Lieberman’s position on this isn’t much of a surprise, and nobody should really be blindsided by it. I sure hope Reid was never counting on conservative Democrats like Lieberman and Mary Landrieu to be supportive of the public option. Regardless of their positions, though, Reid’s job is to figure out how to get the votes. Don’t have full support of your party? Figure out how to get it, even if that means hard-ball bargaining with fellow Democrats. Don’t have 60 Democrats? Then find a way to get a few Republicans on board, or look at passing the bill through budget reconciliation. Ultimately, the point is that Reid needs to get this bill passed, however he has to do it.
Look, I know Reid’s job is hard. I know that, sometimes, we’re just not going to get the votes we need. But Reid has consistently had a lot of trouble getting the votes and the party unity he needs. This really isn’t about Joe Lieberman — he’ll most likely be out of the Senate after this term anyway. This is about whether Harry Reid has what it takes to get something done in the Senate.
Lieberman is like that kid that would pick on the smaller kids on the playground. Not because of any reason in particular, but that he just needed an emotional pick-me-up that day that could only come from making others feel threatened, but when confronted would suddenly become your best friend in the world.
Kind of sad that 9th graders have more emotional maturity than a Senator of the United States.
Campaigned on universal health care. What a tool.
I wonder what the committee assignments for the most junior Senator in the Senate would be?
I guess the netroots kind of regret going after Joe. Just think, if they wouldn't have tried to purge the party of those who they disagree with, they might have an extra vote. I think there is a lesson in this for both political parties.
You have got to be kidding… or very dimwitted politically. Joe Lieberman has consistently been out for Joe Lieberman only since he was first elected. Well that and Israel's best friend forever in the Senate. He has never seen a tax dollar he didn't want to go to Israel. And that isn't even on the long list of sins this piece of crap has done… remember Momentum Joe speaking at the Republican Convention?
The fact is the people who should be regretting their actions are the Democratic leadership who supported this bag of anal wind over the endorsed candidate. If there is anything I regret is voting for Mumbling Joe when he was Veep candidate with Gore.
The reason they went after Lieberman in the first place is because of this kind of garbage. The mistake was not going after him harder.
Like Amuseinc said, Joe Lieberman is only out for himself (and his enablers). I saw posted elsewhere (don't remember the source) that listed his major political contributors and, grouped by type, they were predominately health insurance, big pharma, etc. One would hope after this that Senator Lieberman would lose his chairmanship to Homeland Security. Some think that might be a carrot (or a big stick that could be wielded against his backside) to support the Health Care Reform efforts, but I have my doubts.
I vote for budget reconciliation.
Lieberman will be the first one, EVER, to filibuster his own caucus. Vote cloture then vote against it if you want.
Silly move by Lieberman, but for different reasons that you all state. Should this be about falling into place with his party? No. Shoudl this be about retaining a Chairmanship? No.
This should be about representing your state. And Connecticut is among the most supportive of public option states, with support there for it running something like 65%.
Party be damned. But he should listen to his constituents.
True. There is something to be said to fealty to past favors. Reid was very gracious to let Lieberman keep his committee assignments after his traitorous support of McCain.
Strip him, and give him to the republicans. Let him be their headache.
I agree with your sentiment. Lieberman has received over 2 mill i believe, from health and insurance companies. Wonder who his real constituents are?
I do take exception to the idea that voting cloture is "falling into place". Cloture just allows for a democratic, majority rules, up or down vote. Blocking your own caucus from the right to vote means you do not belong in the caucus. By all means vote against the measure, but blocking your caucus means you are not part of that caucus.
As I've said all along, we do NOT have sixty democrats in the senate.
You want to know everything you need to know about Joe Liebermann and who he represents? Find out who employs his wife and what her job is with that employer. He sure doesn't report to his boss, the voters of Connecticut.
They say that the Senate is the most exclusive club in the world… and how Joe the Worm is getting treated is a great example of what is wrong with that club.
Reid Needs to go!
Chuck Schumer 4 majority Leader!!!
Let's wait to see what happens, eh?
Chuck Schumer just said Lieberman will absolutely vote for cloture.
Recently, when Lieberman was asked if he would sacrifice his chairmanship to scuttle the public option by voting against cloture, his response was "god no!"
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE KILLED THE PUBLIC PLAN! OMGWTFBBQ!!111!!!elevnty