2 Republicans and a Toady

[SoCalDem]

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, center, an independent, with two Republican colleagues Wednesday: John McCain, left, and Lindsey Graham.



http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/us/politics/08lieberman.html
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By KATE ZERNIKE
Published: February 8, 2007

WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 — It came as little surprise that when Senate Republicans blocked debate Monday on a resolution that would have opposed President Bush’s plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, erstwhile Democrat, sided with them.

But Mr. Lieberman also went further, accusing Democrats of giving strength to the enemy and abandoning the troops, and arguing that an alternative resolution that he and many Republicans backed was “a statement of support to our troops.” That was too much even for one Republican member, Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, a sponsor of the bipartisan resolution against the president’s policy. “I forcefully argue that ours is in support of the troops,” Mr. Warner said tersely. “And there is no suggestion that one is less patriotic than the other.”

Defeated last year in the Democratic senatorial primary in Connecticut but then elected as an independent to a fourth term, Mr. Lieberman has kept a promise to caucus with the Democrats, giving them a majority of only 51 to 49 and earning for him a designation as “the most influential man in the Senate.” But on Iraq, the issue that made the last year the most difficult of his political life, he has moved farther and farther from the party, winding up to the right of many Republicans who now embrace what six months ago was almost solely a Democratic position on the war.

Mr. Lieberman’s enthusiasm for the troop increase has become a talking point for Republicans trying to shore up support for the president’s plan. It infuriates the bloggers who first tried to defeat him. Some of his best friends on either side of the aisle take issue with him publicly. But given his importance as the lawmaker who ensures Democratic control of the Senate, members of the majority say there is little they can do.

Joe Lieberman, independent, sees himself as Joe Lieberman unchained. “I feel liberated, free somehow,” he said during an interview in his office. “As I look back,” he said, “I have always tried to do what I thought was right, regardless of where a majority of members of my party are. But there’s always pressure on you. I just feel free of that pressure. And I think my Democratic colleagues know that I’m not going to do — on this, of all questions which I think is so important to our country’s future, to our success in the war on terrorism — I’m not going to do anything here just to be a good member of the team.”

snip...

[rpannier]

1. He's never been a good member of the team

Unless the team is "Team scrub"

[LibDemAlways]

2. Right where he wants to be...with his warmongering

insane friends. And to think Reid has to kiss his ass or kiss majority status goodbye. Revolting.

[me b zola]

3. LOL

I was going to post in response to the title of your thread alone, " Alex, what is McCain, Hagel*, and lieberman. :rofl:

*of course Hagel was way off, he's playing it from a different angle, but it was what came to my mind upon reading your thread title....

[UrbScotty]

4. Uh... that's three Republicans. (nt)

[Hekate]

5. Joe, Joe, Joe...Well, we need him to keep our majority and subpoena power...

We owe him for that, but I can't say I like it.

Hekate

[me b zola]

6. I still say that I have the way that we should "keep" Joe...

...Like they kept the little turd in the movie, The Green Mile when they needed to get something positive done...they locked the little phucker in a padded cell in a straight jacket with a strip of tape over his mouth...

Surely the capitol has long forgotten closets....

[AtomicKitten]

7. my skin crawls when he is labeled (D)

ugh