitted Republican, he would no longer have the cachet on Fox News; they can
find lots of members of the Republican party to repeat their talking points.

[dolstein]

11. Aside from the fact he's a lifelong Democrat who disagrees

with Congressional Republicans on 90+ percent of this issues? Nothing, I suppose.

[Old and In the Way]

16. He could be free to vote as a Democrat on any/all issues.

He'd be the equivalent of our Ben Nelson. The only thing that matters is having another (R) in the Senate. It would be political insurance for the Republican Party.

[dolstein]

17. You just don't get it

Joe Lieberman is a lifelong Democrat. He agrees with his fellow Democrats on the overwhelming majority of issues. Lieberman is no more likely to change political parties than Hillary Clinton is, despite the best efforts of the left-wing blogosphere to kick him out.

[Old and In the Way]

18. So what?

He proved tonight that he puts his own political career before the Party. He's been a mediocre Democrat who has hurt us in many ways since he first started preaching morals to Bill Clinton in 98. Frankly, I think he's a chameleon. He's been on the wrong side on lots of issues recently and he has provided plenty of "bi-partisan" cover for this disasterous war.

You think he's incapable of changing his political ID? I can easily see Joe rebranding himself and selling it as "I have decided to join the Republicans to help breech the growing gulf in our national dialogue. I will bring a unique perspective to the Party which is strong on security and right about Iraq. I will help heal the political wounds we have suffered...yada yada yada."

[snowbear]

12. The only way he'd win as an R is to move to Texas...

..maybe run in Delay's place or something?

Tweety was wondering if he was going to wind up taking some fat job in the Bush administration.. That would really be sad if he did that.

[Old and In the Way]

14. He could never win as a Republican, I think.

But the strategy I could see is converting from "Indie Democrat" to Republican, assuming he wins the GE. The Republicans only calculus here is keeping a majority. Whatever it takes. The rank-and-file would blow a gasket, but there is plenty of motivation for the national Party to take Joe in.

[invictus]

15. Loserman is probably negotiating with Frist as we speak. n/t

[PatGund]

19. Turning?

Liberman *IS* a Republican. Why do you think Faux News and the RWM fawn over him?

[Old and In the Way]

20. I think Joe would like to define himself as a Democratic Republican

or Maybe a Republican Democrat....because, you see, our country is way too partisan and only Joe can bridge this divide.

Of course, that label would guarantee him to be an orphan of both Parties because there is no way either side would accept this hybrid.

[yellowcanine]

21. It will be a moot point if Lamont wins in November. Wait until then.

It really serves no purpose to speculate about this now. If Lieberman should manage to win there is no point in driving him into the arms of the Republicans.