Confirmed: Full Democratic Caucus Will Vote On Lieberman's Fate

[babylonsister]

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

It's Official: Full Dem Caucus Will Vote On Lieberman's Fate
By Greg Sargent - November 11, 2008, 2:44PM

The full Democratic caucus will vote on whether Joe Lieberman is allowed to keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security committee at its caucus meeting next week, a leadership aide confirms to us.

Previously, Reid's office had held this possibility out but hadn't made a final decision on whether to throw Lieberman's fate to the full Dem caucus for a vote.

In the wake of Obama's statement today that he doesn't hold any "grudges" against Lieberman and his decision not to take a position on whether Lieberman keeps his chairmanship, I emailed a leadership aide to ask whether the vote would definitely go forward. His response:

"Yes -- this is a decision that will be made by the caucus next week. Absent a stunning series of events there will be a vote next week in the caucus on whether to strip Senator Lieberman of the chairmanship."

That would appear to make it official.

The news comes amid signs that Lieberman is losing support among his fellow Senators. The Huffington Post reports, for instance, that the Clintons are not making any calls on Lieberman's behalf. And Senators Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin are reported to be hoping that Lieberman is given the push.

Now it looks as if these Senators will have an opportunity to vote on his fate, though the exact mechanism of how the vote will work is as yet unclear. More when we learn it.

Late Update: Senator Ben Nelson appears to support Lieberman keeping his committee perch.

Late Late Update: Chris Bowers has a useful look at how each individual Senator is likely to vote. The key point here is that the decision to go forward with the vote offers the anti-Lieberman forces a key opportunity to ratchet up the pressure right now.

Late Late Late Update: How will Reid himself vote? Last week he was reported to be leaning towards stripping Lieberman of his chairmanship. A Senate Democratic aide now tells me that "nothing has changed since last week." This suggests he may vote to give Lieberman the push, word of which could send a signal to other Senators to do the same.

[pleah]

1. K&R Thank you for the updates.

:)

[Segami]

3. K&R Kick him out!!!What are they waiting for, for Uncle Joe to stiff them again?

[pleah]

14. That's always a possibility.

:-(

[roguevalley]

17. my guess is good cop, bad cop. Obama will let the caucus kick him

out without losing any skin on the deal.

[crispini]

2. OUT OUT OUT

I don't have any Dem senators or I'd write 'em.

Everybody else, write your senators! :kick:

[Seedersandleechers]

30. I'm guessing my Dem senator

Claire McCaskill will vote him out, especially since she campaigned so long for Obama. I will write anyway.

[NV Whino]

4. Thanks

I'm e-mailing both my Dem Senators right fucking now to vote him out.

[roody]

5. I will do the same. We can tell Feinstein that we do not need

war-mongering senators chairing committees---we have her.

[NV Whino]

41. Good point.

Wish I had thought of it. :rofl:

[WeDidIt]

6. Oddly enough, both the President Elect and the Vice President Elect

happen to be current members of teh caucus.

[Arugula Latte]

7. Push him off the ledge!

I want to see him go *SPLAT*

[Selatius]

8. Lieberman could spare everyone this confrontation simply by voluntarily giving up his chairmanship.

He broke his promise not to attack Obama. He should at least atone for that by resigning the chairmanship.

[rvablue]

13. But that would entail some selflessnesss or dignity on his part

neither of which Traitorman has.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. There must be repercussions.

There must be recompense for his egregious actions. For there not to be would only serve to erode the foundations and by-laws of the caucus.

Joe rolled the dice. In that roll was a lot of personal and political disloyalty. He chose his sides for Joe's benefit. He must pay the biils now.

[zbdent]

10. "Sorry I stabbed you in the back and called you a traitor for not bowing down

to der Fuhrer ... no hard feelings?"

[formercia]

11. The abnoxious relative that comes to visit and never leaves

Take a hint Joe, before they hand you the eviction notice.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Anybody else getting a funny feeling about Barack Obama asking

Congress to give Lieberman a pass?

[TheDoorbellRang]

21. No. He merely said he'd like Lieberman to caucus with the dems

He didn't offer any opinion on the chairmanships.

[The Backlash Cometh]

36. Hmm...so you think the two are mutually exclusive?

I expect Lieberman to bolt if he doesn't keep his chairmanships. His only purpose in staying to caucus with the Dems is to be a mole.

[Starry Messenger]

24. No. I think he did it to defang Lieberman.

Now he can't run to the press and cry about how mean we are when he extended his little hands in unity. Now he's going to have to face this vote without a peep.

[theboss]

25. He didn't say that.

He simply said that he wanted him in the caucus.

[The Backlash Cometh]

37. Thanks.

[AtomicKitten]

15. It seems reasonable to keep him in the caucus but strip him of leadership.

I'd prefer to back over him with my car but see the merit of using him as part of a filibuster-proof majority.

[rhett o rick]

27. I think Obama is trying to stay out of it. I agree with him. Let the Senate Dem's work it out

for themselves.

[spahhh]

16. hit the road jack!

[drbtg1]

18. The most important question about keeping the chairmanship is...

...did Lieberman do a good job as chairman for the past two years?

I know the answer. Do the senators know? They should be told what the answer is.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Looks like Joe's mentum has has finally hit a wall.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. delete dupe

[ColbertWatcher]

22. LOL! One more time in Joe's political life, he has to submit to a democratic process.

I wonder if he'll do the same that he did after he lost to Lamont?

[TheDoorbellRang]

23. Lieberman needs to be booted out of BOTH his chairmanship positions

In addition to Homeland Security, he's also the chair of Governmental Affairs, from which he attacked Clinton and never attacked Bush.

They should offer him the chairmanship of the Senate Restroom Sanitation Maintenance as his recompense.

[onenote]

26. its one and the same committee, not two committees

The committee that lieberman chairs is the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/

[TheDoorbellRang]

28. Thank you!

I saw an article last week that talked about him being chair of Governmental Affairs without mentioning that this was part of the Homeland Security committee, too. Reassuring to know that booting him off covers the whole enchillada.

[Cleita]

29. Randi had the best reason.

He shouldn't be allowed to keep the Homeland Security committee chairmanship because he will use it to harass Obama. He's not to be trusted. She says if he wants to become a Republican, let him. I agree.

[Poiuyt]

31. Call your senators and tell them how you feel

http://liebermanmustgo.com/

[CatWoman]

32. kick his sorry whiney, republican enabling, sack sack droopy dog looking

traitorist, Judas ass OUT!!!

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

==================
GROVELBOT.EXE v4.1
==================



This week is our fourth quarter 2008 fund drive. Democratic Underground is
a completely independent website. We depend on donations from our members
to cover our costs. Please take a moment to donate! Thank you!

[CatWoman]

34. SEE?

Even Grovel Bot wants to see his sorry ass gone!! :rofl:

[SoCalDem]

35. yesterday they said it was a secret ballot, so I'm guessing he's O U T ..

He should have NO committee assignments at all..and certainly no "chair" positions..

He's a tattle-tale, traitor, who does and would , "tell tales out of school". I cannot even imagine having him caucusing with dems, only to run to his BFFs Lindsay & John to cvlue them in on dem strategy..

[mnhtnbb]

38. Hey Joe, go play with the Repukes. We don't want you. Traitor.

[smb]

45. Even The Pubbies Won't Want Him

He's a habitual treacherous little backstabber. If he joined the Pubbie side, he'd just start stabbing them in the back too as soon as he thought there was something to be gained.

[rhett o rick]

39. Joe the betrayer. nm

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

40. I'm betting nothing has really changed yet.

The realization hasn't hit them that they're actually in charge now. It's gonna take 'em a while to grow their pair, and in the meantime they're gonna continue folding like cheap chairs.

I hope I'm wrong, but a plugged nickle sez I ain't.

[Truth Teller]

42. Put our agenda ahead of revenge on Holy Joe

I'm as pissed as anyone the guy left the party, but let's do whatever will help advance our agenda.

That might be holding our noses and somehow managing Lieberman.

[ddeclue]

43. OOOHHH MUST WATCH C-SPAN TV! N/T

[greeneyedboy]

44. call your Senators NOW and tell them Joe cannot have subpoena power. n/t