Sep 8th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Lieberman’s LD Quits
Joe Lieberman’s Legislative Director quit today just as the Senator returned to Capitol Hill for the first time after a while spent on the campaign trail. His statement sounds perfectly amicable, but it’s a bit odd to leave a job like that with no firm post-Hill plans.
41 Responses to “Lieberman’s LD Quits”
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September 8th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Got tired of pulling Joe’s knives out of Democrats’ backs.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Maybe when Joe isn’t the deciding vote in caucusing, Joe gets fucked on his committee seats. I *hope*. I wonder what kind of seniority the Republicans will give him.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Actually, given how Joe Lieberman fucked the Democratic Party with that speech at the Republican convention, I suspect that Joe’s LD doesn’t want to be near Joe when that big piece of masonry falls off the roof just as Joe is walking under it.
I myself do not blame Joe Lieberman — I blame the dumb cocksuckers in Connecticut who sent Joe to the Senate.
I STRONGLY suggest that when the Democrats take control of the White House and Congress in Jan 2009, they proceed to fuck the state of Connecticut in every way possible. NOT A Single federal contract. No federals funds to the state –none. Sikorski gently told that it really should relocate elsewhere.
I think we should drive the average income and living standards of Connecticut down to somewhere well below West Virginia and Detroit, Michigan.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
he’s about to jump ship.
September 8th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Don Williams:
Not going to happen. The screwing over Connecticut part, that is. Chris Dodd also represents Connecticut, don’t forget.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Nice. Remember, democrats primaried Joe Lieberman, and he lost. The republican candidate a gambling addict (Alan Schlesinger), did not receive the backing of the state or national party, and only recieved 10% of the vote. Lieberman won, 50% to 40%, on the backs of republicans, and conservative democrats in the pork-addicted defense industry. Thats quite a drop from winning the popular vote for vice president 6 years earlier. Lieberman will be irrelevant soon enough on his own. No need to destroy Connecticut.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:09 am
Baseless guessing, but I want it on the record somewhere just in case.
The October surprise: Lieberman defects and the Republicans try to seize the Senate in order to pass “emergency” drilling legislation. No, the power grab wouldn’t work, but it would create a media spectacle and make sure drilling–McCain’s most popular issue–saturated the news cycles in the final weeks of the campaign. Think about it: Congress collapses into chaos. Unruly Republicans storm the floor, chanting “drill baby drill!” Every Republican is suddenly a maverick.
At least that’s what I’d do with my Democrat-in-my-pocket if I were running a dirty tricks campaign for the presidency.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:12 am
No need to destroy Connecticut.
You don’t need to destroy it, but stripping Joe of his seniority and making his new republican friends decide how much he’s worth in the minority party would be delicious. If they lose the election, my guess is he’s worth nothing and moves to the bottom of the pecking order.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:20 am
I agree with comment #4 — they are jumping ship for sure.
http://culturedecoded.wordpress.com/
September 9th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Maybe McCain promised him some plum job in his administration and that’s why he’s doing what he is doing. If McCain loses, ole Droopy Dog is at the end of his political career.
September 9th, 2008 at 2:04 am
Off topic – But Matt, can we get some smackdown of this Jeffrey Goldberg piece tomorrow? That guy is a unique douche and you’re in a position to really rip him a new asshole, being a former colleague and all. Don’t hold back.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/opinion/09goldberg.html?pagewanted=2&hp
September 9th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Harry Reid blew the Lieberman situation in ‘06.
Lieberman is only the tipping vote if you allow him to be the tipping vote. Are you saying there is no carrot that Reid could dangle to get Hagel or Snowe to be an independent? Snowe wouldn’t go independent for Chair of the Finance committee? Hagel wouldn’t go independent for Chair of Foreign Relations?
Hardball would have been telling Biden or Max Baucus to take one for the team in 2006 and giving Lieberman what he deserved for screwing over the Democratic voters of Connecticut and abusing the process. Lieberman has pissed on the Democratic Party for 2 years. It should have taken 2 minutes for him to tossed.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:03 am
In 2006 Joe L. begged Obama to campaign for him and promised he would not run as an ind. He promised he would not denounce Obama at the RNC.
The guy is over-the-top in the number of betrayals he’s made.
McCain will have his day to be betrayed by Joe – just wait.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:11 am
The October surprise: Lieberman defects and the Republicans try to seize the Senate in order to pass “emergency” drilling legislation.
October? The recess is in late September. Though it’s possible that Joe might jump and try to do something while Ted Kennedy’s away, chairmanship of the committees is set by S. Res. 27, without an ‘escape clause’ like the one in 2001. It would take Extreme Dick Action to change that: basically, McConnell would have to propose a new organizing resolution, then get Cheney in the chair to overrule the parliamentarian’s advice that a new resolution isn’t subject to filibuster. If he ruled that way, Reid could basically render the Senate inquorate, given that you need 51 for a quorum.
Instead, I’d agree with Ed Marshall: if McCain wins, he gets a Cabinet position; if he loses, he walks and lets Jodi Rell appoint his (R) successor, rather than be booted out in the org. res. for the next Congress. No point being in a staff job when you have a chance to spend campaign season potentially finding a Dem senate candidate (Shaheen? Allen?) to work for.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Interesting that Don Williams (#3 above) is also the name of the Democrat President of CT State Senate, who supposedly wants to run for governor. Against another Republican woman governor, who is very popular despite having done zilch and being part of the administration of our previous crooked and nasty little bastard Republican governor.
The thought of having Lieberman “represent” us in the Senate for another 4 years is depressing, but not nearly as bad as the thought of him as SecState or SecDefense.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Two popular misconceptions that need correcting:
There’s a resolution already in place that Democrats maintain control regardless of what Lieberman does.
The offshore drilling ban is going to expire on October 1st, as it does every year. There’s little to no chance anything’s passed to extend it when Republicans know they can filibuster their way to a sunset.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Lieberman, for all of his faults, is a valuable member of the Democratic caucus. Not because he’s a great progressive or even a loyal guy, but because ideologically he’s mostly a pretty liberal Democrat and parliamentarily he’s mostly a pretty reliably one. Harry Reid knows this, Mitch McConnell knows this, and most importantly Joe Lieberman knows this.
A scenario: Barack Obama and Joe Biden leave the senate upon winning the White House. Both of them are replaced by Democrats. Mary Landrieu keeps her seat in Louisiana, and Democrats pick up the seats in NM, CO, NH, VA and AK. If Lieberman remians a member of the Democratic caucus, that gives them 56 votes for cloture. Maybe Obama can use a cabinet position or judicial appointment to pick up another vote. On certain issues, like card-check, Specter will be a help. Smith and Snowe might help out other times, but getting to 60 is pretty much always going to be tough.
This is where Lieberman factors in. The Jeffords switch is the precedent. He was free to vote his conscience on any given bill, but in exchange for maintaining seniority he was bound to vote with Daschle on process. McConnell would surely like to take away a crucial vote for cloture, and Lieberman is surely aware of this being a powerful bargaining chip.
I hate it, but we really have no option but to treat Holy Joe with kid gloves.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Joe Lieberman has the same infuriating attitude of the Connecticut transportation department.
If you want to take INTERSTATE 84 from one civilized spot (Boston) to another civilized spot (Philly), Connecticut FORCES you to go THROUGH (not around) a bunch of miserable shitholes called Hartford, Waterbury, and Danbury — in the hopes that you will get hungary stuck in their damm traffic jams and dump some money onto their local , thieving merchants.
I wish I could think of some way to convince Putin to nuke the goddamm place.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:29 am
“Getting to 60″ has always been a myth. The GOP managed to get plenty of stuff done between 2004 and 2006 despite their being 45 Democrats in the Senate. The difference between ‘49 plus Bernie and Joe’ and ‘54 plus Bernie’ is enough to put the squeeze on the GOP moderates. McConnell has been able to hide his obstructionism behind Bush’s veto Sharpie for the past two years. That’s not sustainable with a Dem in the White House.
The Jeffords principle is irrelevant here because of the campaign issues. Lieberman has burned his bridges; the GOP hates traitors, even to their side. He’s heading out of the Senate.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:37 am
I agree that Lieberman leaves for a cabinet spot in a McCain administration. But what is it you think he’ll do if Obama wins? Vacate and let Rell appoint a replacement?
I’ll maintain that Lieberman remains important despite his back-stabbing during the campaign if he doesn’t retire. Who are these moderates that will feel compelled to support a Democratic agenda? I realize there a few here and there depending on the issue, but they don’t add up to many and I don’t see many more who’ll see themselves as on the bubble in 2010 if they’re simply obstructing the “liberals.”
September 9th, 2008 at 10:41 am
On the other hand, Rein’s Deli in Vernon has wonderful food–truly an oasis in a wasteland. So maybe we should spare Connecticut for the sake of Rein’s Reuben sandwich.
September 9th, 2008 at 10:46 am
I know Lieberman gets people worked up, but that is a lot of hatred for poor Connecticut. You’re really that mad about I-84?
September 9th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Re Don Williams
Unfortunately for Mr. Williams, Senator Obama will not be in the White House in January 21, 2009. The Rethuglican smear machine has already defined him and the selection of fucking whore Governor Palin has energized their fucking born again base. It’s all over but the shouting. See todays’ Washington Post relative to white women moving over to the McCain ticket. It appears that Senator Obama is the reincarnation of Michael Dukakis and John Kerry. A fucking wimp.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/08/AR2008090801825.html?hpid=topnews
September 9th, 2008 at 10:48 am
You’re really that mad about I-84?
As a Worcester, MA resident, I can tell you he’s right. All of those cities suck and there’s always construction.
September 9th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
“On the other hand, Rein’s Deli in Vernon has wonderful food–truly an oasis in a wasteland. So maybe we should spare Connecticut for the sake of Rein’s Reuben sandwich.”
Yes, great place. Exit 65 off I-84, favorite spot to stop on my occasional trips from Boston down to NYC.
Anyhow, I don’t think Lieberman is going to be relevant now no matter what he does: the Dems are probably going to have a majority of about 55-57 seats in the next Senate. Lieberman isn’t going to be the swing vote for majority, nor for the 60-vote filibuster threshold. He’s just going to hang around and be a pain in the ass for another 4 years, then retire.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Funny how the selection of ‘Jews Must Burn For Jesus’ Palin has changed SLC’s tune, no?
And yes, Lieberman’s one last moment of egoism will be to let Jodi Rell appoint his successor. He’s not going to like having his new Senate office be Dick Cheney’s repurposed man-sized safe, because the GOP won’t touch him with a shitty stick either.
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