Reid Spokesperson: Democratic Senators May Vote On Lieberman's Fate In Full Caucus Meeting

[brooklynite]

Source: Talking Points Memo

Senator Harry Reid's office has just confirmed to me, on the record, that Reid is considering a new step: Asking all the Democratic Senators to vote on Lieberman's fate at their upcoming full caucus meeting if Reid and Lieberman are unable to agree on a way for Lieberman to relinquish his plum chairmanship of the Homeland Security committee.

"If Senator Reid and Lieberman don't reach an agreement, his future chairmanship may be put to a vote by the caucus as a whole on November 18th," Reid spokesperson Jim Manley told me, in response to my questions about the next step being mulled by Reid.

Manley's assertion represents the first public acknowledgment that this possibility is being seriously considered, and is a significant ratcheting up of pressure on Lieberman by Reid's office.

Manley said it was unclear as yet how precisely the mechanics of such a move would work, but left no doubt that it was likely to happen if Lieberman and Reid didn't resolve their impasse before the next caucus meeting.

Read more: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11...

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Personally, I'd like to resolve this right now. Take the deal or depart.

[Botany]

1. Just an idea

[phantom power]

2. What is this "agree" business? Why does Reid need Lieberman's "agreement?"

[xultar]

5. Looks like you don't get it. Joementum agrees to step down or get voted out.

[phantom power]

6. voted out by the same caucus that gave him the chair in the first place?

[Scooter24]

24. Back then, we needed him to caucus with the Democrats for the majority

We don't need him now.

Let him caucus with the GOP and then work to get him out of the Senate.

[Doremus]

3. Spineless jellyfish. Blech. n/t

[bemildred]

4. Well, it seems clear that Mr Reid does not want to punish his friend Lieberman.

And he is looking for some way to lighten the blow. One can infer that much from this public dog-and-pony show that they are putting on about "negotiations" and the pretense that Lieberman has effective threats to make and leverage to employ.

[w4rma]

7. Very good.

They should vote to strip LIEberman of all committee *seats*. Force the Republicans to use their seats on him. Make him useless to his state for any pork he might want. He'll be crawling and begging to come back in a few months.

I think this works out for the best if the entire caucus votes on the decision. That way there isn't any single Senator to blame.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. So, who is in line for the Chairmanship when Leiberman leaves?

THAT is the crucial question.

[pfitz59]

20. Patty Murray?

My Senator! Good person...

[Dr.Phool]

9. "His future chairmanship"?

He ain't got no "future chairmanship".

And, he's in no position to be making demands.

Show some leadership Harry. Can his traitorous ass! Yesterday.

[acmavm]

10. Well well well. I guess we were all singing Harry's praises a

little too soon. He's still a gutless cretin.

My fault. I expected him to do the right thing.

[Toucano]

11. If Lieberman had any dignity left, he would resign his Senate seat. n-t

[NV Whino]

12. Oh good one, Harry, you gutless wonder

Make everyone else do your dirty work.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. This tells the real reason Lieberman is holidng on:

Steve Benen at washingtonmonthly.com says....

This is actually about a specific power Lieberman is intent on keeping for a specific reason.

the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is the committee principally responsible for oversight of the executive branch. It's an accountability committee, charged with investigating the conduct of the White House and the president's administration.

As chairman of this committee for the last two years, Lieberman decided not to pursue any accusations of wrongdoing against the Bush administration. Lieberman's House counterpart -- Rep. Henry Waxman's Oversight Committee -- was a vigilant watchdog, holding hearings, issuing subpoenas, and launching multiple investigations. Lieberman preferred to let his committee do no real work at all. It was arguably the most pathetic display of this Congress.

And yet, now Lieberman acts as if keeping this chairmanship is the single most important part of his public life. Why would he be so desperate to keep the gavel of a committee he hasn't used? I'll let you in on a secret: he wants to start using the power of this committee against Obama.
Lieberman didn't want to hold Bush accountable, but he seems exceedingly anxious to keep the committee that would go after Obama with a vengeance, effectively becoming a Waxman-like figure -- holding hearings, issuing subpoenas, and launching investigations against the Democratic president.

[Dr.Phool]

14. Put him on the committee in charge of waxing the cloakroom floors.

Or cleaning out latrines. He has a lot of experience with turds.

[pfitz59]

21. Polishing the door knobs.

He has a lot of experience polishing knobs!

[BronxBoy]

22. All the more reason

for dumping his as now.

[fascisthunter]

25. ah... what a worm

[Virginia Dare]

15. Everybody gets to have a piece of his demise, SWEET!...n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

16. The position is...

Senate Majority LEADER. Try acting like one for once, jellyfish.

[DFW]

17. I hope that if it comes to this, that Lieberman is there for the vote

Then Obama and Biden, who, after all, are still Senators for now, can look him right
in the eye when they vote for Lieberman to be allowed to remain in the caucus but
stripped of any position of importance.

I hope they tell him straight out: "Look, Joe, you told the country you didn't want
us to win the election, even though you claim to be one of us. We now exercise our
right to tell you that we don't you to be chairing a committee while we try and make
things work."

[santamargarita]

18. Let's tell those Democratic Senators: "it's either Lieberman or them"

Any senator that sides with "Traitor Joe" will have a tough time getting re-elected next cycle.

[pfitz59]

19. I just Emailed both my Senators

urging them to give Liebermann the boot!

[droidamus2]

23. The perfect outcome

Though I wish Reid would grow a pair and just can him maybe everybody voting is a good idea. If they vote and he loses 50-0 then he will know in no uncertain terms that he is not wanted and he can go truly become the Republican he is.

[BlueManDude]

26. They should be begging McConnel to take this sleazy weasel off their hands

[wuushew]

27. This could make for good spectacle

I recommend the Klingon ritual of discommendation.