| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Politix |
| Lieberman calls himself "Independent Democrat" for now... won't say no to future switch |
| 2006-11-13 |
| Sen. Joe Lieberman on Sunday repeated his pledge to caucus with Senate Democrats when the 110th Congress convenes in January, but refused to slam the door on possibly moving to the Republican side of the aisle. Asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" if he might follow the example of Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont, who left the Republicans in 2001 and became an independent, ending Republican control of the U.S. Senate, Lieberman refused to discount the possibility. "I'm not ruling it out but I hope I don't get to that point," he said. "And I must say -- and with all respect to the Republicans who supported me in Connecticut -- nobody ever said, 'We're doing this because we want you to switch over. We want you to do what you think is right and good for our state and country,' and I appreciate that." And more from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: In an e-mail message late Thursday, Lieberman's spokesman said the senator will begin his new term as a Democrat. The senator is in line to become chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Interesting. "I'm going to caucus with the Democrats both because it's good for my constituents in Connecticut, because I retained my seniority, I become a committee chair, but also I want to continue to work to bring the party back to its historic traditions of strength on national security, foreign policy and innovation and progress in domestic policy," Lieberman said Sunday. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #21 I just lived through the VA election. Firstly, I have had tremendous respect for Webb based on his bio and books, though I have disagreed with him about the geostrategic need for Western military force in the ME. However, after the campaign I believe he is no longer the guy we might think he is. He compromised a ton of his principles -- embracing former enemies like Kerry and Clinton and the loony left brownshirts he used crash Allen events and create story fodder for the WaPo -- to get a hold of power. He also (through surrogates not directly, which would have been more in tune with his values) went after Allen's first marriage and mother's religion as campaign issues. Webb has been married 3 times and I am sure Allen had some dirt on him as well, but at least he did not descend quite that far. I expect Webb will be sounding more like Murtha than a 'Republican' before long as he seemed to feed off of the adulation of the young lefties around here in NoVa. Also, as a Republican myself, I will never forgive Allen for running such a bad campaign. No doubt Webb was tough opponent but how hard could it be for him to say "I lowered taxes and will continue to do so" or some other positive aspect of his record rather than running to Webb's left on Tailhook or criticising his novels and, in the process, betraying his own ignorance. If the Senate were not in the balance, I would not have cared either way. As it is, I think I cared more than Allen himself based on his lame campaign. |
| Posted by: JAB 2006-11-13 21:27 |
| #20 double posted and left some text out to boot. sigh. above should read: ... if he flipped, hes what we need: he's right on guns, right on defense and... |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-13 20:04 |
| #19 Actually Webb's more of a Repub than some of the ones we got in there - if he flipped, on defense and border security, judges who interpet instead of making law, and a strong military he'd be no RINO unlike Chaffee. He's the Dem's version of Chaffee right now, a DINO. I heard that if Allen hadn't run, Webb would have tried to run as a Republican. Thats OK tho - Allen will probably run and win for Warner's seat. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-13 20:02 |
| #18 Actually Webb's more of a Repub than some of the ones we got in there - if he flipped, on defense and border security, judges who interpet instead of making law, and a strong military he'd be no RINO unlike Chaffee. He's the Dem's version of Chaffee right now, a DINO. I heard that if Allen hadn't run, Webb would have tried to run as a Republican. Thats OK tho - Allen will probably run and win for Warner's seat. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-13 20:01 |
| #17 I would rather that he stay on the left side, we have enought RINOs for now. Dovetailing nicely into my next comment: I am starting a grass roots campaign of Veterans Against McClueless err McCain. He can take his exploratory committee and his gang of fourteen and shove it where the sun don't shine. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-11-13 18:27 |
| #16 Steve and Old Spook - thanks for an uplifting thought. Any way it happened would be sweeeet! The Republicans sent a loud and clear message but no Pelosi or Murtha. I would love to see Nancy's face if that ever happened. We could take futures on whether it would crack or melt. |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-13 18:14 |
| #15 Thing is, Webb flips Repub, he'll get tons of votes in VA. A populist like him has always done well there. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-13 16:53 |
| #14 Testor is a solid Democrat, he won't bolt. Webb won't bolt for a while; he understands that you dance with the one who brung ya. He collected over a million votes from Democrats. Liebermann won't bolt just yet; he's sizing up all the angles and that will take a little while. It would be very interesting if both he and Webb came over at the same time (Make Webb the #2 on the Armed Services Committee and give Liebermann the chair of his choice), so that it's 51-49 and no need for Cheney every day. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-11-13 16:09 |
| #13 Lieberman was just warning Reid not to mess with committee assignmnets. yeah, but the nut roots are looking to see him crucified and he's an idiot if he doesn't take the plum assignments that the Repubs would offer him. He would find more acceptance to his liberal social policies in the Republican party than he will ever find acceptance among the left who would rather lose the Senate than see him rewarded in their own party. Agree Webb is a loose cannon. I'd rather the left kept him and we got Liberman or Tester (if he's in play). |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-13 14:10 |
| #12 Lieberman was just warning Reid not to mess with committee assignmnets. Webb is a loose cannon who doesn't care about anyone's opinion except his own. It will be much more fun with him firing behind Democratic lines. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2006-11-13 13:58 |
| #11 Lieberman is in the catbird seat. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2006-11-13 12:11 |
| #10 plus..you know that Pelosi is going to really drive him crazy.. heh, heh. |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-13 12:03 |
| #9 Lieberman is Left on most domestic issues, but very much correct on Defense, Israel and the War. Webb is the joker in the deck. Read "Born Fighting". The man is a conservative populist - loved Reagan, the Marine Corps, and the current military. Beleives politicians should earnthier respect. Believes in smaller government. Belives in fighting corruption. Beleives in controlling the borders for security - and in a fair shake for immigrants, but ONLY if they assimilate and are not criminal elements. the only place he differs in on the Iraq war, and as a former Marine combat officer in Vietnam, he outlines how the Vietnamese got sold downthe river and has vowed to not let it happen again. He does differ on the war in Iraq, but its more a matter of how he thinks things need to be done versus Bush's unquestioning support of Rummy & that way of fighting it. Thinks free trade has been used to screw the common man. More like Buchannan and the Paleo-Conservatives than he is any liberal. He was a Republican of long standing until he decided to get into this race. And there is a solid chance that if they piss him off enough, he'll pull a Jeffords on them. They are going to have a hell of a time keeping Jim Webb on the ranch - especially if the house pushes all kinds of loony lefty crap over to the senate and they try shove it down Webb's throat. He'll at least be the "John McCain Maverick" of the dems. Wanna bet the press trashes him instead of praises him? |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-13 11:42 |
| #8 oh yeah. That's right. Good riddance. People who attempt to please all by straddling the fence please neither. Lieberman should take that to heart. He will NEVER please the left. EVER. He should get off the fence, take the goodies and be true to himself. |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-13 11:04 |
| #7 Chafee was defeated -- he's gone come January. I'm pleased. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2006-11-13 11:02 |
| #6 Anon, Lincoln Chafee lost to Sheldon Whitehouse (Dem) But the Lieberman story is just another reason why GWB's pre-emptive buckle is so mystifying. |
| Posted by: Grunter 2006-11-13 11:01 |
| #5 oops independent Republican |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-13 09:14 |
| #4 I'm still wondering if Webb or Montana What's his name will switch. Reminds me of law and order - the first guy to play gets the best goodies. And there will be lots of goodies to anyone who chooses to switch. But then, maybe Chafee would switch to Dem - but then maybe somebody else would want to see what is behind door #1. This could get interesting. Can you run as one thing and switch to another - or is it just because Chafee and Liberman ran as independents that they get all this power. Isn't there one more independent out there? The country is so evenly split, that the insanity of the nutroots and the unpopularity of Murtha make it much easier to be tempted by the power that a switch could provide. If I was liberman - I'd take the gold ring and all of the Republican good will that goes with it (his own party hates him) and declare myself an independent - before someone else does. |
| Posted by: anon 2006-11-13 09:13 |
| #3 One of the all-time classic reversals of political fortune... credit to the nutroots and the voters who aren't total idjits, but such language, lol. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-11-13 03:07 |
| #2 So . . . with 49 Republicans (+ Cheney), and 50 Dems, control of the Senate is actually entirely subject to Lieberman's whim. That's a heck of a position to have maneuvered oneself into, either by design or by accident. I'm glad he's not a scumbag, because he sure has plenty of incentive to become one. But after the way Dems treated him, I don't see any harm in reminding them that he has em all by the short and curlies. |
| Posted by: exJAG 2006-11-13 02:45 |
| #1 Its not a bad idea to test these waters before joining up. |
| Posted by: Sneaze Shaiting3550 2006-11-13 01:25 |