What about Lieberman?

[cleveramerican]

the way I see it, there are two ways this will play out.

#1 revenge,punish and shun.

His outspoken support for McCain effectively ends his connection to the democrats.
We should ignore him on all matters and to hell with the consequences.
He has screwed the party and must be punished endlessly for it.
Oppose him forever and never ever give him a soap box to stand on.

#2 be the bigger party.

Keep him on a string, keep his senatorial vote safe and let him have his occasional ego-inflating moment.
Keep our collective eyes on the bigger picture of advancing our agenda in the senate and basically let him off the hook publicly.
Be gracious in victory and welcome him back into the fold for strategic reasons while never forgetting his actions of the last year
or so.


so thoughtful and wise DU'ers
two questions

How should it be handled? and how will it be handled?

[SoonerPride]

1. Punish and embrace.

Somewhere in between your extremes.

Look, Joe, you CANNOT be committee chair on these important committees after you broke your word on attacking Obama on behalf of McCain. You can however, remain in your caucus if you behave yourself and fall in line.

If you refuse to accept this, then get the eff out and stay out forver.

[Lucky 13]

2. No committee chairmanships, but if he wants to caucus, fine.

Truth is, we could never really count on his vote for anything anyway. Whether he caucuses with us or not, he's a rogue. If he wants to vote against us for spite, then I look forward to him having to answer to his constituency.

[daa]

3. #2 be the bigger party

The repugs are imploding because their tent keeps shrinking. Lieberdude mostly votes with us and BO needs all votes.

Let him stay and if he stiffs us one more time on a filibuster out he goes, no questions asked.

[HelenWheels]

7. Cut him out

Besides campaigning for McCain he also campaigned for the Repuke candidates for the Senate in Minnesota. He should be removed from the committee he currently chairs. He held the chairmanship for 8 years and never called one meeting. And this committee also was responsible for looking into the executive branch misdeeds. The chairman of this committee should go to a loyal Dem, not a traitor.

[daa]

13. I suppose we can close the tent

not sure what that proves. We won, can't you accept that?

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Re #2: What if he continues to be an asshole?

How many "give him another chance" opportunities is the Leadership going to dispense? What if he uses his position on HLS to lambast his party and the President Elect and later, President?

[cleveramerican]

8. "what if" seems unnecessary

if we let him off, he WILL continue to be an asshole.
But aren't we all occasionally.

[Motown_Johnny]

5. Strip him of leadership, yes.... kick him out of caucus, no... just my opinion

[Danger Mouse]

6. Kick him off his chairmanships.

[Larkspur]

9. That's my opinion too

Lieberman abdicated his chair roll when he refused to investigate the Bush Admin's horrible response to Katrina, etc.. Rep. Waxman did th yeoman's share of the investigative work that Lieberman should have been doing too.

[Danger Mouse]

10. Yeah. Don't kick him out of the caucus. He's even blackmailing the party.

The piece of shit has gotten arrogant.

[cleveramerican]

11. if he is a "piece of shit" why not publicy say it outright?

that would be a nice "change"

[Danger Mouse]

12. well, clearly that would be a bad idea.

but i still think he needs to be stripped of his chairmanships.