What is up with Traitor Joe?

[Hokie]

I certainly does not sound like Joe has been removed from his committee chairmanships. He was asked to resign but said no thank you and if you try to force me I will take my ball and go sleep with the other side. Is that about the status of things right now? I do not think Joe will go over no matter what the Dem's do to him He is bluffing and I hope the Dem's call him on it. Joe would become a man without a party and most certainly lose in 2012 if he defects.

[WeDidIt]

1. It's lookling like Reid is gonna cave

HE might write a strongly worded letter, though.

This is all about Lieberman bluffing his way into a position where he can use his pawer to attack Obama relentlessly.

[Hokie]

2. I do not thinks the Senate Dems will stand for it

I predict Reid will have a revolt on his hands if he does not neuter Joe. This could cost Reid his job if he caves.

[tularetom]

3. The best of all possible worlds is what you describe

Reid predictably wimps out and allows Loserman to keep his chairmanship and the rank and file stages a mutiny, strips Loserman of the chairmanship and throws his sorry ass out of the caucus, then turns on Reid and ousts him from the majority leader post in favor of someone with an actual spine. Viola, we're rid of Lieberman and our new majority leader has the huevos to get the job done properly.

[MoonRiver]

24. Dream on. n/t

[carnie_sf]

30. I think Hillary or Barbara Boxer

would be perfect for the job

[PuppyBismark]

32. Yes, Hillary or Barbara Boxer!!

Then we can dump Nancy too!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Ediacara]

18. Good. I hope he caves then.

Majority Leader Schumer sounds better...

[Warren Stupidity]

4. That is not what I think happened.

Reid offered the putz a face-saving compromise that would have avoided the public humiliation of a vote in the caucus to remove him from his chair. Joe the Putz told Reid to fuck off. The next step is not Reid backing down, it is the Democratic caucus removing Joe's chair out from under him.

[WeDidIt]

5. And you don't think Reid will chicken out?

HAve you been watching for the past two years?

Lieberman will get a sternly worded letter, nothing more. Reid is a quisling.

[DontTreadOnMe]

6. The Official Caucus meetings start next week.

Reid can't technically throw him off, he has to be voted off. The vote is being held next week.
I think Reid already told Joe what the vote will be, and offered him to resign first.

But Joe thinks he has a bargaining position.
Don't worry... Lieberman is gone by the end of the week.

And he has already been offerred to caucus with the Repugs.

[SlowDownFast]

15. Oh, puhleez, oh, puleeze, oh, puleeze....

This would be the icing on the cake...

I don't dislike Reid, I just hope he shows some more spine, dammit. He can start by kicking LIEberman to the curb.

[snake in the grass]

7. Reid is going to...

...send Joe to his room without any supper, you just watch.

[MercutioATC]

11. Reid is going to do nothing.

Geez, how many times does the man have to roll over for some people to understand that he has no spine?

[snake in the grass]

12. That what I meant...

...with sending Joe to his room without any supper. I hate Reid with the passionate heat of a million burning supernovae. He is one of the most worthless members of the Senate and, due to his position, an actual obstruction to democracy. Nothing would please me more than to see him replaced.

[MercutioATC]

14. Ah, sorry. I thought you meant it metaphorically.

Yes, that's probably what he'll literally do.

[RollWithIt]

8. AP and MSNBC have confirmed ON AIR that Lieberman will be removed as chair of the Homeland Security

Committee. There is no question of that anymore. Lieberman even issued a response saying it was "unacceptable." The only question is whether Lieberman will now caucus with the Republicans. Which btw, opens him up to a recall in Connecticut.

[WeDidIt]

10. Connecticut CANNOT recall Lieberman

Under Article II. Section 5. of the Constitution, once elected, there are three ways a Senator can be removed:

1) The Senator Resigns.

2) The Senate expels the senator via a two-thirds majority vote.

3) The Senator expires.

[rasputin1952]

9. AFAIC...the Senate can vote him out if/when they throw Stevens

out.

AK requires a special election to replace a Senator, so Palin can't appoint one. and CN would most likely put a D in, I think they have a D Governor...:D

An added bonus is that the "magical" 60 would be there...:woohoo:

[Marsala]

13. CT (not CN) has a Republican governor, unfortunately

Also, the Senate would never expel Lieberman. It's only going to happen to Stevens because he is literally a convicted felon.

[rasputin1952]

16. OOPs thanks for the correction(s)...

:hi:

[Orsino]

17. They're not going to throw him out for supporting the GOP, or for voting Republican. n/t

[backscatter712]

23. They're not going to expel Lieberman from the Senate.

His actions, while obnoxious to us Democrats, aren't really against Senate rules. What people are talking about doing is yanking Lieberman's committee chairs, which are chosen by the Democratic Caucus in the Senate rather than the whole Senate (since the Democrats have the majority.)

In other words, Lieberman will spend the remainder of his time in the Senate as a backbencher. Which is why Lieberman's throwing a hissy-fit and threatening to defect to the Republicans. Even so, I highly doubt the Republicans will give him minority chair positions either - he'll have no seniority in the GOP, and as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen once said, "Never trust a traitor, not even one you create."

[Morning Dew]

28. Never trust a traitor,

Can't be stressed enough.

[sodium]

19. Joe has no integrity

His backstabbing ways will cost him in the long run. As long as he plays his "kiss my ass or I go to the other side" game the citizens who elected him suffer. I don't always agree with Reid but the less publicity this aberration gets the better; at least for now.

The people have spoken and we took back America. We need to be patient and its difficult! I know I've been waiting. I haven't posted anything anywhere since 2004 - including irc - because it wasn't safe. It is now.

[crossroads]

20. Welcome to DU!

[sodium]

21. Thanks

Its been a long time coming. I cried like a baby when Obama hit 270 and they called it on Tuesday night. This has not been my America for so long and now I feel like I finally came home but I didn't do the leaving. Its hard to explain -its like I was ashamed of my country but I couldn't leave. I gave up - I really did. The torture, the shredding of the Constitution - it was just too much for me and I shut down. I felt like I was fighting a rigged system. I was. Thats over now.

I'm 53 and a veteran. I'm proud to be an American.

[crossroads]

29. I can relate to how you feel!

So glad to meet you here my friend... I feel we have all felt ashamed of America many times during the last 8 years! Bush has been a blight not only on our country, but on the world!
Is it not wonderful it is over now and we can feel proud once again? It is liberating to say the least! Bless you...
:hug:
CR

[backscatter712]

22. I'm still on a holding pattern.

For one thing, I don't know if Reid actually has the power to yoink Lieberman's committee chairs unilaterally, or whether that does require a vote of the Steering Committee or all the Democrats in the Senate. (can anyone here knowledgable in Senate procedures answer this?)

For another thing, as always with things political, Reid and Lieberman look for ways to save face before bringing down the hammer - he may be giving Lieberman a chance to resign from his committee chairs for one of many innocent-sounding excuses before he gives him the smackdown.

Not that I'm a fan of Reid, but I'm wondering if what's happening is stuff like this rather than Reid caving.

[RagAss]

25. Please, this is not Reid's call. This will be up to Barack....

[Hokie]

27. Yes, exactly. People are sure missing that

How quickly we forgot what it is like to have the same party running things on each end of Pennsylvania Avenue. The big moves in Congress will be decided at the White House. I think this is another reason that Obama chose Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff. Reid and Pelosi may remain in leadership positions but the big decisions will come from down the street. What to do with Joe the Traitor is a big decision. Also, remember that heated conversation Obama had with Lieberman when he came back to the Senate after clinching the nomination? I don't think they exchanging pleasantries about the weather in Groton. Obama supported the sad POSin his bid to defeat Lamont for Senate in 2006. Then Joe proceeds to speak at the Republican convention, appear almost daily with McCain, and push the "Obama pals around with terrorists" allegations. If you think Obama isn't going to get a pound of flesh from Joe, think again.

[RagAss]

31. Amen...and the sooner the better.

[mamalone]

26. Here's a question about ole Joe...

I can't believe he's surprised about having his chairmanship pulled, and yet it seems that he is. Did he really think that he could do all he has done... and not suffer consequences? What on earth is he thinking??