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Lieberman hopes to buy some Democratic goodwill

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Joe Lieberman, whose recent partisan conduct has been wearing on the nerves of congressional Democrats, no doubt realizes that he’s burnt some bridges with his former party. Lieberman is also no doubt aware of the fact that if the Senate Democratic caucus grows next year, which is likely, the chances of him remaining as a committee chairman are exceedingly small.

So, for the first time in a long while, he’s trying to increase some Democratic goodwill — by buying it.

Money can’t buy him love, but John McCain-backing Joe Lieberman is hoping a little cash will diffuse Democrats’ anger towards him — and help him keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Public Works Committee.

After forking over $100,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee last year, the Connecticut Democrat-turned-independent has written a second $100,000 check to DSCC Chairman Chuck Schumer in recent days, according to a people familiar with the situation.

“Basically, he doesn’t want everybody to hate him,” one Lieberman-friendly Democrat said. “Plus he wants to keep his committee.”

I don’t doubt the DSCC appreciates the check, but if Lieberman expects this will improve his deteriorating reputation, he probably doesn’t appreciate the mess he’s made.

Lieberman will likely appear and speak at the Republican National Convention.

Lieberman defended McCain’s celebrity attack ad: “To some extent the appearance of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears — people complain about it — they should just relax and enjoy it.”

Lieberman is even further to McCain’s right in embracing radical fundamentalist evangelists.

Asked why he would bash Obama on Israel

, Lieberman responded, “It’s my way of thinking that if I’ve concluded, as I have, that John McCain is best for our country, then why wouldn’t I do that?”

Lieberman has taken on the role of Republican attack dog for months.

Pressed on whether he’d give Lieberman’s gavel to a Democrat if the party expanded its majority next year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently told reporters, “Next year will be next year when we get there.”

It’s going to take more than $100,000, Joe.

Comments

  • Curmudgeon

    says:

    Typical lazy politician. Thinks he can get out of any probelm by throwing wads of cash at it. Not this time, Joe. People are paying attention. Nice try.

  • MsJoanne

    says:

    Joe on his pet project of Homeland Security? Uhm, no. We see what security is to him: war, war, war.

    See ya, Joe. Buh bye…hoefully forever.

  • CJ

    says:

    Lieberman defended McCain’s celebrity attack ad: “To some extent the appearance of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears — people complain about it — they should just relax and enjoy it.”

    Worse. Lieberman promoted such ridiculousness last week on Meet The Press.

    When discussing Obama during this appearance, every other word out of Lieberman’s mouth was “celebrity”.

  • Racer X

    says:

    Tell him we’ll think about it if he coughs up the rest of his money.

    Then screw him over like he screwed the Democrats of Connecticut.

  • NonyNony

    says:

    If the Dems in the Senate feel the need to be collegial to a former colleague, I hope they at least pull him off the Homeland Security Committee and put him somewhere where he can’t do as much damage.

    I’m not sure what qualifies, but he shouldn’t be the chair of anything related to foreign policy in a Dem Senate. Or healthcare related, for that matter.

  • Always hopeful

    says:

    This seems like political suicide for Lieberman but I wish we could find out what McCain promised him, because I’m sure he knew this would happen and there must be a mighty big carrot out there for his career. He is the consummate opportunist and never does anything that doesn’t further his career. If we could find out, it would blow his support for McCain out of the water…

  • JoeW

    says:

    If Joe had merely disagreed with the Dems, he probably could buy his way out of it. Joe’s problem is that he has done everything he could to undercut them, and at every turn. You could speculate that he did this to keep the Senate in a situation where he decides the majority party. He gets what he wants that way. By now, he’s probably realized the Senate landscape will leave him as a man without a party or committee next year.

    But since he’s giving us money, maybe we can throw him a bone. Set up a Senate Select Committee on Abject Bullshit and let Joe gavel away.

  • joey (bjobotts)

    says:

    Jerusalem Joe has got to go and for a lot more reasons than not being a democratic supporter. He’s reversed himself on every election promise he made not to mention his “peace talk” during the campaign and his total lack of action as committee chairman preferring to do nothing but protect Bush’s corruption by allowing no oversight or accountability. His failure is not just related to party. A sniffling mealy mouthed war profiteer protector. Screw you Joe.

  • N.Wells

    says:

    Once elected, Obama should appoint Leiberman as Ambassador to Israel. Lieberman might be flattered enough to take it, and it would remove him not only from Washington but also from the Sunday talk shows.

  • Maria

    says:

    people complain about it — they should just relax and enjoy it

    Am I the only one to notice these words are almost identical to Clayton Williams’ rape “joke”? Ironic, but then, maybe not.

  • Stevio

    says:

    $100K. That’s a lot of scoots. Nonetheless. I’d give the whole kit and kabutle back to him, in pennies. I’d even short him twenty or thirty dollars just to make him count it. Then he’d know what it was like seeing him with his hands down McAce’s pants for the last year and his nose up Bushit’s arse the previous one. I’d also make absolutely sure all of the pennies were made from copper plated zinc so they’d be worth less than the old fashioned pure copper ones. LIEberman is a jerk. Period!

  • op99

    says:

    If you think Joe didn’t cut a deal with Harry Reid before cutting the check, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you.

  • The Answer is Orange

    says:

    You know JoLIE has been hanging out with the ReThugs too much. He thinks the Dems are whores like his new pals.

    And speaking of the oldest profession in the world, I assume that’s how Joe acquired $200,000 in spare change.

  • Tony J

    says:

    Looks like Lieberman – in common with just about every other right-wing politico in Washington, you’ll notice – has concluded that the MSM driven meme about this being a close race is bullshit. This is the action of someone trying to cosy up to the Blue Dog wing of the Democratic Party in the expectation that he’ll need some cover from his fellow ‘moderates’ when the White House and a big chunk of seats in the Senate and House change hands in January.

  • Bruno

    says:

    n.Wells @ 10 said:

    Once elected, Obama should appoint Leiberman as Ambassador to Israel. Lieberman might be flattered enough to take it, and it would remove him not only from Washington but also from the Sunday talk shows.

    Excellent idea, but he probably will not give up his Senate seat for that. Ambassador appointments are mainly for politicians who lost the election, and/or quid pro quo for big donor.

    I think his chairman positions need to be stripped, and maybe he can be the chairman of an obscure committee that has nothing to do with Foreign Policy, Homeland Security, Health Care, etc.. but something that couldn’t possibly cause harm. Then again, it seems Lieberman has shown himself to be able to harm pretty much anything.

    Maybe something related to the environment; I don’t think he could do any worse than any Republicans . Although that would be a good position for Ralph Nader….

  • Tom Cleaver

    says:

    Let’s take a few thousand of his dollars to build the hangman’s stage and buy the rope for this wussy little whiny traitor. Every time I hear him, I just want to punch him in the nose.

  • Michael Seery

    says:

    I think you mean “It’s going to take more than money.” Naming that specific financial figure makes it sound like Sen. Lieberman could buy his redemption if only the price were right.

  • Meah Bottoms

    says:

    They need to get rid of Lieberman’s committee positions. Enough is enough! This needs to happen. Joe Lieberman is a treacherous neocon and has not place being the head of any Democratic Committee in the Senate. He wants to buy his positions. When will somebody stand up and say that any amount of money is not worth it.

  • ScottW

    says:

    Is there something wrong with him ? By all appearances he looked like he is going to jump ship, maybe not in name, but in spirit. Not that he was a D to begin with, but his R friends have to be a little ticked by the ‘donations’. Connecticut hates him; his only real allies are half way around the world.

    The only thing that can save him would be a reverse Zell Miller moment. He takes stage at the R convention, and dumps on McCain with glee. Other then that Joe had better be saving his nuts, because this is probably his last elected position he will hold, and the next two years are not going to be his best.

  • Racer X

    says:

    the next two years are not going to be his best.

    And I will love every minute of seeing him go down into the sewer of his own irrelevance.

  • short fuse

    says:

    Thanks Joe, we’ll buy one of those little bronze plaques for the chair of that committee you used to head up.

  • Lance

    says:

    ““Plus he wants to keep his committee.””

    Why? Is he doing anything with it? Or is it just so we won’t notice that Homeland Security is spending money to protect country fair butter cows and not, say, the Pentagon from another attack?

    Harry Reid is a whore. He’ll take the money. The first thing the caucus has to do in January is get rid of Reid, then Lieberman.

  • petorado

    says:

    Keep the cash. Give it to Ned Lamont for his next run at a Senate seat. It would be the best form of karma.

  • Michigoose

    says:

    Maria @11–that’s exactly what I was going to ask! And when you think about McCain’s ape/rape “joke”. . .

  • Rich

    says:

    Lieberman has worked so hard to identify himself as a low-life scumbag not worthy of mention. So let’s not mention him ever again.

  • JS

    says:

    Sorry Rich, one more mention, every time I see Lieberman with his girl friend Lindsay, I do have concerns about him, ever notice how effeminite he sometimes is?

  • RepublicanPointOfView

    says:

    Why do you liberal wienies continue to attack American patriots like Joe Lieberman? Joe is only standing up for his beliefs.

    He is a patriot who understands that only a true American like John McCain is fit to lead our country. It is unpatriotic for you liberal wimps to support an African Muslim!

    If the dumbocrats strip him of his chairmanship, simply because he won’t support ‘His Arrogance’, it will be show to be unpatriotic and unamerican.

  • LFC

    says:

    Why do you liberal wienies continue to attack American patriots like Joe Lieberman?

    Because his positions and rhetoric on Iraq prove him to be as dumb as a bag of rocks? Of course, unlike McCain, HE knows the difference between Sunni militias, Shiite militias, and al Qaeda.

  • Winkandanod

    says:

    How much did he give to the RSCC?

    The DSCC should turn right around and use the money to support his next primary opponent.

  • Lance

    says:

    JS said: “…every time I see Lieberman with his girl friend Lindsay, I do have concerns about him, ever notice how effeminite he sometimes is?”

    I’d have put money down that LIEberman was the Top in that relationship.

    RPoV is satire, yes?

  • TuiMel

    says:

    TAiO @ 16 You know JoLIE has been hanging out with the ReThugs too much. He thinks the Dems are whores like his new pals.

    Unforturnately I, too, think many of the Dems are whores. Never thought I would agree w/Joe Lieberman again, but there it is. All I can think of is “Go on, take the money and run.” Lieberman has been pathetic as chair of Homeland Security. I hope they strip him of all seniority ASAP. But Congressional Dems are fearful twits, and they like him, they really like him!

  • pittforpres

    says:

    Unlike the idealogues in both parties, Lieberman is a statesman. He takes positions that he believes in – party platforms and bias be damned. We need more statesmen like Joe.

  • daniel rotter

    says:

    “It is unpatriotic for you liberal wimps to support an African Muslim”.

    Good for us liberal wimps, then, that there is no “African Muslim” in the presidential race, you anti-Africa, anti-Muslim bigot.

  • Nancy Irving

    says:

    “they should just relax and enjoy it” –

    Wasn’t that the punchline of McCain’s rape joke?

  • Georgene

    says:

    More “Lieberman”, always does what he does for “himself”……His endorsement of McCain during the early primaries was an obvious ploy to put himself into the short list of VP’s. I hope not…..

    If McCain is going to shake his reputation of being the candidate that wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years, then he has to divest himself of a potential VP whose goal is to keep the military in the Middle East for 200 years.

    Lieberman did nothing to enhance Gore’s run for the Presidency and his efforts to buy his way back into the good graces of the Party is sickening.

  • JC in CT

    says:

    Sen. Lieberman is pathetic little man who should feel very much at ease with the republicans,themselves pathetic little men.

    Lieberman deceived his party and voters in Connecticut to gain re-election. Assuming a majority in the next Senate, the Democratic Party needs to disavow him and, it goes without saying, strip him of any chairmanship he may have at that time.

    Shame on you Senator…