I knew we weren't going to make it through the day without a Lieberman post. But if we've got to have one, this is a pretty decent one in my book.

I'm a big fan of Leahy. Also, just because Leahy and Barack have such a good relatioship, may be it's not fully unfair to imagine what are the President-Elects impressions on the Liebermann issue.

I just wish there were a few more democrats like Leahy. Also, I kinda liked him in the Dark Knight.

Pat,
I've got a crush on you, sweetie-pie.

Excellent. I was wondering when and who would be the first. I tip my hat to you, Sen Leahy, and to all of your constituents in VT.

My personal fantasy is that Leahy leads a faction of serious Dems (Feingold, Whitehouse, etc.) out of the wilderness of the Lieberman-Bayh-Dodd-Pelosi pseudoCracy, and into an alternate universe where John Conyers is allowed to mention the word 'impeachment' at a hearing.
Seriously, with Republican obstructionism and Bayh-inflected collusion a given, there is nothing left to lose.

Leahy: We're not intimidated by punks like you!
Lieberman: You remind me a lot of my father....I HATED MY FATHER.

Thanks, Senator Leahy. I might develop a crush on you if you keep acting this way.

Leahy would make an excellent US Attorney General.

Is Lieberman going to tell Leahy to go fuck himself or will he call up Cheney and ask him to do it?

The only rationale for not taking away Lieberman's chairmanship is the 60 vote thing, which, if we even get it (with 3 seats still up in the air), will mean Lieberman will get the spotlight, with his whiny, smarmy visage, as he intones how sorry he is that the unpatriotic Dems have moved away from what's best for the USA and for that reason he is against a filibuster. So what's the point?

He is unreliable, disloyal and absolutely self-interested. He has stated that he is against the filibuster.

After the crap he said about the Dem President-elect during the campaign, it just boggles my mind that there are *any* Congressional Dems who back him.

YAY, a Democratic Senator with balls, they've all been so wishy washy on this issue (see Amy Klobuchar last night on Maddow's show).

Compromise. Throw Lieberman a frikkin bone but DON'T let him chair Homeland Security. That is the one issue where he is against the rest of the caucus. Let him chair a committee where his views are in line with the party.

That is not punishment. That is practical. We can't have the Homeland Security Committee going rogue.

What's Harry Reid waiting for? you've got a President, you've got the majority. Get rid of Lieberman you don't need him. He's threatening you with .... what?

Let's hope the Neville Chamberlain-Evan Bayhs get their ass handed to them Tuesday. Republicans didn't have 60 and they got everything they wanted. Backbone time.

Only 35% of Connecticut voters would re-elect Lieberman if the election was held now:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/14/10476/841/187/660873

Aw crap - Leahy demanded Lieberman's ouster? Now we can be sure that it never happens, like all the demands for accountability over the past four-plus years. This is just another Sternly-Worded-Letter, thus guaranteeing old Shitface is rewarded for his bad behavior.

I think the Senate Dem's need to make Joe chair of the committee on outreach to New England Republican House members.

It's one thing to support your buddy but Leiberman crossed a line and continued the dishonest narrative that his right wing elders created. He should be stripped of his committee position and be allowed to prove himself again.
Did he do anything on the committee? I didn't think so.

Write Leahy to express your support and thanks, and write your own Senators or CALL NOW. Let them know how egregious we think Lieberman's behavior was.

Patrick Leahy. Senator. Statesman. Patriot. Deadhead.

What's not to love?

I understand and agree with Lehey's principled argument, but in the end, that isn't the basis upon which most senators will make their decision. There will be pragmatic political considerations, those considerations will win the day.

That said, I do not understand how Leiberman has as much pull with this issue as he seems to have. IMO, he's a paper tiger. Dems are not likely to get 60 votes in the Senate, even with Leiberman, so, what difference does his one vote make? Not much. And, does anyone really believe that Leiberman would enjoy voting with the Republicans on social issues? My guess is there is more to this than anyone has reported on yet. Why would some Dems even want to keep him happy - what's the benefit? Just because they like him? Bullshit. That's not what's going on here. There is something happening behind the scenes that's not being reported on - guaranteed.

FINALLY...a Senator with some sense...let Senator Reid and President-Elect Obama know that keeping Senator Lieberman as Homeland Security Committee Chair is unaceptable! I have already sent emails to both. Contact your Democratic Senator now! Living in Texas, I unfortunately don't have a Democratic Senator but we will be working on that!

His despicable behavior during the campaign certainly merits action, but, as Rachel Maddow well-noted last night, his utter failure to perform any oversight at all re W's misdeeds (cf. Waxman)is reason enough to yank his chairmanship.

There are three possible reasons for Lieberman's performances:

He's an incurable egomaniac...
He has an IQ 2 points below plant life...
He has balls so big that he must carry them in a wheel barrow!

Can anyone come up with a compelling reason why the Dems would want to keep Lieberman in his current chairmanship position?

I have yet to hear THAT explanation from anyone, anywhere.

Bravo for Senator Leahy! He understands that you can’t let people walk all over you and your friends in this life. He understands that miscreants like Lieberman will continue to behave badly if they are rewarded for their bad behavior as Senators Nelson, Nelson, Bayh and Salazar would have.

Joe Lieberman was uncivil and dishonest in this election. As one of tens of thousands of Democrats who have supported the DSCC and Dem candidates and helped make this majority possible, I am outraged that Senate Dems would spit in our collective eye. DSCC, if you reward Lieberman, forget my campaign donations.

Look, Senate Dems, if you can’t stand up for yourselves, why should we expect you to stand up for us?

They need to end this distraction soon and strip Sanctimonious Joe of his Chairmanship.

Way to go, Senator Leahy! Yay!

Word on the street is that Feingold is against Leiberman keeping the chair as well. Not surprising, Russ frakkin' rules!

I have known all along that this traitor will show his true colors.
I don't know why they are trying to keep him now since they have enough vote without him. I really think that they should do away with him soonest. He is nothing but a conniving back biter that he really is all along.
More grease to the elbows of Senator Leahy. I just wished that there are more people like him.

Some Democratic Senators simply want to prove the Republicans are correct when they accuse Democrats of tolerating treason, spies, and disloyalty.

Here's a compromise we can all agree with: make Lieberman Chair of the Massage Chair committee. He will be in charge of Ted Stevens. Fair enough?

Lieberman is incorrigible. Collegiality and Senatorial decorum are fine, but the man has actively campaigned against our new president. He said many vicious, ugly things and gladly promoted Republican talking points (lies). Fine, there are a few Blue Dogs who aren’t much better. Boot him off the chairs he now holds. Give him the Small Business assignment and tell him that he might get something better if he behaves. Unless I’m missing something here, what can Lieberman do for us besides more treachery? If he throws a fit and joins the Republicans (I’d argue that he’s already done it and is now an agent provocateur for them), so what? I say call his bluff and if he bolts, good riddance to bad rubbish. Don't worry about Joe's future. He'll end up on Fox or in an endowed wingnut chair somewhere. You betcha.

Lieberman, regardless of whether he bolts or not should be considered as a Republican because he CANNOT be trusted. Can him!

Good for Senator Leahy! I'd like to see someone do a poll on how many people want Lieberman out of that job. Just curious if I'm part of a vocal minority or if most Democrats agree with me. It should be broken down by party affiliation.

At least someone in the Senate still has a pair.

Appreciation for Sen. Leahy's demonstration of integrity and leadership can be sent here:

senator_leahy@leahy.senate.gov

Or on his Senate contact-page:
http://leahy.senate.gov/contact.cfm

When I heard Pelosi say there was going to be a greater bipartisanship in congress I was afraid she was talking out of the "other side" of her face. Revenge against Leiberman... so sad. Obama will show his true colors and you will understand why Senator Leiberman could not back Obama. ACORN's top 2 politicians receiving money Dobbs and Obama. Rahm Emanuel (Obama's chief of staff) was on the ACORN board when they were lying about their finances, which is a huge factor for this recession (the sub prime loan problems actually started under Carter. Clinton made then worse). Barney Frank’s (leader of the Financial Services Committee) boyfriend ran Fannie Mae for several years in the 90’s and raked in $90 million. Hhmmm, can you say conflict of interest Barney.

Has anyone heard of Margaret Sanger? After a lengthy incubation, the sick dreams of Margaret Sanger were finally hatched. Against the excuses of her modern defenders, it should be remembered that the founder of Planned Parenthood's main interest in the legalization of abortion was not that women should be freed from the bonds of childbearing but an attempt at eugenics -- to cap breeding by “inferior” humans (nonwhites, the disabled, and the insane). She also supported the controversial 1950s pill trials in Puerto Rico, in which poor women were given dangerous, sometimes fatal doses.
Although Planned Parenthood has tried desperately to shred the files of its founding mother, Margaret Sanger herself has left a detailed record of how she lived and how she thought. The most unimpeachable source of the former is her autobiography, written in 1938, and of the latter, her landmark book, "The Pivot of Civilization," written in 1922, that unsavory types should be cleansed from the larger population. Do not take my word (which I doubt most of you will not) read her books. You can probably get them from your local library, Amazon or other bookstore. It is truly sad that Obama is about to give Planned Parenthood full access to the poor, disabled, and insane. Life should be respected without consideration of race, economic standing, abilities, or disabilities.

I think Lieberman is a coward, running with whomever the Republican was who won the nomination, leaving behind the Democrat party, yet still participating in the process, seemingly with no principles. The Democrats are under no obligation to have him continue to participate in their Party, just as he did not participate in their process for President. Congratulations to Leahy for saying so. I think the citizens of Connecticut were screwed over royally when they voted him into office.

As Barack Obama says he holds "no grudges" against Lieberman, is it not a form of a witch hunt now to pursue Lieberman with vengence. Is this what the Obama ministration wants to be remembered for in History?

"Senator Patrick Leahy left no doubt whatsoever: He believes Lieberman should be given the push."

Why how generous of Leaky Leahy! Good thing his party covered for ole Leaky when he released United States classified information and endangered the country.

As neither a dem or a repub, I am enjoying the inability for dems to display anything but lip service about bipartisanship. Reminds me of ole Nancy (brow lift) Pelosi who couldn't even keep herself under control during the bailout package.

Bipartisanship:
Dems: Agree with us or else!
Repubs: Huh?