Friday, December 09, 2005

Reid: Lieberman "Alone"

Yikes. Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), the Minority Leader and the leader of Lieberman's caucus, had this to say on the Bill Press Show yesterday:

"I’ve spoken to Joe Lieberman and he knows he’s out there alone. I mean, literally alone. Joe is a fine man, he has strong feelings, but he’s just alone. Even Republicans don’t agree with Joe."

They don't? ...Have you asked them?

How telling is it that Reid, the most powerful Democrat in Washington, is distancing himself (and by extension the party) from Lieberman?

He may know something we don't about the Secretary of Defense rumors, or he may just be expressing frustration with a difficult party member.

Really an interesting quote.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. That is *very* interesting. Perhaps there's more truth to the rumors than we'd thought.

Or maybe he's just feeling the "Joementum."

ctkeith said...

Payback's a bitch,

Justice could only be served if Joe was filibustered by the Senate and Defeated in the Election(better yet in the Dem Primary if Lowell can be convinced) by Weicker.

Anonymous said...

The Washington Post picks up on the widespread and growing antagonism towards Lieberman:

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters this week that "I completely disagree" with Lieberman. She added: "I believe that we have a responsibility to speak out if we think that the course of action that our country is on is not making the American people safer, making our military stronger and making the region more stable."
....
The administration, on the other hand, can't stop gushing over Lieberman. Vice President Cheney called him "a fine U.S. senator," and Republican National Chairman Ken Mehlman contrasted him with his "retreat and defeat" Democratic colleagues. White House spokesman Scott McClellan cited Lieberman, the Democrats' 2000 vice presidential nominee, as an exception in a party otherwise "trying to score political points off the situation."
.....
"Senator Lieberman is past the point of being taken seriously in the caucus because everything he does is seen as advancing his own self-interest, instead of the Democratic interest," said a senior Senate Democratic aide, who described discontent in that chamber as "widespread."


Weicker is sounding more like a candidate here:
"The Democratic silence has been deafening on this for the past two years," Weicker said in an interview. "I have no more respect for them." But if Lieberman doesn't begin to distance himself from Bush's war policies, he said, "that's it -- we go to the mat."

In the Journal Inquirer:
[Connecticut Citizen Action Group Director Tom] Swan said "people close to Weicker" had told him Weicker wasn't about to go after the Democrats' endorsement by himself, but probably would accede to a draft by town committees or local elected officials.
The Manchester Democratic Town Committee may be the first of many.

Regardless of whether a challenger is found, Joe's political capital at home and elsewhere is quickly drying up.

Genghis Conn said...

I know that this antagonism against Lieberman has been building for years, but it's amazing to me how quickly and vehemently it's all come out.

I think this quote is what finally drove people like Reid and Pelosi over the edge:

"It's time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge he'll be commander-in-chief for three more years ... We undermine the president's credibility at our nation's peril."

That wrecks the entire Democratic strategy and makes the Democratic Party seem divided. That, coupled with the rumors about a possibility of Joe becoming Secretary of Defense (which he has coyly denied so far) were the last straw.

Something has changed about the 06 Senate race. It isn't going to be boring.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure... but was my last posting deleted? Or did it just not get posted?

In any case, ctkeith, I'm not sure what you mean about Joe being filibusted by the Senate. Do you mean censured? Not likely while the Republicans control the chambers.

And I don't see how any of this could be in Lieberman's own best interests. Its obvious that he's being left to drift out at sea. His outspokeness is brave, in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

GC,

That quote showed Joes true colors.

Someone should ask Joe if W,Cheney and Rummy start building Gas chambers for the concentration camps the CIA is operating all over the world if it's OK if someone speaks up.

ctkeith said...

Quinn,

You have to be right to be brave otherwise you're just stupid.

The filibuster has to do with the coming nomination for Sec. Of Defense.

Justice demands that if he is nominated by W his Senate Confimation should end in a filibuster.

Aldon Hynes said...

Genghis, you write, "I know that this antagonism against Lieberman has been building for years, but it's amazing to me how quickly and vehemently it's all come out."

I suspect this may be an illustration of The Tipping Point.

When a catalyst appears, and people start coming out on an issue, it makes it easier for other people to stand up.

That is part of the reason I've always distrusted simple polls asking if people approve or disapprove of someone. I believe that polls that have a greater gradation are much more informative.

While both Rell and Lieberman have high approval ratings, you cannot tell how strongly people approve.

Will it take a lot to get most voters to change from approve to disapprove, or will it be very simple?

Without better polls, it is hard to tell. However, I think you are right, it will be an exciting election cycle.

Anonymous said...

The Dem left now is like the R right in the Clinton years. They are so sure everyone agrees with them they press on with attacks, convinced that yes, the people will finally see the light.

The fact that the general public likes Lieberman and Rell is as immaterial to them now as the public support for Bubba was to Gingrich & co. in 1998.

Also, any time the GOP rank and file complains about a weak kneed RINO (usually one holding a committee chairman post based on the votes of fellow R's)standing in the way of the party agenda, the Left trots out their "the tent isn't that big" mantra.

But obviously a former VP candidate cannot have an issue position that differs from the National Chairman when it comes to the Democrats. So much for "diversity".

Anonymous said...

knock knock, anyone home? the dem leaders are disagreeing with him and saying he is alone on his views pertaining to the war. not the million other issues facing our country. for instance, he recently gave very hard questions to a propspective homeland sec candidate about her actions in deleting racial profile date in a press release. sorry to see that wasnt mentioned on the blog genghis.

Anonymous said...

further, to the anonomous anti-semite, references to concentration camps when referring to a person whose wife's mother was a survivor are tastless. you should be ashamed.

Aldon Hynes said...

Anonymous(1:24) I sure hope you are correct comparing the Dem left to the R right in the Clinton years. The Clintonista's are now in the minority and the R right are now in power.

Anonymous said...

Aldon: considering the warm spot the DC GOP have for caribou, pork and courting the media you have a hard time proving the "right" are in charge these days.

Bottom line is Dubya ran as a moderate. Without Al Queda and an opposition party eager to cave in to them the conservatives would have been less motivated and less united than they have been

Anonymous said...

Churchill once stood all alone too. I hate war and disagree with Bush on virtually every issue, except the war. We must eradicate Osama and all who share his views. So, I appreciate politicans who are willing to go against the prevailing winds and I am proud that Joe is my U.S. Senator. Even those who now attack him must concede, at the very least, that Joe has firmly held and unwavering beliefs, unlike Connecticut's other U.S. Senator.

ctkeith said...

Spirit of 1776,

You think we'll find Osama in Iraq.

Bush will have most of our troops out by election day of 06.

The civil war has already started and the only way the US wins is if the Bathe party retakes control and we find our new Saddam.

Remember,Saddam was a bastard but he was our bastard.

Anonymous said...

Deanfan is a fan of a fruitcake. The US is in Iraq and now it's about success and most rational Democrats know that and they wish Dean would stay out of making policy statements from his hip pocket.

Anonymous said...

Define success you idiot,

The only one who has been successful since 9/11 is Osama bin forgotten.

Go read his fatwa against the USA from 1998.W gave him everything he asked for and more.

W even broke our military which means Osamas task today is easier.