Lieberman Aide: Booting Him Would Be Putting Politics Ahead Of Nation's Safety

[Fuzz]

Lots of people have already chewed over this article in the Hartford Courant, which reports that Chris Dodd is, disappointingly, suggesting that Barack Obama doesn't want a fight over Joe Lieberman's fate.

But I wanted to draw your attention to this little nugget buried in the article, in which the Lieberman camp makes a rather startling argument in favor of his being allowed to hang on to his Homeland Security committee slot:

"Sen. Lieberman prefers to remain in the Democratic caucus," the aide said. "However, he believes he should remain as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. ... He thinks that political retribution should not go ahead of homeland security."

Can the Lieberman camp really be arguing that stripping Lieberman of his committee slot is tantamount to putting politics ahead of our safety, because we're so defenseless without him there to protect us?

Never mind that Lieberman's performance as chair of the committee was just awful. Lieberman's camp is now sounding a kind of hollow echo of the same silly scare-mongering tactics that he used against Obama on the GOP's behalf during the campaign, only this time in service of holding onto whatever vestiges of influence he has left. It's a coda to this whole affair that's perfect in its desperation and unintentional self-parody.

Separately, in reference to Dodd's point that President Obama won't want to be distracted from governing by a messy fight over Lieberman's fate, one could argue that this is all the more reason to get this wrapped up now. Senator Reid?

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

[d_b]

1. holy 2002 talking points

batman.

[marmar]

2. Loserman is a bit full of himself, methinks......

Newsflash Joe: The world's safety and security isn't dependent on your sorry ass.

[Bob3]

3. why the hell is this about what Lieberman believes?

He's the one who was speaking at the GOP convention - put his stuff in a garbage bag and tell him to go have fun with the gop - he's been useless for years and the only reason he's making nice now is that he's scared - the instant he is allowed to keep any chairmanship the knife goes right back into Obama's back - things are too serious to be bothering with a little lying shit like Lieberman anyway.

And I think maybe we should ask the PResident elect what he thinks yes? and Harry If you didn't quite get it - the Democratic party won this election - granted you're so used to losing you act like a battered wife bit Lieberman has just got to go. There is no place for a man who's only loyalty is to his own self image.

[geckosfeet]

4. Hardly. It would remove a politicizing element from a national security position.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

5. Ditch! Ditch! Ditch!

ENOUGH of 'Lie'bermans shit.

[Canuckistanian]

6. Political retribution? What does he call his OWN actions for the past 2 years?

Starting his own party so he can run against Lamont (and soliciting GOP support to win), slandering the Dems every chance he got, agreeing with Bush 100% of the time, bashing Obama.....

The man could teach a post graduate class in "political retribution".

[natrat]

7. he's such a nasty scumbag, why would you want him around unless your a facist