Senate Democrats have voted to allow Joseph Lieberman to keep his chairmanship of the powerful Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee – despite his support for John McCain and criticism of Barack Obama during the presidential race.
Lieberman’s punishment for what many Democrats saw as an unacceptable betrayal: He will lose his seat on the Environment and Public Works Committee.
The vote on Lieberman’s fate came in a closed-door session in which Lieberman, members of the Democratic Senate leadership and some current and soon-to-be-senators all spoke.
Sources who were inside the meeting said Lieberman did not apologize for supporting McCain during the campaign, but that he did say he was sorry for some of the statements he made about Obama.
(Source: Politico)
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8 Responses
mozel tov . for sticking to your convictions
even enemys have respect for that. a man with back bone.
GET OFF THE FENCE SHOW SOME CHARACHTER,GO CONSERVATIVE AS ANY DESCENT PERSON HAS TO.
Given that the country preference for Obama was not based on his security policies, it is logical he would have keeping Lieberman as the chairman of the Senate’s Homeland Security committee as a way of reassuring the country of continuity in an area where the existing policies are not unpopular.
On areas unrelated to security, Lieberman is a typical liberal Democrat (as are almost all other Jews at least on economic issues), and it doesn’t look like security will be a hot topic in the near future.
#3, akuperma.
Where were security concerns lacking on the part of Obamas’ supporters? Obama intelligently explained his views on the fight on terrorism; correctly noting the escalating threat near Pakistan, warning Iran that causing trouble for Israel is causing trouble for the US, among other such views.
If Obama made any such statement as to cause alarm for a breach in our security, please reiterate what you read/heard and how you understand such a comment by Obama to insinuate a less secure environment than anything his opponent offered. Obama is responsible for the reemerging idea of getting bin laden when such an idea was almost totally forgotten.
Re 4: I have a hunch that the slack on the environmental and PW committee can be easily picked up. B”H there was someone with seichel who recognized that we need someone with Lieberman’s vision in homeland security.
#5 Various polls indicated that on security issues, McCain was more popular than Obama, thus it is quite logical for Obama to be happy to have Lieberman stay on as chairman of the Senate’s committee. It suggests he wants a return to the national consensus on security matters that existed 50 years (somewhat facilitated by the fact that on domestic issues his positions are almost identical to Liebermans, and that secuirty is on the “back burner”). Right now, the economy is the biggest threat to national security (can’t win wars if you can’t afford to pay for an army).
P.S. I believe that the aspect of Obama’s background that alarmed his opponents (excluding the “nutcases” who object to his middle name and his skin) was his lack of experience in dealing with security matters.
#8 – Obama is the Democrats’ leader. Over time
things will normalize, but at this point, he is virtually deified in their eyes. When he let it be known he wanted Lieberman back on his team, that settled the matter.
The polls consistently showed that McCain was more popular on security issues, and Obama on domestic issues, and especially on economic policy. Also note how Obama has for several months been moving consistently away from the ultra-left “Move on” isolationist position.
“On areas unrelated to security, Lieberman is a typical liberal Democrat (as are almost all other Jews at least on economic issues), and it doesn’t look like security will be a hot topic in the near future.”
#7 akuperma- As all pork barrel spending comes under more intense scrutiny, Homeland Security is still going to receive serious funding.
That being said, Yeshivos and religious institution’s are in a better position to receive federal help today, because Sen. Lieberman kept his Chairmanship.Lastly, how are we to know that Homeland security doesn’t shoot right back to the top of the important list of priority’s. It is the one area that remains a great unknown. Terrorism is impossible to predict and we have been lulled to sleep by the fact that B”H no acts of terrrism have occurred here in the US since 9/11. One of the great and lasting legacys President Bush will have and deserves is that we have not been attacked. We are safer.
The liberals will argue but the facts are indisputable.If President- elect Obama pushed to keep Joe Lieberman then he has earned my respect least on this issue.
#11, time will tell. Let us be hopeful.