Posted on 11/13/2006 8:51:39 AM PST by screw boll
Sounds like Harry Reid is jerking Joe around on the committee assignments.
Joe Lieberman is focused on the national security issue, and he's never wavered an inch on it since 9/11. He has been as steadfast as Bush or Rumsfeld or any other Republican. He is absolutely reliable on the war, and will not cut any political deal that will cause the US position to collapse. Part of his reasoning, of course, is the threat to the US, and part too is the threat to his beloved Israel. Joe has ALL his skin in the Middle Eastern game, and regardless of his liberalism on every other issue, and his willingness to flip-flop politically on every other issue, he will take winning the war to the mattresses.
Indeed, he already did! He let his party throw him out and ran as an independent, rather than backing off the war ONE INCH. And in the 2004 elections, he stood up there with all those other Dems who campaigned against the war, and said the unpopular thing to his party base: we have to fight.
On national security there is NO MAN in Congress or the White House, of either party, who has staked so much politically and RISKED so much politically for an adamant stance on the war.
And THAT'S why I voted for Joe Lieberman. Didn't even have to hold my nose to do it. America's at war...not legally, but really, as far as I am concerned...and winning the war is more important than the entirety of domestic policy. It trumps everything. It's not the main thing, it's the ONLY thing, and Joe Lieberman was THE MAN on the war.
So, here's Joe, telling the Democrats "Yeah, I'll caucus with you. No, we're not cutting and running from Iraq. Period." Dems want some wiggle room (remember, Lieberman will be Armed Services Chair, so he'll be THE Senate military policy guy). Joe isn't going to give them a hair of it. For as long as Joe Lieberman is sitting in that chair, America's staying put to fight. If they remove Joe Lieberman from that chair because they don't want to fight, he WILL switch parties and caucus with the other side.
America cuts and runs, Iraq falls to the Shi'ite radicals, Iran is given huge breathing space, and Israel gets nuked. Lieberman knows that. He will throw the Democrats under the bus and become a Republican before he lets that happen. It's the ONE THING you can count on from the man.
Lieberman has meant what he said on the war since September 11, 2001. He hasn't wavered, backed off, prevaricated, or budged. He put it in his own party's face, twice. He's utterly dependable here.
If you don't root for Joe, change your mind. When it comes to the War On Terror, he is the unbudgeable Churchillian figure, hard as that is to swallow because he's a liberal Democrat to the core.
Think FDR. Think Harry Truman. That's how adamant Joe is on the war. He can be counted on. Even if it means throwing the Senate into chaos.
I want to know that if he does change over, it becomes 50 repubs, 49 dems and 1 independent wouldn't we hold the majority status especially as Cheney sits to break any possible ties? THerefore, senate chairs would be in republican hands not dem (very important for upcoming judicial confirmations)...I say "let's give Joe some real positive reasons for changing - it's no different than when Jeffords jumped and gave dems control back in 2001!
You are absolutely correct.
IMHO, if he switches sides its anorder from the democrats so that they can lay blame to the "boogie man" Republican controlled Senate.
I agree and you said it beautifully. Joe will not let Israel go down.
I am kind of enjoying it. Actually Joe can call shots for the next couple of years for real. Hah hah.
Lieberman isn't going to switch, unless he wants to move his new office in January 2009 to be cubicle that used to be a men's room stall.
He may actually want to tag team with McCain so if the Democrats don't give him a prominent position he may very will leave.
I agree with you, the dems treated him horribly because of his support for the war. All of them avoided him and basically backstabbed him in favor of Lamont. He now knows who his friends are, although I don't think he will become Republican. But hey, why not play with thems for a while. I bet they were all over him, like a long lost friend when he won as an independant.
Sounds interesting, but don't count your chickens before they hatch.
How do you know that? I thought Conn. was a dem stronghold.
The Rats should call his bluff.
There is zero chance Lieberman would actually switch.
McCain - Lieberman in '08?
Won't Sanders cancel him out, thus giving the Dems an advantage still even if Lieberman votes GOP?
No, he was elected to the Senate thanks entirely to Rush, who was so sick of one of the worst RINO's ever,, Lowell Weiker.
49 Dems + Sanders = 50. 49 Pubbies + Lieberman + Cheney = 51.
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