Go, Joe
Ya gotta love Joe Lieberman.
Unless you're a Democrat. Then you might hate him.
You also might be plotting how to get even with him.
Lieberman, a lifelong Democrat and 2000 Al Gore running mate -- seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? -- pitched for John McCain and declared Barack Obama not ready at the Republican convention last night.
Lieberman was re-elected to the Senate as an independent in 2006 after Connecticut Democrats dumped him in their primary. He was too hawkish and chummy with Republicans for their taste. He showed Dems he didn't need them -- in Connecticut, he's bigger than the party.
Last night, he told Republicans that he puts country ahead of party.
That kind of talk probably burned his last bridge with Democrats, with whom he still caucuses in the Senate.
Some of this is personal, too. McCain and Lieberman are great pals. I was convinced McCain would pick old Joe as his running mate and the two would live out the political version of "The Bucket List."
You know, the Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman movie about two old guys with terminal illnesses who decide to have a helluva great time on their way out.
McCain-Lieberman would go down in flames, but they'd have a blast campaigning together.
Now, with McCain hitting the campaign trail with Sarah Palin, Lieberman has to return to the Senate, where he'll be due an unfriendly reception from Democrats.
Well, so what? Republicans and a whole lotta ordinary Americans just gotta love him.
Comments (5)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Oh, my. Dems really did not like Lieberman's speech.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/03/rnc.democrat.reaction/index.html
Posted on September 3, 2008 1:13 PM
Why should Joe care about what the Dems think? They backed a candidate to beat him out of his Senate seat in the last election. He doesn't owe them anything. All that he woes them is a middle digit.
Posted on September 3, 2008 2:06 PM
He gave it to 'em.
Posted on September 3, 2008 2:12 PM
There will be a price for Joe. There's no way he'll be allowed to hold all his committee posts next year.
Posted on September 3, 2008 2:46 PM
Go, Joe
Ya gotta love Joe Lieberman.
Sure do! Ole Joe works fast! Of course are you prepare for another 100 years of Dead Americans and a Country in Chapter 7 forever?
Palin at AIPAC: That Didn’t Take Long
September 2, 2008
MSNBC and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) are reporting that Gov. Palin met this afternoon with the board of directors of the America Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and Sen. Joe Lieberman to, in the words of one McCain campaign official cited by MSNBC, put “the American Jewish community at ease over her understanding of US-Middle East relations.” It’s worth noting that Palin, who has obviously been completely off-limits to reporters since she was rolled out as McCain’s running-mate in Dayton Friday, stiffed a reception in her honor sponsored by none other than Phyllis Schlafly a couple hours later. (One wonders what other lobbies have tried to arrange a meeting with Palin in the last 96 hours and with what success.)
“We had a good productive discussion on the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and we were pleased that Gov. Palin expressed her deep, personal, and lifelong commitment to the safety and well-being of Israel,” AIPAC spokesman Josh Block said after the meeting. “Like Sen. McCain, the vice presidential nominee understands and believes in the special friendship between the two democracies and would work to expand and deepen the strategic partnership in a McCain/Palin Administration.”
“She was extremely well received,” McCain campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb said, noting that Palin was interrupted by applause twice,” according to the JTA account. He added that Palin spoke about “the relationship between Israel and American national security, and the threats to Israel from Iran and others.”
Evidence of nervousness in the McCain campaign about Palin’s impact on Jewish voters and donors was made clear when the Likudist Republican Jewish Coalition circulated a video of her Alaska office in which it found a small Israeli flag, in the words of Politico, “poking out from behind a drape.”
“I think it speaks volumes that she keeps an Israeli flag on the wall of her office,” RJC’s executive director, Matt Brooks, told Politico in an e-mail. “It clearly shows what’s in her heart.” Politico’s analysis is well worth reading. As I noted Friday, a Nexis search of the two years previous to her selection as McCain’s running-mate failed to find a single published article in which Palin ever mentioned Israel. I suspect it may make it into her acceptance speech Wednesday night.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on September 3, 2008 5:40 PM