Obama Supports Keeping Lieberman in Democratic Caucus

[Mesteryo]

Source: WaPo

President-elect Barack Obama has endorsed keeping Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) in the Democratic caucus, suggesting to leadership that the two sides reach a compromise in the conflict over the former Democratic vice presidential nominee's future, sources said today.

In a phone conversation last week with Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), Obama said that expulsion of Lieberman for his support of the Republican presidential ticket would send the wrong signal after Obama's promises to set partisanship aside, according to a Senate Democratic aide familiar with the conversation.

Obama "didn't get into the minutiae. It was more along the lines of, 'let's find a way to put the campaign behind us'," the aide said.

Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/11/11/obama_supports_keeping_lieberm.html

[Endangered Specie]

1. Taking the high road

[LynneSin]

3. Folks at DU will bitch about it but you know what - you're absolutely right

I want Lieberman out as much as the next person but I also want to be the party that takes the high road.

[evilkumquat]

10. If Lieberman Bolts to the GOP, Will Connecticut Re-Elect Him?

Is he be bluffing about switching sides when doing so would ensure his loss in his next cycle?

Regardless, boot his lying, traitorous, two-faced, pinched-faced ass from all committees.

[Mesteryo]

11. don't be silly..

He shouldn't be booted from all committees because he still puts the Democrats closer to a filibuster proof majority.

Secondly Obama promised change and bipartisanship which would go down the drain if he couldn't even get along with a guy who supports Democrats 80% of the time.

[skooooo]

2. well maybe it will help prevent fillbustering.nt

[MidwestTransplant]

4. Great let him stay in the caucus but NO CHAIRMANSHIP. It's not about payback its about not having a

RW Nutcase handling anything having to do with natural security.

[Sub Atomic]

22. HEAR HEAR!!

[Warpy]

5. Throwing him out of the caucus should not be on the table

because he might yet prove to be useful. However, stripping him of his very powerful committee chairmanship is vital.

Reid offered him the best deal he could possibly expect, the chairmanship of a smaller and less powerful committee. Lieberman's crazy not to take it, because it's better than the Senate at large would be willing to offer him.

Obama is right about this one. There should be consequences for his support of the opposition during a national election. However, evicting him from the caucus completely is a self destructive measure.

[bain_sidhe]

8. It never was on the table

It was Lieberman who threatened to bolt to the 'Publicans if he was removed as chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Oversight committee.

Thus, according to Lieberman, removing him from the Chair of that committee is effectively removing him from the caucus.

I say, call his bluff. He's not going to go to the 'Publicans and be in the minority with NO chance at any chairmanship, and even if he does, it's not like he would have voted for any of Obama's foreign policy initiatives anyway. And I suspect he's become more conservative in general, meaning he's not going to vote with the Dems on as many domestic ones as he used to, either.

[Mesteryo]

6. if he continues to support decent legislation..

They should keep him around. He does support a Democratic agenda on most issues.

[customerserviceguy]

7. It was Obama he dissed,

I'll accept Obama's forgiveness of Joementum.

[aquart]

9. NO chairmanship for Lieberman. Sorry, Obama.

And don't mess with Congress, either. Last thing I want or we need is another rubberstamp legislature.

[Mesteryo]

12. he can still chair committees

In which he'll support a Democratic agenda. Removing him from all committees for disagreements is the kind of thing that turned voters off to GOP.

[High Plains]

16. He's not a member of the party. No chairmanships!

He can lead the independent caucus from the back benches.

[Mesteryo]

18. he's being offered to remain chairman of a lesser

Committee. DUers need to understand compromise. Live in the real world.

[MiaCulpa]

13. Nothing wrong with offering him the right to caucus

Now if(hopefully when)Lieberman is stripped of his committee chair spot, he refuses to caucus with the Dems, he will look like the petty, bitter little tool of the repub party that he really is.

-Diane

[Mesteryo]

14. I'll get attacked for saying this..

Which pragmatic centrists often do.

But I don't think Lieberman is more Republican than Democratic. I think he'll support most of Obama's agenda.

[jzodda]

15. I agree with you

They offered him a less powerful committee to chair if he stays, that's a great offer for him considering what he did. The repubs have nothing to offer him except that he can caucus with them but this is his only chance to chair anything.

[oberliner]

17. Lieberman has one of the more liberal voting records in the Senate

With the exception of Iraq/defense issues, he is solidly on the left on pretty much everything - moreso than Harry Reid.

[sellitman]

19. Hogwash

Liberals don't behave as LIEberman has.

He is a Neo-Con and needs to be shown the door.

[oberliner]

20. Here are his ratings from key issue advocacy groups

According to the Almanac of American Politics:

* Americans for Democratic Action: 80
* League of Conservation Voters: 100
* American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees: 86
* American Civil Liberties Union: 83

And also:

* American Conservative Union: 0
* Christian Coalition: 0

Here are most recent rankings from other prominent issue groups, as pulled from VoteSmart:

* National Organization of Women: 75
* NAACP: 85
* Human Rights Campaign: 88
* League of United Latin American Citizens: 100
* NARAL: 75 (based in large part on his Roberts vote; in 2004, it was 100)
* Planned Parenthood: 100
* Alliance for Retired Americans: 100 (their big issue: protecting Social Security)
* Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: 90
* National Right-to-Life: 0
* NRA: F (NRA gives grades rather than numerical scores)

[amandabeech]

21. However, Lieberman is almost as bad as a PNACer in the Homeland Security position.

The PNAC worldview was defeated in this election, and committee assignments should reflect that.

If he can't tolerate another committee where he can act generally in accordance with his party, then I don't see much point in keeping him around.

All he'll do is pout and whine and tell the Republicans everything the Dems are doing just for spite.

And he may very well go to the other side in a filibuster in a fit of pique.

[Mesteryo]

24. he shouldn't be on any foreign policy or security positions

That he is against Democrats on. But the PNAC comment is silly. The nuttier DUers tend to think even Biden is pro-PNAC.

Speak like rational adults.

[amandabeech]

29. I'm very rational and very adult.

And I stand by my comment.

It is childish to make the kind of comments that you do in response to posters with whom you do not agree. If you can't tolerate differences of opinion civilly, then I strongly suggest that you find a site where conformity is the rule. Conformity to your opinion, that is.

[struggle4progress]

23. Wow! An anonymous third-hand report!

:boring:

[fascisthunter]

25. As Long as He Has no Chairmanship

let him wither on a vine with no power. Justice....

[Tom Rinaldo]

26. I support Lieberman staying in the Democratic Caucus

IF he gives up his Chairmanship. If he can't accept that I support letting him walk. Actions have consequences, if he can't deal with thqt screw him. It is an olive branch offered to let him continue to caucus with the Democrats. That represents more than enough forgiveness in the interests of moving forward.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tom Rinaldo]

28. I don't think I posted about it but I always felt that way

I don't support cutting off your nose to spite your face. Lieberman votes with the Democratic position a higher percentage of the time than a number of other Democratic Senators who are in good standing in that caucus. I care about moving the Democratic agenda forward more than I care about revenge. HOWEVER it makes a total farce of Democratic Party membership/solidarity to actually campaign for the Republican Presidential nominee. Some pay back for Lieberman is essential even if we do hope he continues to mostly support us until he is replaced by a real Democrat from CT in four years. The absolute minimum is to strip him of his Chairmanship.

Personally I wish Obama made it clear in his own remarks that Senator Lieberman should be adult enough to understand that there are consequences for actions, and if he choses to leave the Democratic Caucus on account of those consequences it will be by his own choice and not because he was kicked out.

[GimmeDANEger]

30. Jesus forgives Judas?

;)

Let's wait this one out. Al Franken has the odds on his side. Jim Martin has a fighting chance. Alaska smells fishy (or is that the meth?) The traitor might be the missing piece to our puzzle. Maybe there's even a chance that someone will jump from the sinking GOP ship if all three don't pan out.

[TexasObserver]

31. I do, too. But Keelhaul his sorry ass first, strip him of his chair, and give him a shitty office.

I'm not kidding about giving him a shitty office, either. Give him the worst senate office.