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The Senate: Answering The Lieberman Question
QandO —
Apparently Reid’s meeting with Lieberman must not have gone quite the way Harry hoped it would. I’m sure Reid planned to pull Lieberman’s chairmanship citing his support for the opposition as the reason, but have him remain a member of the Democratic caucus. It seems Lieberman isn’t going to go down easily: ...
McConnell Tries to Bring Lieberman Into GOP
The Page by Mark Halperin - TIME.com —
... The minority leader is reaching out to the Independent senator who chose to back McCain in the election but also caucused with the Democrats.
Lieberman is still bargaining with Democratic leaders to keep his chairmanship, according to Senate aides in both parties. ...
McConnell Urges Lieberman to Switch
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire —
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) "has reached out to Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) about the prospect of joining the Republican conference, but Lieberman is still bargaining with Democratic leaders to keep his chairmanship," according to Politico. However, insiders said "there was little McConnell could offer in terms of high ranking committee slots, which is why Lieberman is resisting overtures from the Republican side."
It's Not a Negotiation
Talking Points Memo —
... Joe Lieberman is putting out word that if the Democrats don't allow him to keep his chairmanship, he'll take up Mitch McConnell's invitation to join the Republican caucus. I think the answer has to be, go for it. ...
What Lieberman finds 'unacceptable'
Political Animal —
WHAT LIEBERMAN FINDS 'UNACCEPTABLE'.... As political theater goes, the exploits of Joe Lieberman really are odd. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has reached out to Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) about the prospect of joining the Republican conference, but Lieberman is still bargaining with Democratic leaders to keep his chairmanship, according to Senate aides in both parties. "Senator Lieberman's preference is to stay in the caucus, but he's going to keep all his options open," a Lieberman aide said. "McConnell has reached out to him and at this stage his position ...
Lieberman Aide Threatens Reid: He'll Bolt Dem Caucus
TPM Election Central —
... The Politico has just posted a story on Joe Lieberman's battle to hang on to his plum committee slot, but Politico kind of buries the lede. The real story here is that Lieberman's aides are now openly threatening Senate leader Harry Reid by saying that Lieberman will stop caucusing with Dems if his chairmanship is revoked: ...
The Joementum Saga, Day 2
Blah3 Feed —
So Holy Joe is making threats now? Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has reached out to Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) about the prospect of joining the Republican Conference, but Lieberman is still bargaining with Democratic leaders to keep his chairmanship, according to Senate aides in both parties. “Sen. Lieberman’s preference is to stay in the caucus, but he’s going to keep all his options open,” a Lieberman aide said. “McConnell has reached out to him, and at this stage, his position is he wants to remain in the caucus but ...
Lieberman Calling His Senator Pals, Begging To Stay
Firedoglake —
Politico confirms that Lieberman is working his Senate colleagues to keep his chairmanship:
Lieberman has since been having phone conversations with colleagues, but has yet to meet with any in person. Most senators are receptive to ...
Bayh: Democrats ‘Should Have a Spirit Of Forgiveness With Regard To Joe Lieberman’
Think Progress —
... that I think we all can relate to,” Bayh stated. Watch it:
The New York Times reported that “some Senate Democrats and aides say it is unthinkable to let Mr. Lieberman head a committee that will conduct oversight of the Obama administration,” given his ad hominem attacks on Obama during the campaign. An anonymous Lieberman aide said losing the chairmanship would be “unacceptable.”
Bayh concluded that Lieberman is “strong on national ...
McConnell reaches out to Lieberman
Democratic Underground Latest Breaking News —
... from the Republican side. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Lieberman met Thursday, yet Reid is waffling over whether to revoke Liebermans chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee and may instead hold a secret vote among Democratic members on whether to kick Lieberman out of the caucus. Senate aides from both parties caution that Liebermans state is still truly up in the air and Reid could still craft a scenario where Lieberman keeps his chairmanship. Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15401.html
Senator, You Can Have My Answer Now, If You Like
FiveThirtyEight: Politics Done Right —
So alludes Josh Marshall at TPM, in advising Harry Reid on how to handle Joe Lieberman. Per Politico, a Lieberman staffer says of Lieberman, his position is he wants to remain in the caucus but losing the chairmanship is unacceptable. It's hard not to laugh openly at that. Lieberman has zero leverage. Throwing out childish tantrum words like "unacceptable" assumes that Democrats stand to lose something if Lieberman goes to the Republican side. Remember, this is the guy John McCain desperately wanted to pick for VP. Republicans ...
No EFCA For Harry Reid?
Riehl World View —
Spotted this bit down in an item on McConnell reaching out to Lieberman.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Lieberman met Thursday, yet Reid is waffling over whether to revoke Lieberman’s chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee and may instead hold a secret vote among Democratic members on whether to kick Lieberman out of the caucus.
If it's cynical for pols to get elected by secret ballot, then take it away from someone else as per below - isn't it even worse that they acknowledge ...
Lieberman To Caucus With Republicans?
Say Anything —
This would be a whole lot more interesting if had happened two years ago when the Democrats tried to get Lieberman unelected and the partisan margins in the Senate were a lot closer. Lieberman switching sides would have, essentially, given the majority to the Republicans.
Now? It’s just more of a symbolic move.
“Sen. Lieberman’s preference is to stay in the caucus, but he’s going to keep all his options open,” a Lieberman aide said. “McConnell has reached out to him, and at this stage, his position ...
The Danger Within-- Reactionary Democrats In The House And Senate
DownWithTyranny! —
... Reid told Lieberman he'd have to give up his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee-- which he ran abysmally and exactly the way a Republican would have run it, protecting Bush's ass. Lieberman refuses to give it up-- even though Reid offered him the chairmanship of the Veteran Affairs Committee, an insult to every fighting man and woman who ever served the country-- and says he'll start caucusing with ...
You can have Joe
Martini Revolution —
Go ahead and take Joe Lieberman, please:
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has reached out to Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) about the prospect of joining the Republican Conference, but Lieberman is still bargaining with Democratic leaders to keep his chairmanship, according to Senate aides in both parties.
“They’ve been talking,” McConnell spokesman Don Stewart said.
A Lieberman aide cautioned that “Sen. Lieberman’s preference is to stay in the caucus, but he’s going to keep all his options open. McConnell has reached out to him, ...
Promises, Promises
Whiskey Fire —
... I shot your pony.
I have a pony.
You have a gun.
I am out of ammo.
However!
Giving you my pony would be unacceptable. ...
ZP Heller: Lieberman Must Go Once and for All
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com —
... Make no mistake, Lieberman cannot be trusted. Not only is he a Republican, but he is the kind of Republican who embodies the divisive, hawkish agenda and fear-mongering espoused by George Bush, Dick Cheney, and John McCain. Perhaps that is why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has invited Lieberman to join the Republican party once and for all. Of course, Lieberman is also an opportunist, so if the Democrats offer him another gavel within the party like Chairmanship of Veterans' Affairs (a colossal mistake considering his ...
The Case Against Lieberman
Firedoglake —
... After the meeting between Reid and Lieberman last week, it was reported that Reid told him he was welcome to stay in the Democratic caucus if he traded in his powerful chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee for a less influential one as chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. Lieberman gave a press conference afterwards in which he threatened once again to caucus with the Republicans and called Reid's offer "unacceptable." But how big a threat was that? Would Lieberman join a diminished Republican minority, have no chairmanship whatsoever, and enter a ...
11/11: Lieberman Vs. The Netroots: The Sequel
Blogometer —
... Dem Senators to remove Lieberman as chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Liberal bloggers don't care that Lieberman is threatening to caucus with the GOP Senators if the Dems take away his committee chairmanship. In their view, the Dems no longer need Lieberman now that they have at least 57 seats (or 56 without him). Moreover, they're not willing to let Lieberman use his authority as chair of the Homeland Security Committee to investigate Barack Obama 's administration. ...
Nothing Knots Knickers Faster Than A Renegade Democrat
Deceiver.com —
... So now Reid wants Lieberman out of the Democratic caucus and he wants to do it by holding a secret ballot. However, as ...
