Is Lieberman switching back to Democrat if he wins?

[Ninja Jordan]

Pundits keep predicting that Dems need to pick up 6 seats to take the Senate. How does Lieberman play into this?

[LynneSin]

1. He would have to be one of them, that's why I keep saying they need 7

because if we get 6 then we're gonna have to deal with Lieberman

[wiley]

20. Please, I'm eating.

I was once almost feeling something akin to trust and respect for Joe's integrity, but that must have been a really bad dream. I trust nothing he says or does, and he has no integrity. I think the voters of Connecticut are going to regret their votes for a very long time if they elect Lieberman.

[Atman]

2. Who the hell knows. That's the whole problem.

No one knows who the hell he is anymore. Republicans sure can't count on him to vote their way, not with him promising to re-join the dems, where he'll be under big-time pressure to stop rubber-stamping for Bush. Dems sure won't be too trusting of him, although they'll probably have to toss him a bone or two to keep him from going all Zell Miller on us. He's a man without a party. He is totally untrustworthy, and should simply keep his original campaign promise of quiting the Senate after 18 years. But he can't even keep his word on THAT!

.

[Ninja Jordan]

4. I do not believe he is a Zell Miller

To me, Lieberman is a progressive Jew at heart. Not as inherently conservative as Miller. Outside of foreign policy, I don't think he votes against dems much. Plus he'll want seniority etc.

[MercutioATC]

8. I agree. Let him run as the candidate for the "Progressive Jew" party..

He's not a Repub. He's not a Dem. He certainly doesn't respect the primary process.

I appreciate that things are tight in the Senate, but I think he Dem Party should give Joe his walking papers.

This is much bigger that Lieberman. At stake is the Republicans' ability to hand a Democrat an election in exchange for crucial votes. (give him money, put up a weak "Repub" candidate for the seat, etc...just vote with them when they REALLY need it)

I say we (politically) destroy him...both as justice and as an example.

[mac56]

10. I don't care what he wants.

He should have thought of that when he decided to run as an Independent against the Democratic nominee.

He's Zell Miller redux.

We're better off without his sorry, traitorous ass.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. He is not a progressive.

So you got that description 50% right. He is hard right on foreign policy and all over the place on other issues.

[DeepBlueC]

16. his seniority

Plus Joe has said that he has been promised that he will keep his seniority in the Democratic Party if he wins. Does this put him in line for any of the committee chairmanships? Or does he actually have to have been elected as a Democrat?

[MercutioATC]

3. He'll keep the "D" next to his name, but he'll increasingly vote with the "R"'s.

...actually, isn't that his history over the last 6 years or so??


He'll become the mini-Zell. The Repubs who bought him this race will let him vote Dem on the small stuff, but he'll votewith them when they need it.

[Ninja Jordan]

6. So he'll technically switch back to Dem?

[MercutioATC]

7. He'll pretend to caucus wirh Dems.

I don't know if he'll switch his actual affiliation.

If he switches to "D", he'll take flack from the Repubs who got him elected, so I imagine he'll make an excuse to stay an "I" and just pay lip service to the Dems.

[jenmito]

12. This says he'll be a Dem.

"Senator Joe Lieberman (D) is now running for re-election as a Independent after losing a Primary Campaign to Ned Lamont (D). However, this race has no impact on the Senate Balance of Power considerations since whichever candidate wins will line up as a Democrat when the Senate convenes next January."

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/BalanceofPower.htm

Rasmussen is a Repub. pollster but I don't think he'd say this if it weren't true.

[mac56]

5. I sure the hell don't want him back.

He's tainted goods.

[IndianaGreen]

9. I don't care how many D's Lieberman puts after his name

he is still a traitor, a Bush enabler, a war monger, and an accomplice in war crimes.

He can drop dead!

[cobaindrain]

11. I don't agree with his stance on Iraq but...

...he's a Democrat otherwise. I'd take him back in a heartbeat. Plus I don't think the republicans really want him anyway.

[Clarkie1]

14. Lieberman is a registered Democrat. Has been all his public life. He will caucus with Dems.

nt

[western mass]

19. Where he will backstab and betray like a good little GOP shill

Nothing new here.

[Clarkie1]

21. He supports the Democratic Party agenda the majority of the time.

I certainly prefer him over a Republican. It's a shame his heritage has warped his view on U.S. foreign policy.

[DeepBlueC]

15. I suspect Joe of bigger ambitions

I think he's going to pitch himself as the Great Moderate Who Brings the Two Parties Together. I think he's looking to run for the presidency again. The thought makes me ill.

[Jennicut]

17. Joe will stay independent

As it suits his needs, it will help him keep winning here in CT. He now has lots of Repub support in CT but I think he will want to be on the winners side after the elections are over. He will play all sides and act all about being above politics. I also think he is setting himself up to run for president as the independent thinking guy but we all know its a load of crap. I wish he wasn't gonna be our Senator but oh well. Lots of dumb people here in CT who like that he helped keep the Groton Base around plus we keep our politicians in office aound for awhile in CT. Took us forever to finally get rid of John Rowland (our wonderful ex-Governor).

[cmkramer]

18. He can be Independent

but he still has to pick a side to caucus with which will be the Democrats. So, even if the letter (D) isn't beside his name, for all intents and purposes, Joe will be a Democrat.