Why do some top Dem leaders still trust Lieberman?

[WI_DEM]

I remember Bill Clinton telling Larry King that CT is a god send to the democrats because regardless of who wins they will caucus with the democrats. Yes, Lamont will, but how can he or any of the others be so sure about Lieberman?

Here's the latest statement by Joe:
"Caucuses like to keep as many members as they can, not discourage membership." When asked about the possibility that he could be stripped of his seniority if he wins. That sounds like a veiled threat to me that if he doens't get what he wants he will jump to the GOP.

Go Lamont!

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. It's not about trust. It's about power.

Joe isn't going to upset the applecart for anyone in DC. It is the old "Blazing Saddles" line, we have to protect our phoney baloney jobs.

[WI_DEM]

3. My fear is we come out of election night with a Senate majority

51-49 (that includes Sanders of VT) and Joe squeeks through in CT. He begins making demands about committees and says if he doesn't get what he wants he will go to the GOP and it will be 50-50 and VP Cheney gets to break the tie.

[Bonhomme Richard]

15. He still has to be concerned with his constituency.

I don't think he has a lot of leeway and I also think what happened in the primary was a wake-up call.

[Poll_Blind]

2. "It puts us closer to having a majority."

From this thread.

"We may have to swallow our pride and take him back" from the same thread:

if Democrats win 51 seats, they need Lieberman to caucus as a Democrat, otherwise it's a Republican Senate. At that point, controlling the Senate is just more important than our feelings about Sore Liarman.

  I disagree. But many others are willing to overlook any transgression against our core ideals...if it means more power.

  My own view is use what power we have to rout the bastards, not give in and hope they change. Because they won't.

PB

[WI_DEM]

4. true, but see my response above

It will mean taking Lieberman blackmail and his twarting democratic investigations into Iraq.

[Totallybushed]

7. But first

you have to have the power. If you don't have it, then all your purity of ideology is worth spit.

If we don't need his vote, then cast him into the outer darkness where he belongs.

[Poll_Blind]

8. Don't you think HE (Joe) knows that? What's the point in courting...

...friendship with an enemy when the enemy knows for certain that such courting is disingenuous?

PB

[Totallybushed]

9. To get some power?

Compromise and get some, or not compromise and don't get it. It's called a choice.

[Poll_Blind]

11. I want to clarify, my "enemy" refers to us viewing Joe not Joe viewing us.

If our party lynchpins him as the deciding vote he can call all sorts of insane shots (things the party would have to go along with to receive his support) and we'd be worse-off for it.

Giving a career politician, and one who's screwed over his own party before, influence on that party is just...dangerous. Not likely dangerous, certainly dangerous in my opinion.

PB

[UTUSN]

5. Especially when he says he's go Repuke if denied seniority

The save for us would be if Dems win the Senate withOUT his seat. Then there would be no reason to allow him seniority.

[Totallybushed]

6. That's a good question.

I think if the Dems need him to form a majority in the Senate, they should give it to him. And if they don't, they shouldn't. the main thing is to get the Senate and punishing Joe can come later.

[WI_DEM]

10. but to have some dems like Clinton say "oh it's a god send"

is telling dems and liberal minded independents that it's ok to vote for Lieberman over Lamont because it's a win-win when it really isn't.

[Poll_Blind]

13. "The god send" part is DLC thinking. DLC site itself lists Clinton as...

...a "New Democrat". Clinton's legacy aside, these "New Democrats" seem a little too comfortable in making concessions to harder and harder right-wing political moves. Which should be a concern. A big one, in my opinion.

PB

[Cha]

12. Because they are

untrustworthy themselves, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

[Nutmegger]

14. They want to have their cake and eat it too

Instead of rallying behind Lamont, they coyly support him without offending LIEber/LOSERman. It's a win/win.

I'm glad John Kerry is coming here in Connecticut on October 25th. The M$M and others will say that he's doing it to help his "political ambitions". No jackasses, he's doing it because he believes in democracy. Throw that talking-point in the waste bin.