Joe Lieberman offers kudos to Barack Obama (a day after singing a different tune)

Among the avalanche of congratulatory statements crafted by friends and foes of Barack Obama in the wake of his White House win, many Democrats will cast an especially cold eye on this one.

It came via e-mail today from Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-independent-turned-John McCain cheerleader:

I sincerely congratulate President-elect Obama for his historic and impressive victory.  America remains a nation of extraordinary opportunity and the American people are a people of extraordinary fairness.

Now that the election is over, it is time to put partisan considerations aside and come together as a nation to solve the difficult challenges we face and make our blessed land stronger and safer. I pledge to work with President-elect Obama and his incoming administration in their efforts to reinvigorate our economy and keep our nation secure and free.

Lieberman, CNN reported, will be meeting soon with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, and all eyes in Washington will be on whether they're able to set aside "partisan considerations."

Or, more precisely, partisan differences that during the last few months grew more intense between Lieberman and the party that once nominated him as its vice presidential candidate.

The big questions surrounding Lieberman: Will he continue to caucus with Senate Democrats and, even if he does, will he retain his chairmanship of the chamber's Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee?

Lots of Democrats, including some of his colleagues, want him stripped of that leadership position -- at the least.

Some liberal activists would like him permanently expelled from any and all party councils. And Lieberman, his statement today notwithstanding, gave those folks more ammunition for their case in a radio interview roughly 24 hours earlier.

On election day, conservative talk show host Scott Hennen asked the senator if he believed journalists had properly vetted Obama....

...The North Dakota-based Hennen opined that "it seems to me that they've been abysmal."

Lieberman not only agreed, he added:

Look: Not only are the times as difficult as they are, put on top of that we've got a guy running who ... is smart and well-spoken, Barack Obama, but, you know, four years ago he was an Illinois state senator....

I can tell you, having worked with him in the Senate or served with him ... he just ... hasn't done very much. And, you know, therefore the associations and the questions about his background are even more important than the case with John McCain.

But honestly, I'm not normally a media skeptic, but the last few years -- including my own reelection race in 2006 -- made me so. If McCain went to a house of worship where the clergyman was saying the kinds of anti-American, racist things that Rev. [Jeremiah] Wright was saying, trust me: They would have been all over John -- not to mention [Bill] Ayers and all the rest.

So yeah, I think in the end you have to hope the American people have some common sense and do what's in the national interest, and that is come on out and vote for John McCain. Your future depends on it.

Now, we'll see to what degree Lieberman's future is altered by voters disregarding his exhortations.

-- Don Frederick

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Comments

[Larry T.]

Joe Lieberman needs to be censured at the very least.

His is the epitomy of a tw-faced polictician.

Joe "Turnecoat" Lieberman or Joey "two-face"

[Mike]

Enough partisan bickering. Someone should be judged based on personal views, not whether he joined with a political party for every issue.

People are sick and tired of political parties and the environment they create. If Leiberman is willing to vote Liberal, why should he be punished?

[Ol' Whip]

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

-Bob Dylan

[Fred Pickford]

The democratic party should discard (benedict arnold)
Lieberman.

[vinny]

Here's the problem with the pride and race thing... and first I'll say that I'd be the first in line to vote for a true African-American who had the values and had a solid well articulated plan for fixing what GW took 8 years to screw up - but so far we haven't really heard of a solid well articulated plan - the best we can listen to are some speeches of Michelle Obama talking about changing or re-building everything in America. So much lofty air.

But here's the problem for our neighbors of color: Is this really the right representative of their ethnic group? Will he really after four years do his people proud? Its not enough just to say, "looky here, we've elected a President" ... it has to be a man who'll bring honor and accomplishment to all Americans. His record has yet to be written.

It could be like buying a Ford Pinto and being all happy because "you have a car" versus working a little longer and buying a Lexus and saying, "look at what we drive".

Only time will tell. I hope for all that he turns out to be someone of pride in accomplishments that all Americans can point to in history -

Last thought, his "roots" are Sub-Saharan Islamic and are not the shared roots of multi-generational African-Americans who's families came through the civil rights movement and extend back to slavery. He's well heeled and certainly doesn't share the African-American experience of so many in this country.

[Bravo, Lieberman!]

Why would Lieberman need to be "censured at the very least" ?

That's a silly comment by the person above.

First, Lieberman is entitled to his opinion. The Obama camp seems militant about quashing free speech, and definitely intent on beating down anyone who disagrees with them.

Second, Lieberman is 100% correct.

We are Democrats and we applaud Lieberman. In the mad emotional frenzy to get Obama elected, someone has to keep their wits and think sensibly and responsibly. Every other candidate is vetted, Obama keeps getting special treatment and it's dangerous.

Haven't we all learned the dangers of making impulsive emotional important decision that breach legal protocol, i.e. the Iraq war, etc.

[Franky]

I've had enough of the Liarbearmanpig.

"Change" him away please.

[teddymaniac]

Joe Lieberman has definitely put country first --- that is, Israel. And I don't even know if he necessarily has Israel's best interest in mind. I mean, does he really have any idea of how much peaceful coexistence means to two peoples locked in hopeless hostilities and bloodshed for so many decades?