by Damozel | The anger in the air has been building and building like static electricity just before a lightning strike.. Nancy Pelosi made a few astringent comments about Lieberman
three weeks ago, calling his comments about Obama "irresponsible" and suggesting that the moment might arrive when he would no longer be under Reid's protection.
At that time, MyDD's Josh Orton commented:
I don't think Reid has too much more flex when it comes to Lieberman. Disagreeing on the surge is one thing, but Lieberman is now providing ammo for the McCain campaign to use in questioning Obama's patriotism. If this keeps up, I wouldn't be surprised if Reid got a bit firmer and gave Joe an "enjoy it while it lasts" statement of his own.
At HuffPost, Sam Stein wrote on August 20:
It has long been expected that Connecticut Independent Democrat's antics and surrogacy on behalf of John McCain would endanger his standing among Democrats. But for the most part, Reid and company have shied away from discussing whether Lieberman would retain his chairmanship for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Asked in May if Lieberman's position was at risk, the Senate Majority Leader said "no." Later he said, without elaboration, that such a scenario was possible but very unlikely.
"He is non-committal now, said the Hill aide on Wednesday, describing it as a shift towards a more hard line stance. "He is going to take a look at things after the election."
Stein added:
On Wednesday it was reported that Lieberman would be speaking at the GOP convention on Monday evening -- on the first day, but not in the most prestigious slot. The Senator is expected to continue his sharp advocacy on behalf of McCain. Whether he attacks Barack Obama's patriotism, which he has done in the past, could go a long way in determining how the Democratic Party handles the situation going forward. (HuffPost)
The Dems-in-Charge were all hoping that at least Lieberman would stick to praising John McCain and refrain from dissing Obama. (WaPo)
Toward the end, [Lieberman] pointedly said Obama "has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party."
"Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record," said Lieberman, who eight years ago was the Democratic vice presidential nominee.(WaPo)
That's about the nicest misrepresentation I heard concerning Obama from any of McCain's cronies, wife, defeated rivals, or comedy VP at the convention, but that's not the point.
The Obama campaign were, as expected, wonderly wroth:
Obama's aides...accused Lieberman of misstating Obama's legislative record....
Robert Gibbs, Obama's communications director, made the rounds on network and cable talk shows Wednesday and accused Lieberman of ignoring Obama's cooperation with lawmakers such as Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), with whom he worked on nuclear weapons legislation, and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), with whom he worked on government transparency legislation.
"Do everybody a favor. Don't make stuff up," Gibbs said....(WaPo)
And at least Reid---GROW...A...SPINE---finally seems to have decided that there might maybe need sometime or other to be some kind of consequence....though not necessarily now..
According to The Washington Post, Reid isn't angry---just very, very, very disappointed.
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said that Lieberman's status within the Democratic caucus is in jeopardy.....
"Senator Reid was very disappointed in Senator Lieberman's speech, especially when he appeared to go out of his way to distort Senator Obama's record of bipartisan achievements in the Senate," said Reid's spokesman, Jim Manley. "The Democratic caucus will likely revisit the situation with Senator Lieberman after the elections in November."
"Lieberman went too far when he distorted Sen. Obama's record," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley. "From Reid's perspective, (Lieberman) has every right to give a partisan speech to whomever he wants. But he doesn't have the right to distort Sen. Obama's record like that. Sen. Reid was very disappointed in Lieberman's speech."
Added Manley: "The Democratic caucus will likely revisit Lieberman's situation after the November elections."
Asked if Reid was putting Lieberman on notice, Manley replied: "Without overplaying it, the answer is, yes." (CNSNews)
I’m not sure what that means yet, but it is a step in the right direction that took way too long to happen. He’s smeared Obama endlessly. The Democratic Party should have taken much stronger action against Joe many moons ago. (See the video at Crooks and Liars.)
Maybe. I feel kind of bad for him, actually. Why do I always feel bad for politicos who don't deserve sympathy? Nobody knows.
But---remember when he was almost our Vice President and might have been if the party he is now supported hadn't STOLEN THE ELECTION?--- it is a little sad even so. He doesn't want to go.
"I remain a Democrat for reasons of principle," he said in a June interview. "I've been a lifelong Democrat, so I have no desire to leave the party." (WaPo)
Furthermore, he has apparently donated a significant sum of money to the DSCC to get Democratic senators elected, to Joe Biden, to Mark Warner, and to Mark Udall. (WaPo)
It will be a bitter irony if the Dems succeed in gaining enough seats to make it practicable for them to give him the push. But no matter what he wants, the Democrats may be on the point of forming a hollow square and drumming him out (to borrow a phrase from a colleague):
"He clearly went too far," Manley said of Lieberman.
Democratic leaders have considered stripping him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The strongest reprimand would be to strip him of all his committee assignments, which would effectively be a banishment from the Democratic caucus.
Will he end up like Bartleby the Scrivener, protesting "I prefer not to," as they prepare to yank out the ground from beneath his feet? Not that I blame them or anything.
Maybe the Republicans will adopt him.
Republicans praised Lieberman, whom McCain considered as one of his six finalists to be his running mate. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), a member of the House GOP leadership team, said Lieberman appealed to middle-of-the-road voters and predicted Democrats would attack Lieberman at their peril.
"The significant majority in America that is not in tune with partisan politics is going to listen to Joe Lieberman," Cantor said.
I beg to differ with Mr. Cantor. The significant majority in America consisting of voters who are not hardcare Republicans doesn't give a damn what Joe Lieberman thinks, says, or does.
As for the Republicans, I fear they are just using him. As many have pointed out, he's not ideologically in synch with most of them, except on the issue of warmongering and promoting McCain-Palin (PALIN) against the candidate for his OWN PARTY.
Sad.
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