Nov 17 2008
Joe Lieberman – The Last Of A Breed?
It looks as though Joe Lieberman may be getting kicked out of the Senate Democratic Caucus pretty soon – depending, of course, on how badly Harry Reid and the rest of the Democratic leadership need him.
Should this happen? Probably not. Understandably, many Democrats are angry at Joe for criticizing their (and his) party’s candidate in the recent presidential election. As everyone knows, Lieberman, a lifelong Democrat, endorsed Republican candidate John McCain over Democratic candidate (and now President-elect) Barack Obama, and even went so far as to pull a Zell Miller (albeit without the demonic face) and speak on behalf of McCain’s candidacy at the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. This didn’t sit well with leading Democrats, who retaliated by shutting him out of strategy meetings and making him sit all by himself in the cafeteria during lunchtime.
Even before the 2008 campaign began, Lieberman irked members of his own party with his steadfast support of President Bush’s Iraq policies and was challenged and defeated in the 2006 Democratic primary in Connecticut by a little-known guy named Ned Lamont. Thanks to the help of many Republican voters in the state, Lieberman easily won reelection, this time as an independent.
So why shouldn’t the Democrats punt Joe to the other side of the political field? Because despite his hawkish views on foreign policy, Lieberman is a diehard liberal who votes with his party on almost all domestic issues. If the Democrats banished him, they would lose an experienced and capable senator who shares most of their views.
Sure, he has a big mouth, but if the Democrats could put up with the likes of Zell Miller and Cynthia McKinney, they can put up with Joe.
Before I continue, I would just like to say that I am personally not a fan of Senator Lieberman. As a social conservative who opposes our government’s policy of military and political interventionism overseas, I have virtually nothing in common with this guy. Yet, I find Lieberman to be an interesting figure because he represents the last vestige of the Democratic Party’s Scoop Jackson wing.
For those of you who don’t know, Henry “Scoop” Jackson was a Democratic senator from the state of Washington who served in the world’s highest deliberative body throughout much of the Cold War. Like Lieberman, Jackson was a progressive on domestic issues and a hawk on foreign policy. He backed the Vietnam War and opposed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaties between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R.
He was also a dedicated supporter of Israel, as is Lieberman. Indeed, Scoop’s love for the Jewish State was as fanatical as his hatred for the Reds.
Ever since Jackson’s time in office, Democrats who assume a militant posture in the realm of foreign affairs are often referred to as “Scoop Jackson Democrats.” Lieberman certainly fits this description.
Joe’s precarious situation in the Senate as well as the tensions between him and other Democrats are stark indicators of the continuing polarization of the two major political parties in Washington. A few days ago, I read an article from a conservative pundit who expressed his happiness at the fact that the 2008 elections had weeded out most of the remaining moderates in the GOP, which is now more conservative than it has ever been in the past. Wonderful. Nice to see the Republicans trading in their “big tent” for a pup tent.
Yet, the Democrats have proven themselves to be no better, what with their efforts to nudge Lieberman out the door. A political party should be a grand condition of diverse factions all striving toward a common purpose, not an army of ideological fanatics goose-stepping toward a bland uniformity.
“Nice to see the Republicans trading in their “big tent” for a pup tent.”
I LOVE this line!
But I agree with you that the Dems should keep Lieberman on board. Obama has indicated that he wants him to stay in place, and that he feels that dumping him is counter to his bipartisan theme.
For all his faults, Obama is a brilliant politician who has an instinct for what works and what doesn’t. If he plays his cards right and uses sound judgment, he may become a Democratic Reagan, or at least another Kennedy.
I’m not sure where you got the idea that Sen. Droopy Dawg was going anywhere, but he’s not. Never was, for that matter. The worst that could have happened to him would have been a removal from the HSGAC chair, the least, and most likely, is losing his gavel on the Environment and Public Works chair.
Lieberman has a 31% approval rating in his home state, whereas 44% say they’d elect Lamont were the election to be held today. 44% may not sound like an overwhelming majority, but if you take into consideration that Lieberman won his 2006 Senate race by 3 points, taking in a whopping 36% of the vote, it should be a little more clear.
In hindsight, “kicked out” was too strong a phrase but at the least though, it doesn’t seem as though Lieberman is very welcome in the DSC anymore.
Again, i’m not a fan of him so it really doesn’t matter to me what happens to him, but i think this polarization that’s going on in both parties bodes ill for our Congress.
I’m sure you heard but Joey got his way. Even though it may not seem logical at this time. I believe it will definitely benefit the Democratic caucus. Not only with votes but the guy is extremely talented and can contribute a good deal in the future to the patry as he has done in the past. It’s just plain ole politics at it’s finest.
Yeah, i heard. Good for him and the Demcorats. It would have been a mistake to kick him off that post.
Correction: Obama got HIS way!
“Correction: Obama got HIS way!”
Touche!
“If he has to have a chairmanship, it should be on a sub-committee of the Indian Affairs committee.”
Sorry, but McCain already controls that committee and all of their gambling casinos.
Lieberman must be the only person in the Senate who represents two states instead of one.
“Lieberman must be the only person in the Senate who represents two states instead of one. ”
I don’t know why you’d say that, if Israel is the 51st state, all 50 of them must represent Israel!
“I don’t know why you’d say that, if Israel is the 51st state, all 50 of them must represent Israel! :D”
LOL
Gonna be honest, it’s kind of weird that you copied my background and used a Benjamin Franklin quote as your sub-heading, just like I did. Hmm where’s the credit due me hmm? Well I suppose imitation is the highest form of flattery.
I’m glad Lieberman was able to keep his position. He is a good politician driven by apparently good instincts.
Susie,
I wasn’t intentionally copying from you. i went through all the themes for my blog page and i felt that this one fit the best. The quote i used is one of my favorites, which i got from Ron Paul’s book of the same name. I didn’t know franklin even said it until i looked it up to put on the blog.
Oh, btw, Susie, you DID give me the idea for putting a political quote on the front page, so yes, you deserve credit for that. Thanks!