UPDATED: Lautenberg/Menendez support Lieberman?

pathetic (4.00 / 1)

I'll concede that these guys know Lieberman better, and that his vote is crucial, but they've let him walk all over them.   I think our Democratic Senators are not very good at negotiating.

Lautenberg should go campaign for Saxby Chambliss.  Maybe that would get his seniority back.


Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Tue Nov 18, 2008 at 23:11:03 PM UTC

Democratic Establishmentarians (0.00 / 0)

This is just one more indication of why it's necessary for the grass roots of the Democratic party to take over.

The fact is that the vast majority of Americans in both parties are completely disgusted with congress and these votes are a prime example of why.

I wish we had congressional representatives that had the guts and the integrity to actually STAND for something.

I'm sure that both Frank and Bob would read what I've just written as naive and unrealistic.

Does anyone really believe that Lieberman will chair that crucial committee like a Democrat?  Or will he be running that show as a McCainiac?

The "60" vote dodge is silly.  Lieberman will vote how he wants to vote regardless of party afilliation.

Getting to 60 is a case by case situation and it will always require a few "moderate Republicans" and we'll always lose a few blue doggish Democrats.

The real answer is for progressives (and at this point that means MOST of the people in the USA) to take over the leadership of the Democratic party.  

It won't happen overnight, but it will either happen or we'll keep on slipping in the direction of becoming a third world nation.

Enough with "business as usual"!

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 00:31:41 AM UTC

60 Votes? (0.00 / 0)

Having 60 Dems in the Senate is no panacea for our party. You could have 80 but if you have no party discipline, which we saw today, it just doesn't matter.

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by: CarvedNStoneDem @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 03:01:31 AM UTC

Almost as Depressing as Their Vote on Habeas Corpus (0.00 / 0)

The message I sent to Senator Reid today:

"In case you're looking for a reason why Congressional Democrats enjoy such a low approval rating, look no further than Tuesday's vote to let Joe Lieberman keep his Homeland Security committee chairmanship.

"Time after time after time, the Democratic Party has demonstrated that it has neither principles nor spine. It's been MIA when it comes to holding the Bush administration accountable for its crimes and abuses, and on Tuesday, it couldn't even stand up to one of its own spoiled brats - a senator who manages, in election after election, to do whatever he can to sabotage his own party.

"It would be one thing if your noble words led to any actual achievements but unfortunately you and your colleagues don't score high in this arena.

"In fact, you're beginning to look more and more like a group of battered wives than members of the world's most exclusive club."

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by: noodletalk @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 04:43:44 AM UTC

The unwillingness to admit to the vote (0.00 / 0)

by Lautenberg and Menendez irritates me the most.  If they say something like "Obama made us do it", that I could accept on the basis of getting past the partisanship nastiness (for whatever that might be worth, which is another issue).  I can respect Howard Dean for his discussion about this and for considering the issues involved, but Lautenberg and Menendez just show their fear of being held accountable.  Hiding and hoping it will blow over.

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by: chowtimeSJ @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 18:24:50 PM UTC

on the update (0.00 / 0)

Okay, I conclude that we don't know how they voted.  I'm not sure Wally is reliable on this one.  

According to other reports, only three senators spoke against Lieberman, so I believe that whatever they did in private, our senators did not step up here.  I hope they opposed Lieberman and had a lot of private conversations to win people over, but really, if they did they had no actual effect.  And since they didn't say anything, they had no symbolic effect either.  

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Wed Nov 19, 2008 at 18:31:35 PM UTC