TPM Says Lieberman may stay as Chair. WE MUST CALL OUR DEM SENATORS (please rec)

[MidwestTransplant]

We need to let them know that it's not about punishment but rather keeping a person from running a national security committee who questioned OUR patriotism. If Obama doesn't have hard feelings it is not entirely about him. LIEBERMAN MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO STAY AS CHAIR OF HIS COMMITTEE.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm Here is a contact list of all Senators. Maybe somebody can post a better Dem. one. It has phone numbers on the left or you can send a web form. This is the only way our voices will be heard.

Obama Spokesperson: He Doesn't "Hold Any Grudges" Against Lieberman, Won't Take Position On Whether To Oust Him From Committee
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/obama_spokesperson_he_doesnt_h.php

[yourguide]

1. I have written to Reid, Clinton, and Schumer already.

I am fucking PISSED.

[suston96]

6. moved......

[HelenWheels]

27. contacted Reid

I tried to call him but got forwarded to a mail box that was full so I could not leave a message. I did email him and asked him to remove the chairmanship from Lieberman as he was not to be trusted. I also asked him to remove Ted Stevens from the Senate as he was proven to be corrupt and any one who supports him taints themselves with corruption.

[SurfingAtWork]

2. You're barking up the wrong tree. They want to remove him

Obama doesn't. You'd be better taking it up w/ him.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Not true. The Dem. caucus decides. Obama is saying he is not taking a position.

If they told them to dump him they would. If he says nothing the Senate Dems will do what they want.

[SurfingAtWork]

11. By saying he is not taking a position, he is allowing Reid to save face

And yes, I understand that technically he can't force him to do one thing or another.. but I'm sure a call went out and something along the lines of "we'd really appreciate it if you didn't remove him" was relayed. Although those wishes could be defied, it is one of those things that would be so unwise politically that it really can't for all intents and purposes.

[yodermon]

16. if the full Dem caucus votes on Lieberman's chair position(s), I wonder if Obama

1) would even vote on this
2) how would he vote

we keep forgetting he's still a senator until Jan 20. (or until he resigns if before that date)

[Morning Dew]

4. I wrote to Amy Klobuchar last night

Lieberman needs to be removed as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

[Bluzmann57]

5. Contacting Senator Harkin as we speak

But I actually heard him say, just over a week ago, that we "have to rethink opur position on Senator Lieberman". Harkin was unhappy with him. So I am likely preaching to the choir, but it was nice to get it off my chest anyway.

[kirby]

7. How can the guy who said electing Obama will hurt the country...

Be allowed/trusted to run the committee on Homeland Security?

[Lucky 13]

8. For Christ Sake. Democratic leaders are such impotent douchebags.

What would this man have to do to ever be actually punished by the party? What, I ask you?!?!

[suston96]

9. Shake hands with the devil....if the devil is on your side.......nt

[kath]

10. Send your senators this video:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x237738

inexcusable. Utterly.

[babylonsister]

12. ThinkProgress documents Lieberman’s significant shift to the right...

Some good talking points to use...

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/11/lieberman-not-progresive/

snip//

In a new report, ThinkProgress documents Lieberman’s significant shift to the right in both foreign and domestic policy. Some examples from the report:

– Said Investigating Response To Katrina Would Be Playing ‘Gotcha’: Lieberman said he was not interested in “looking back, and assigning blame would be a waste of Congress’ time.” Lieberman said he was reluctant to mount an investigation of the failures of the initial response, saying “We don’t want to play ‘gotcha’ anymore.”

– Claimed That A Progressive Economic Stimulus Would Lead To A Depression: Speaking at Dartmouth University, “Lieberman compared Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama’s economic plan to former president Herbert Hoover’s approach, which he said ‘turned a recession into a depression.’”

– Supported Attorney General Alberto Gonzales To The Bitter End: Reacting to Gonzales’s resignation, Lieberman commented, “The Attorney General’s resignation removes a distraction from the important work of the Department of Justice,” but added, “As he leaves public service, the Attorney General deserves our appreciation for his work for our nation.”

– Suggested That Obama Could Be A Marxist: When asked if Obama is “a Marxist as Bill Kristol says might be the case,” Lieberman replied, “Well, you know, I must say that’s a good question.”

[snake in the grass]

13. This is unacceptable!

If Lieberman is allowed to stay then Reid MUST go. Does anyone know the process behind picking the majority leader? I am so sick and tired of Reid's spinelessness.

[w4rma]

14. The whiny little jerk doesn't need to be in the caucus to vote for closure. He can't be counted on

to vote for closure, anyway. *And* there are *much* better choices for chair of every committee than LIEberman.

[mmonk]

15. A compromise. He can chair it until that day in January when the president and

party he supports leaves office.

[wroberts189]

17. I hear he has Ken Star on speed dial. n/t

[Sebass1271]

18. I just called Senator Nelson from Florida. HE is my

Senator and left him a long message about this.

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

19. Please stop this excessive focus on Lieberman.

He is not worth it. Here is my DKos diary on this topic (please watch the video of Sen. Obama embedded there):

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/11/93148/945/934/659101

[mmonk]

21. It's just we don't like reincarnations of Joe McCarthy in charge of "security".

[MidwestTransplant]

24. He is a RW Propagandist. He is DANGEROUS as chair of his committee. It's not about politics or

payback.

[still_one]

20. Call the DNC and tell them you won't give them another dime if they pull this one /nt

[still_one]

22. Excuse me, where does it say in your links that liberman may stay as chair?

[MidwestTransplant]

23. Here

"The move is all but certain to take the steam out of any efforts to dislodge Lieberman from the committee, and hence to diminish his influence in some way in return for his support for McCain, his suggestion that Obama put troops in danger, and his claim that Obama hasn't always put the country first."

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/obama_spokesperson_he_doesnt_h.php

[still_one]

25. Thanks. It does contradict that Obama won't take a position whether to oust him from the

Committee however.

[Eric J in MN]

26. kick

kick

[IndianaGreen]

28. Lieberman will sabotage Obama's Middle East peace efforts

Lieberman holds views similar to the racist Avigdor Lieberman (no relation), who is among those that danced in the streets when Rabin was assassinated.

Here is text of e-mail I sent to Evan Bayh using his website:

You and the other Democratic Senators are going to caucus next Tuesday. Lieberman will be the major topic. Obama's suggestion on keeping Lieberman in the caucus notwithstanding, it doesn't follow that Lieberman keep his chair of the Homeland Security Committee.

I don't care whether you vote to keep Lieberman in the Democratic Caucus or not. I do care about Lieberman retaining his Chair of the Homeland Security Committee.

Two reasons:

Lieberman Lends His Name To Fear-Mongering Documentary On American Muslims And Terrorism
By Justin Elliott - November 10, 2008, 4:56PM

Joe Lieberman, who is locked in a fight to hold onto his Senate Homeland Security Committee chairmanship, is lending his name to a lurid sequel of the documentary Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against The West. That film, which was distributed through newspaper inserts and mass mailings to 28 million swing-state households during the campaign, was denounced by religious leaders for painting all Muslims with the same broad brush and for its cartoonish portrayal of Islamic terrorism.

The new documentary, called The Third Jihad: Radical Islam's Vision For America, focuses on the "hidden war against the freedom and values we all take for granted" being waged by radical Islamists trying to take down America from within. Among other things, the film warns of the "subtle dangers of non-violent cultural jihad and its influence in America's universities."

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/lieberman.php

And this one:

Remove Lieberman from all Domestic Security and National Security Roles

Steve Clemons

Joe Lieberman wants to keep his status and committees and caucus with the Democrats. He has been a fear-monger and someone who has promoted a dangerous, reckless false choice between American relations with Israel and other parts of the Middle East. He is a devout neoconservative who has been a key enabler of many of the most nefarious groups that promoted the Iraq War and who want a series of new wars in the region.

But more than that, he strongly supported someone a heartbeat away from the presidency who knew virtually nothing about America's place in the world, who knew nothing of American history and its leaders and conventions and founders.

Lieberman is dangerous on so many levels -- and he has not apologized for any of his positions or offered any explanation that should make Americans feel comfortable with this Senator in the next four years as Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security.

If Dems would like to keep Joe Lieberman in the caucus, give him responsibility for education policy, telecom policy, health care -- but the price for the Dems keeping this fearmonger is that he be removed from any position with key responsibility for national security or domestic security matters.

It is useful to refresh the memory of what Joe Lieberman said about Sarah Palin, on stage with her, and what he remained on stage listening to as Sarah Palin talked about "Barack Obama's terrorist friends. . ."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/remove-lieberman-from-all_b_142447.html

I beg of you Senator Bayh, that you join Senator Schumer and strip Lieberman of his chairmanship of Homeland Security. Lieberman is a threat to our civil liberties and a potential threat to the incoming Obama Administration.

Thank you for your consideration.

[MidwestTransplant]

29. Exactly