by Frank James
Sen. Joe Lieberman's efforts to hold onto his Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chairmanship may be gaining Joementum.
TPM Election Central is reporting that Stepanie Cutter, an Obama transition spokeswoman, is sending public signals suggesting that President-elect Obama would just as well let bygone be bygones with the independent senator from Connecticut who was a vocal Sen. John McCain supporter.
Here's an excerpt from a posting from Greg Sargent of TPM:
"We aren't going to referee decisions about who should or should not be a committee chair," Obama transition spokesperson Stephanie Cutter emailed me, in response to questions about Obama's stance on Lieberman's future.
Cutter's comments are the first on-the-record indication of Obama's position on the politically fraught question of what to do about Lieberman.
"President-elect Obama looks forward to working with anyone to move the country forward," Cutter continued. "We'd be happy to have Sen. Lieberman caucus with the Democrats. We don't hold any grudges."
This dovetails with comments made by Lieberman's fellow senator from the Nutmeg State, Sen. Chris Dodd, who told reporters in Hartford on Friday that he didn't believe Obama wanted the distraction of fight between Senate Democrats and Lieberman at a time when there as so many real problems to deal with.
As the Hartford Courant reported:
"What does Barack Obama want?" Dodd rhetorically asked reporters Friday in Hartford. "He's talked about reconciliation, healing, bringing people together. I don't think he'd necessarily want to spend the first month of this president-elect period, this transition period, talking about a Senate seat, particularly if someone is willing to come forward and is willing to be a member of your family in the caucus in that sense."
This will be something of a test of Obama's presidential leadership. Will the Senate Democrats who want Lieberman removed from the chairman as Homeland Security heed the wishes of their departing colleague now headed to the White House? Or will they continue to call for Lieberman's ouster?
Comments
Joe Lieberman one of the most upright members of the Senate-
Posted by: Inky | November 11, 2008 12:08 PM
Lieberman must be punished for his extreme lack of loyalty. He stood behind McCain mindlessly nodding in approval as McCain mercilessly attacked Obama with lies and smears. Joe Lieberman allied himself with Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin, two of the worst memories of the recent campaign. Joe the Plumber was a fraud, and Palin incited her rallies to shout Kill Him!! at Obama - even the FBI blames her for the rise in death threats to Obama. These are the people Joe backed. Now he wants all to be forgiven. To let Joe keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee would be an insult to all those loyal Obama supporters who fought for his election. We have suffered eight years of the Bush Reign of Terror and Joe wanted to give us four more. Let him go with the Republicans where he belongs.
Posted by: jefflz | November 11, 2008 12:24 PM
As a supporter of Senator Lieberman I am offended by the threats from Senator Harry Reid and many of his Democratic colleagues to strip Senator Lieberman of his Chairmanships simply because he chose his friendship with John McCain over party politics. In repose to these threats, I have set up the a blog, Let Joe Stay (http://letjoestay.blogspot.com/) with the hope of mobilizing like minded people to contact their Senators as well as Senator Reid and inform them not to put their pettiness ahead of what’s right. Senator Lieberman is the best man for these Chairmanships and to remove him would be foolish. If this is truly the time for hope and change, then Sen. Reid should forgive and forget and allow Joseph Lieberman to keep his Chairmanship.
Posted by: Let Joe Stay | November 11, 2008 12:47 PM
This is another great example of Obama's character. The new president will truly reach across the aisle and do what is the BEST for this country. While many of would rather see Lieberman thrown out with the garbage, we must be extremely proud of how Obama views people with different opinions.
Posted by: Janstress | November 11, 2008 12:50 PM
This is another great example of why Obama will make a better president than, say, me. If it was up to me, I would say hang Joe out to dry.
Fortunately Obama has thought this through. By saving Joe's neck, he'll have an ally and the loyalty of a former enemy and he will be building bridges which is something he promised. I'm going to paraphrase, but I think it was Johnson who once said of an enemy, "I would rather have him inside our tent peeing out, than outside peeing in." There will come a time when we need Joe's vote.
Posted by: Quippy | November 11, 2008 1:04 PM
Lieberman supports the war and is good friends with John McCain. Other than that, he votes pretty liberal. It would be stupid to dump him, lose an ally, and create an internal war. Part of the change mantra means swallowing your pride, forgiveness, and reaching out to the other side.
Posted by: Grandblvd03 | November 11, 2008 2:49 PM
They need his vote.
Posted by: vla | November 11, 2008 3:57 PM
Jefflz:
Wait. Lack of loyalty? Well, that's not in keeping with the spirit of reconciliation and tolerance Obama supported.
Lieberman will be a good ally as well as a tempering force holding his current seat. If you don't necessarily agree.... Oh well. You're not president.
And for the record, I did vote for Obama, but hold no loyalty to the Democratic party. If he slips up, or makes incorrect decisions, he needs to be called on them. I just don't see this as one of them.
Posted by: ak1287 | November 12, 2008 12:53 AM
What's the point of voting, if the vote has no political impact? The Homeland Security chairmanship needs to go to a Democrat, because the people voted for the Democrats. There is no mandate for this sort of horse trading.
Posted by: St0815 | November 12, 2008 6:45 AM