"Why wont anyone stand up to Joe Lieberman?"

[mzmolly]

Chris Matthews asked this question of Howard Dean yesterday, and I think it's a good question!

Instead of the focus today being on Joe Lieberman, and his ever changing whims, Dean and the WH are pissing at one another?

Obama does not oppose a public option and/or a medicare buy in, Lieberman does! And the fact that the White House and Reid are essentially allowing him to toy with the fate of the American public, is what everyone (including Howard Dean) should be focused on IMHO.

[treestar]

1. Has Tweety told us what can be done to force Lieberman to vote

in a way he does not want to? Any Senator.

Thanking Tweety in advance.

[mzmolly]

3. I can tell you.

Remove the ass from his chair position if he continues the games he's playing.

[treestar]

6. How can that actually be done?

What procedure is needed? Does the President have anything to do with it? Who can do it?

[mzmolly]

8. Good question. The answer - it's up to Reid to do so.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30676.html

[treestar]

9. Sounds like he thinks he doesn't have the time

Like he might do it later when he has the time. DU makes it sound very easy, but from that it looks like it might not be.

[mzmolly]

10. Where do you get the idea that it would take much time?

However, my point is that Reid should tell Lieberman he'll make time, if he doesn't start acting like a Democrat.

[treestar]

17. Like most things, it looks like it is not so easy as some make it out to be

DUers who think they know how to do things and dictate how they think they should be done most likely have no idea what things involve.

Tell me what your job is and I'll tell you how easy I think it is and how you should do it.

[Renew Deal]

2. I agree

I don't think Obama is or was the problem. Lieberman is the one who changed his commitment at the last minute, not Obama.

[Tansy_Gold]

4. Well, here's the question that needs to be asked

Which one of them got his way?

Which one of them fought for what he wanted?


jillan posted this over in GD. Read it and tell me then who came out on top in this fight.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/02/09/prepared_remarks_of_senator_barack_obama?mode=PF


TG2012

[atreides1]

5. Sorry

But Obama became part of the problem the second he waved the white flag, and let Lieberman have his way!

Just like it's his war now, this is his as well.

[JVS]

7. They are either afraid of him, or he is playing the heavy for them

[LoZoccolo]

11. I don't even blame the White House for not throwing a fit at Joe Lieberman.

Yelling and screaming are only one way to defeat your opponent's resolve, and here it just won't work because:

1. His ouster from the Democratic primary means that he will likely be appealing to a different base for votes in 2012, or...
2. He doesn't care because he could retire anyways.

So this strategy likely will not produce results; Lieberman wants the votes of people who don't like Obama. Obama, being pretty skilled at strategy, is likely trying something more intricate and delicate.

Dean, though I admire his sincerity, has a tendency to speak his mind, which might not be what you want when you're in the middle of finessing this situation from Lieberman.

[mzmolly]

15. I don't want them to yell and scream

I want them to kick his ass behind closed doors. ;) If Lieberman leaves the party, at least they myth of a "filibuster proof majority" will fall by the wayside.

For the record, Chris posed the question to Dean as well.

[Ikonoklast]

20. You just know that sanctimonious little prick never got a good beat-down

in his life.


But some people aren't even worth getting blood and snot on your fist.

Or so I've heard.

[sabrina 1]

18. Obama and Lieberman are friends. Lieberman was

chosen by Obama to be his mentor in the Senate. Why would someone who is a friend so openly oppose the president on a critical issue like this, especially if, as we are told, Obama supports extending more help to the people? Why not meet with him and discuss it?

As for how the WH handled both Dean's actions and Lieberman's actions, if we believe that Obama wanted a bill which gave more to the people than Private Insurance, why did they berate Dean and not Lieberman?

Someone in the WH needs to answer that question. Because people are reacting to what they actually saw. They saw the WH basically tell Dean to be quiet, quiet about what we are told Obama probably supports. But Lieberman who is openly derailing what we are told the WH supports, gets a pass. Now, if that not what it looks like, the WH needs to say so.

[Fumesucker]

12. Because the WH is too busy standing up *for* the Lieberpustule? n/t

[Vincardog]

13. Obama does not oppose a public option and/or a medicare buy in? Does he support them?

I think not

[mzmolly]

14. Yes

he does.

[Cleita]

16. Joe has been in the Senate a long time. I think he knows where a lot

of the bodies are buried and as the little troll that he is revealing himself to be, he won't hesitate to call in his chips. He also seems to have powerful protection from the industries we are trying to override in this debate of life and death, the insurance cartel.

[Marr]

19. Oh, brother. He chastises Obama critics, then turns around and

asks a dumbass question like this. He's not this stupid-- he can't be. He's got to be trying to help sell the official spin, and convince people they should direct their anger at this lone Senator rather than the broader leadership that's colluding with him.

[mzmolly]

21. Unfortunately we have no choice but to

work with him. He LOVES the power he has as well. I'd like to take it from him, personally.