Chairman Lieberman

Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.com argues persuasively, and thoroughly, that Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-D., Ct.) should be stripped by House Democrats of his position as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. The most interesting (though not most significant) point she makes might be the comments Lieberman made when he was seeking reelection in Connecticut to his Senate seat in 2006. Below view Lieberman arguing

I want Democrats to be back in the majority in Washington and elect a Democratic president in 2008. This man will frustrate and defeat our hopes of doing that.




It's not the rank hypocrisy or dishonest of Lieberman, perhaps the most active surrogate and spokesman for the McCain-Palin ticket, claiming that he wants to "elect a Democratic president in 2008." Rather, it's the realization that Lieberman, engaged in a tough re-election battle, found it politically advantageous in Connecticut to align himself with the Democratic Party and its efforts at capturing a Congressional majority and the White House.

Connecticut. Two Democratic Senators. Five Democratic, 0 Republican U.S. Representatives. A 10-11% margin for the Democratic nominee in 2004; a 22-23% margin for the Democratic nominee in 2008. (O.K., a Republican governor, but we'll try to rectify that in 2010.) Joe Lieberman, if stripped of his chairmanship of Homeland Security, might bolt to the Repub Party. But if he does (and maybe even if he doesn't), he'll continue to vote issue-by-issue in the United States Senate- and be defeated if he runs for re-election in 2012.