Democratic senators trying to save Lieberman.
Democratic senators trying to save Lieberman.
Politico reports that Democratic senators are launching a “behind-the-scenes effort to save Sen. Joe Lieberman’s chairmanship“:
Sens. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) are all involved in the effort, according to top Senate Democratic aides. These four senators — along with other Lieberman allies — are reaching out to the rest of the Democratic Senate caucus to try to ensure Lieberman survives a secret ballot vote on whether to strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
This effort, along with kind words from Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) last night about Lieberman, is giving the Connecticut senator some serious momentum heading into next week’s secret vote. Dodd’s involvement in saving his home-state senator is an extraordinary turn because Dodd backed Democratic candidate Ned Lamont in 2006 against Lieberman, who won the Connecticut Senate race as an independent.
Check out ThinkProgress’s new report, “Joe Lieberman: The Progressive Who Lost His Way.”
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WHY?
Seriously. Does anyone know the answer to this question?
November 12th, 2008 at 3:46 pmYeah guys, jump on board the sinking ship.
You know the vast Internet mob is taking your names down right now, right? We’re sharpening our pitchforks and oiling up our torches even now. Unless you want to see your next primary contender get a huge flood of $20 donations, you might want to take it easy on trying to save Lieberman from the consequences of his actions.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:46 pmI will be emailing Dodd’s office tomorrow, letting him know this constituent will not be voting for LIEberman next election and can just as eaily pull the lever against him too.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:46 pmWhat happened to the Dodd that stood up against the tide to fight for individual freedom against illegal spying? Between this and the bailout I want my donations back!
November 12th, 2008 at 3:46 pmwell, at least try something positive first:
http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3128
http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
http://carper.senate.gov/contact/
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
November 12th, 2008 at 3:49 pmRemember, folks, for Incumbents, the highest value, the greates good, the ultimate prize is ….
INCUMBENCY
naturally they’re lining up to “save” Jaffa Joe. If he can fall, so can any of them…if the people are actually allowed to speak and be heard, what’s to become of THEM if they don’t respect the people’s wishes…
ANY effort to short-ciruit INCUMBENCY–absent the dead girl/live boy problem–is the worst possible thing that can happen!!!
November 12th, 2008 at 3:50 pmi’m sure the turncoat has been in “talks’ with the repugs also, working out the details of his next contract, weighing the advantages of both sides…
makes me sick that the dems don’t just stick to doing what is right instead of worrying about whether that d0uchebag joins the repugs…
he already did. and he will continue to do so.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:53 pmRemember, the Senate is THE original good ole boys club. They cover each other’s back, even Benedict Liebernamm has goods on lots of the other boys in the building…
November 12th, 2008 at 3:54 pmAs I’ve said once before, the first step in redemption is repentance. Has Lieberman once apologized for any of the nasty things he said about Obama while he was stumping for McCain?
November 12th, 2008 at 3:54 pmi don’t get it.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:57 pmwhat’s with the lieberman love fest?
the little mudderfukcer should be tarred and feathered.
Dear Zooey,
Damm good question.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:03 pmI don’t think they want to save Joe as much as they want to swing whatever following he may have in their direction.
Which begs another question: Does this ass clown really have a following?
I can understand them wanting to keep Lieberman in the caucus, but for the life of me I don’t understand them wanting to allow him to keep his chairmanship. First of all, he doesn’t deserve it and second, he didn’t even do a good job as Chairman of Homeland Security.
If the Democrats allow this to happen, they will be telling the world that they are no more responsible than the Republicans who feel that nothing they do can ever have any consequences.
Please start a blitz and call or e-mail these people and let them know what you think about this.
I wish that Obama would just stand up and say “look, we forgive you Joe, but you have to understand that you can’t keep your chairmanship because there has to be some consequences to your bad behavior.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:06 pmLieberman refused to hold hearings or investigate the Bush administration. How surprised will these Democrats be when Lieberman decides to investigate the Obama administration?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:06 pmWhat does Lieberman have to offer the Democratic Party?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:07 pmBozo The Neoclown Says:
I will be emailing Dodd’s office tomorrow, letting him know this constituent will not be voting for LIEberman next election and can just as eaily pull the lever against him too.
Unfortunately you will have to wait four years to do that. A lot can happen in 4 years.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:07 pmSalazar ought to be thrown out along with Lieberman. Two more years, a few more seats, these guys should be relegated to joining the Connecticut for Lieberman Party.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pmkaty Says:
i’m sure the turncoat has been in “talks’ with the repugs also, working out the details of his next contract, weighing the advantages of both sides…
That’s what worries me. How do they know that LIEberman doesn’t want to stay with the Democrats so he can be a mole for the Republicans.
I can’t fking believe that they are going to do this. I thought that we would be getting it right now. I guess I was wrong.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pmKick Joe’s butt to the curb. Toss him completely out. He attacked the Democratic nominee, NOT he supported the other guy, which is bad enough, he ATTACKED THE DEM NOMINEE. C’mon Dems grow a pair and make it clear that actions have consequences
November 12th, 2008 at 4:09 pmUm, the Democrats do realize that we won this election rather handily and that it has given them a mandate from the American Public to make some changes??
Or are the Democrats still so scared by the big mean right wing media that they’d rather not make waves?
This is why we never hold power for longer than one election cycle…
November 12th, 2008 at 4:12 pmkaty Says:
well, at least try something positive first:
http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3128
http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
http://carper.senate.gov/contact/
http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
Thanks for all the e-mail addresses Katy. Keep in mind that you will have to make up an address in their state and proper zip code to get by their filters. I usually open one browser with their local office address in it and another for the e-mail. That way I have all the information I need to fool their filters. BTW, I find it absolutely ridiculous that Senators don’t allow you to express your opinion unless you are a constituent. I think they work for all of us, not just the people in their state. Even Reid doesn’t have a “House Majority Leader” e-mail where you can contact him like Pelosi has her “Speaker of the House” e-mail that anyone can use.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:12 pmSorry, speaking at the Republican Convention, calling Obama a Marxist, terrorist sympathizer, etc. was way over the line and deserves expulsion from the Democratic Party, losing chairmanships in the least.
Joe the
November 12th, 2008 at 4:13 pmPlumberNeocon Jockstrap needs to go.Methinks that Lieberman, if they allow him to stay, will end up playing both sides against the middle. I simply do not believe that he is to be trusted anymore.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:13 pm“Even Reid doesn’t have a “House Majority Leader” e-mail where you can contact him “…
Bilbo, could that be because he’s in the Senate?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:15 pmI’d really like to see Joe’s Private Eye stash of pix. You know, Salazar riding his horse, Dodd smoking dope at a rasta bar, Carper getting head from a nineteen year old, and Bill Nelson on the nudie beach…
November 12th, 2008 at 4:18 pm~ NO ! ~ Please make it stop – take the gavel away…
November 12th, 2008 at 4:19 pmNice theory but we just kicked a bunch of incuments out. More likely deals are being made and LIEberman is agreeing to sign on to some of these guys plans. He can always be trusted to be a war monger and backstabber though.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pmJust emailed Dodd reminding him I donated to him and that he is starting to lose my support. This and his support of the “redistribution of wealth” known as the bailout is just awful. I still respect him for his stance on Telecom Immunity and Habeas Corpus, but… damn! Joe Lieberman?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pmWhats a good reason to keep Joe around?
And I am not talking about sympathy.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:22 pmLieberman must survive a SECRET ballot vote on whether to strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Just a thought…what if the Senators, being well Aquainted and Cordial, KNOW that Lieberman will NOT survive this Secret Ballot. Then this Effort by these Senators , some from pretty Purple States, is just Positioning and Saving Face.
I need to see how this Secret Vote Turns out, before I can come to any firm conclusions…But IMHO Lieberman crossed the line, when he attacked my guy.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:23 pmRUCerious Says:
“Even Reid doesn’t have a “House Majority Leader” e-mail where you can contact him “…
Bilbo, could that be because he’s in the Senate?
Yep, but he doesn’t have a Senate Majority Leader e-mail either!
November 12th, 2008 at 4:24 pmI understand not tossing LIEberman out of the caucus. There is no reason to believe McConnell will not continue to filibuster everything and every vote counts at cloture time. Letting him stay also reinforces the concept of trying to establish bipartisan cooperation. Letting him keep his chairmanship is insane however. The Republicans can’t offer him anything that would make switching to the minority more attractive than staying and his chance of reelection would go from slim to none. Letting him remain a committee chair does nothing but encourage a complete lack of discipline which Washington Democrats are already too good at.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:25 pmpaleolib Says:
“The Republicans can’t offer him anything that would make switching to the minority more attractive ”
of course they can. LIEberman’s a media whore and the waaahhhpublicans can offer him plenty of face time making him a cause celebre on faux noise
November 12th, 2008 at 4:27 pmWhere do other Democratic senators stand on this issue? Feinstein? Boxer? Harkin? Kerry? Leahy? Mikulski? Murray? Schumer? Clinton? McCaskill? Whitehouse? Inouye (who would get the chairmanship if Lieberman lost it)? Etc.? Etc.?
Do we have any kind of feel yet for how a secret vote in the Dem caucus might really go?
I did get a kick out of one line in the linked article — “Instead, a number of options are being considered that would allow him to keep his chairmanship and remain in the caucus but still suffer some sort of penalty.”
What sort of “penalty” could there be if he gets to keep everything? Make him wear a funny hat and a rubber clown nose while presiding at committee meetings? Make him kiss a donkey’s butt at the beginning of every Senate session? What?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:27 pmOk, so this is decidedly odd. I was able to send an e-mail to Dodd, but while on Salizar, I keep getting an error message every time I try to submit. It is going to a senate.gov url. Are all of you trying to send e-mails to senate.gov addresses at once and we are messing up their servers?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:29 pmHere you go Bilbo: http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
November 12th, 2008 at 4:30 pmBadger Says:
Lieberman must survive a SECRET ballot vote on whether to strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Just a thought…what if the Senators, being well Aquainted and Cordial, KNOW that Lieberman will NOT survive this Secret Ballot. Then this Effort by these Senators , some from pretty Purple States, is just Positioning and Saving Face.
I need to see how this Secret Vote Turns out, before I can come to any firm conclusions…But IMHO Lieberman crossed the line, when he attacked my guy.
That’s an interesting take on it. I sure hope you are right. I just feel that if the Democrats allow Joe to get off scott free, they will be sending a message that they are no better than the Republicans. That there will be no consequences for bad behavior. What’s next? No consequences for breaking the law?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pmLook,with Traitor Joe in the caucus & chairman,traitor Joe attracts all the attention.Meanwhile the corrupt few Dodd,Salazar,Nelson & Bayh continue their Repuke lite agenda un impeeded.They are all trying to cover their behind.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm#ebbAndflow Says:
Here you go Bilbo: http://reid.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm
I have that one and use it office. But, it forces you to make up an address from Nevada otherwise it won’t allow you to submit a comment. What I was talking about is that Pelosi has a “Speaker of the House” e-mail address that anyone can send a message through. http://speaker.house.gov/
Reid does not have a similar way for us to speak our mind towards him as the Senate Majority Leader. He hides behind his Senate contact, stopping anyone but his constituents to contact him.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:35 pmI have that one and use it office??? where did that come from. I meant use if OFTEN!
For a while there I was sending messages to both Pelosi and Reid daily. That’s what I did when I first signed on to my computer first thing in the morning.
I think they both need to go.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:35 pmOff Topic: ON CNN:
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told CNN today that she would be honored to help President-elect Barack Obama in his new administration if asked,
Earlier today, I made a joke about Obama calling on Palin for her foreign policy experience.
Seriously, I really, really, really DIDN’T mean it.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:38 pmthe moral hazard compass is broken all over the land. demos are hardly immune
November 12th, 2008 at 4:39 pmYou had to know that scummy Salazar would be in there. He has been about as close to having a repuke her in Colorado as can be.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:44 pmThought the election was about change. If so, why keep the Joe, who is the symbol of the old boy network?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:51 pmRather than waste my energy trying to reach out to Dodd or any other Senator out of my state, I just sent a strong letter to Ron Wyden urging him not only not to vote in favor of Lieberman but to be vocal in dissent. Joe Must Go!
November 12th, 2008 at 4:52 pmHold those torches and pitchforks for a while. Wait till you see where Holy Joe stands on the upcoming appointments to the SCOTUS.
The fundies are already lining up for a filibuster on Obamas’ choices even before he has a chance to voice them. There are at least three Associate Justices who are going to retire in the next four years.
So, hold up on the tar and feathers. Cloture votes are going to be needed since the magic number isn’t going to be reached in the senate.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:53 pmKeep Lieberman=lose support among thousands of progressives. You could at least wait until I vote in GA Senate race before you roll me under the bus. I don’t even want to hear it’s Reids fault..Obama sets the agenda, if his surrogates are out there saying keep Joe than the votes he gets are from the Obama camp. I could ignore the FISA vote but if Joe stays, I go.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:55 pmI’ve been wondering if we might not have some whistleblowers coming out of Homeland Security after January 20th who might just point a few fingers at ol’ Joe. Joe would then have to step down in disgrace, and that would be the end of Holy Joe. I realize it’s a stretch, but it’s all I can come up with. Otherwise, the Democrats are just batsh*t crazy jellyfish.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:58 pmXisithrus Says:
Whats a good reason to keep Joe around?
And I am not talking about sympathy.
Not sure, doesn’t McCain need someone to show him where his office is when he does show up to do his job?
Maybe there is an opening for a towel boy in the Majority bathrooms…..
November 12th, 2008 at 5:00 pmNot sure, doesn’t McCain need someone to show him where his office is when he does show up to do his job? -Wayne
Heh. You mean houses? =)
November 12th, 2008 at 5:02 pmThis is more about pooh-poohing Joe in an effort to try to count on his “I” support in the Senate. Ol’ Joe has had it pretty well since losing to Lamont in the primary in ‘06. He walks both sides of the street and laughs at the middle.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:13 pmNo but I am watching you jackass!
November 12th, 2008 at 5:13 pmCrap. Let the lying barstid drown. Don’t toss him a life preserver – toss him a rock.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:23 pmhow many people here supported obama? how many people here support his idea for bipartisanship, reaching across the aisle, and appealing to all americans, not just progressive americans?
here we have lieberman, reaching across to support his best friend (McCain), standing up for what he believes in, over party, and we should punish him for this? isn’t this what obama is suggesting we do?
dont get me wrong, i cant stand lieberman, i hope he gets voted out next term.. but would you rather lieberman put party ahead of what he believes in? would you rather nobody reach across the aisle? isnt that the summary of Bush’s administration? party first, country second, division, no reaching across to democrats. i have the same feelings, the desire to kick him out, but i dont think we should do that, to support obama and a new era of bipartisanship. someone talk me down please…
November 12th, 2008 at 5:40 pmwhere you going? the republican party? gonna go hang out with nader? be realistic here
November 12th, 2008 at 5:43 pmBilbo #@32, I know, I was just funnin with ya!
November 12th, 2008 at 5:46 pmChris Dodd ,has been a light in the fight against FISA and domestic spying and the violations of our civil liberties at home . Unfortunately as a Connecticut Senator he probably feels it’s good political strategy to support Joe in his moment of need in order to keep Joe’s constituency on board in his next run for re election .
November 12th, 2008 at 5:47 pmI’m hoping he is no more in Favor of this in all honesty than Harry Reid was in his co sponsorship of the amendment to strip retroactive immunity from the FISA bill , which he knew would fail but provided political cover for him in the future !
Politics !
They want Lieberman to have 60 Democratic votes in the Senate.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:57 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
Where do other Democratic senators stand on this issue? Feinstein? Boxer? Harkin? Kerry? Leahy? Mikulski? Murray? Schumer? Clinton? McCaskill? Whitehouse? Inouye (who would get the chairmanship if Lieberman lost it)? Etc.? Etc.?
http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
i do not trust him to keep the chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee…
too much possibility of more subversion…
he cannot be trusted… ever again.
November 12th, 2008 at 6:05 pmstate, and won’t they be terribly surprised when he votes with the (R)s on cloture!@!
November 12th, 2008 at 6:07 pmMaybe Obama can offer him an ambassadorship to Israel! Problme solved!
November 12th, 2008 at 6:08 pmfunkyou Says:
——————————————————————————–
how many people here supported obama? how many people here support his idea for bipartisanship, reaching across the aisle, and appealing to all americans, not just progressive americans?
here we have lieberman, reaching across to support his best friend (McCain), standing up for what he believes in, over party, and we should punish him for this? isn’t this what obama is suggesting we do?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Lieberman didnt just support McCain HE ATTACKED OBAMA. He needs to go. If you REALLY think Obama is going to go along with the please GOP can I have another kind of bi-partisanship that the GOP favors that is lets be bipartisan and you can agree to all my previously stated positions you dont understand the dynamics of picking a Rahm Emanuel for Chief of Staff
November 12th, 2008 at 6:09 pm#56 – funkyou Says:
Lieberman did a whole lot more than just “reach across the aisle.” He actively campaigned for McCain (and Palin), he supported Obama being called a socialist and a terrorist (didn’t you see any of the McCain /Palin campaign events?), he actively campaigned for down-ticket Republicans and expressed his fear about the Democrats holding a majority in both Houses. He wasn’t being “non-partisan.” He wasn’t doing what he did out of love of country, rather than party. He did it for love of himself and the belief that he’d either be chosen as VP, or a cabinet position in the McCain administration. If he’s allowed to stay in the Democratic caucus and hold on to the chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee, I guarantee he will prove to be a viper at the breast of the Democratic party and Barack Obama.
November 12th, 2008 at 6:09 pmJoe is traitorous dog-meat. But the Dems might need him. That’s politics sometimes.
====
November 12th, 2008 at 7:15 pmDemocrats negotiating…
Democrat: We want this.
Other: I want that.
Democrat: Okay, I’ll meet you halfway.
Other: No.
Democrat: Okay, I’ll give you everything you want. Is that good enough?
Other: Alright, but just this once.
Democrat: I’m sorry.
Seriously, this crap has got to stop.
November 12th, 2008 at 10:24 pmWrite your own senators to demand he be removed from the chairmanship. I did that last night. Lieberman will do what he wants, but he should not be allowed to hold the entire senate to his will–whatever that is. I think he is demented, and if Schumer et al had been smart they would have backed Lamont and avoided all of this. They remind me of a pack of feral dogs, sniffing and barking and never getting anything done because one of the pack might turn on them. Disgusting.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:03 pm#55-Leftside Annie Says:
Crap. Let the lying barstid drown. Don’t toss him a life preserver – toss him a rock
That’s funny, I was going to say tie the anchor around his neck and throw him in when I came upon your post.
November 13th, 2008 at 12:08 amI am beginning to think that Lieberman himself is planting these stories directly with sympathetic or suborned ‘news outlets’. Consider the timing. First, rumors that Bill Clinton had made supporting calls (denied), then rumors that Obama had made supporting calls (denied), and now this.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:27 am.
O.K.
Witness, Democratic Senators campaigning to rescue a Democratic Senator who campaigned AGAINST his own Party.
HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?
So,
I can promise to campaign FOR my Party before I turn AGAINST my Party because my Party lacks the BALLS, SPINE and FORTITUDE to actually stand FOR principles?
LET THIS BE PROOF…
… DEMOCRATS ARE SPINELESS, EVEN TO ONE OF THEIR OWN!
.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:28 amWhile Henry Waxman’s Government Oversight Committee in the House conducted numerous and necessary investigations into the endless chicanery of the Bush Administration, Lieberman – in his position as Chairman of the Senate Government Oversight Committee – DIDN’T CONDUCT ONE INVESTIGATION.
End of story. Get rid of him. Now.
Any questions?
November 13th, 2008 at 2:33 amConsidering the fact that he’s the most dishonorable Member of the Senate, and considering the fact that he has consistently spoken against and taken stands against the very objectives that President-elect Obama has for Iraq, and considering the fact that he fully backed the Republican presidential nominee, Joe Lieberman has way, way too much power. He needs to be reduced to irrelevancy, and quickly. Rip that band-aid off, because he can’t be trusted to do the right thing.
Cut his freaking nuts off!
November 13th, 2008 at 8:38 amDemocrats negotiating (the AT&T telecom immunity/DNC sponsor version)…
Democrat: We tell the public we want this.
November 13th, 2008 at 10:52 amCorporate Donor: I want that.
Democrat: Okay, I’ll meet you halfway.
Donor: No.
Democrat: Okay, I’ll give you everything you want. Is that good enough?
Corporate Donor: Alright, but just this once.
Democrat: I’m sorry.
I hope no one thinks that AIPAC money and Mossad chuptzah has nothing to do with it.
November 13th, 2008 at 3:13 pm