The following is a Politico article:
It’s been a while for Sen. Joe Lieberman, but tonight, he’s Democrats’ man of the hour.
The Democrat-turned-independent from Connecticut drove the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy from sponsorship to the final push across the finish line in a 65-31 vote today, winning over liberal hearts, at least for the moment.
“He’s certainly one of my heroes today,” said Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. “His determination, his tenacity has kept this going all year. This would have not happened without Sen. Lieberman.”
Lieberman, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, has felt the ire of liberals over the last few years. An anti-war political new-comer, Ned Lamont, toppled him in his 2006 Democratic primary. Lieberman emerged victorious in the general election, running as an independent, and promising to work across party lines to draw down the war in Iraq.
Two years later, Lieberman enraged liberals again, endorsing pro-war Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for president in 2008, even taking the stage at the 2008 Republican Convention.
He eventually started skipping his party’s weekly caucus meetings.
But today, the Sabbath, Lieberman – a devout Jew – became the left’s favorite guy.
Whether his moment will translate into electoral support for Lieberman is another question.
“I have no idea. I really don’t,” Lieberman told POLITICO after the vote. “This is something I’ve been working on for 17 years.”
Public polls taken two months ago show he is extremely unpopular with the Democratic base.
Running as a Republican looks more promising for Lieberman. A Public Policy Polling survey from late October put Lieberman’s approval rating at a dismal 33 percent. Only 24 percent of Democratic voters supported him, while 48 percent of Republicans looked upon him favorably.
“I thought he did a very good job on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell, he deserves credit and praise for it,” said George Jepsen, the Democratic Attorney General-elect in Connecticut. “I don’t think it’s viable for him to run two years from now as a Democrat. I think he would lose a Democratic primary.”
Jepsen, who supported Lamont, said even the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy won’t help him with the Democratic base if he runs in 2012.
“He supported John McCain for President,” said Jepsen. “Little things like that, you know?”
Note: Senator Lieberman has walked on Shabbos in the past when his vote was needed on important issues.
(Source: Politico)
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13 Responses
Lieberman is a disgrace to Judaism. He needs to get some religion in his life.
Toeivah is one thing (Lieberman isn’t pro-gay per say)
Why should a toeivah lifestyle factor into whether someone should be allowed to fight in the army!?!?
Learn how to pick your fights.
Dear Sam I AM (aka #1),
Please think long and hard before speaking motsi shem rah. He’s a shomer shabbos frum guy. I’ve run into him in shul while staying at friends a number of times.
Also, please be careful when you mix politics and religion or get judgmental. I would hate to have my every decision in the spotlight and only HKB’H is in a position to pass judgement on anyone.
Last time (at the Stimulus, I believe) he said that his Rabbi permits him for Pikuach Nefesh. He claimed that the Stimulus would save lives that will die (heart attacks, suicide) out of economic hardship. Seems like this vote also saved those in distress for being ‘discriminated against.’ He obviously feels that the morale of the troops are low because of DADT – elimination will simply save lives. I think the Dems now have another thing to blame Bush and the Republicans – the Iraqi soldiers that died because they didn’t have the courage to fight because of DADT. Well, you might want to blame Clinton then as well.
Sen. Lieberman wants the US Armed forces to be as good as the IDF — which has allowed gays to serve for decades. He was against DADT when it came out in 1993 and he is against it now. I do blame Clinton for caving on this one back then.
And I blame the Republicans for forcing the Senate to meet on Saturday because they have been obstructing and delaying absolutely everything. It was particularly offensive in this case because one Senator has cancer surgery scheduled for Monday. They Republicans knew the Democrats had the votes (thanks largely to Sen. Lieberman); why couldn’t they have backed down for a change? The measure ended up passing by a more than 2 to 1 margin.
He obviously is a typical liberal jew picks & chooses where the religion fits him. A liberal jew is a liberal first & a jew second because by a liberal liberalism is the religion.
This whole thing is a shame because they claimed this would be a military decision & yet congress with obama made it their decision as most of the military brass was against repeal.
Re 6: it was very touching to catch your eponymous hero last week for a few minutes (I can’t listen more than that) wishing his kids a merry xmas.
Since I can’t edit my earlier post, let me add after touching “(heartbreaking)”.
Interesting point made in comment #5: Gays have been serving in the IDF for years. Yet an IDF official comes out with a comment condemning hesder yeshivas. This is the mindset of Medinat Yisrael for which we will all suffer.
Charlie, do you also omit “Shelo Asani Isha” because it’s promoting “discrimination”?
When will the day come when those Washingtonians will stop discriminating us – the normal American citizen?!
11, Like all socialist liberal democrat workers party members you missed th point so I will try to enlighten your darkness a bit. The military wasn’t saying they couldn’t serve – of course that’s what the liberal ailykookdotcom people want you to think – they just said you can be all that you want to be as long as you are quiet about it. Hence, we won’t ask you & you won’t tell us!
To take it further, the military wasn’t interested if the soldiers were straight either because they weren’t going to ask & they didn’t want to be told.
Are you enlightened now?
My comment above (#11) was directed to #5 Charles Hall.
#7 &8, you are correct! I wanted to VOMIT too! I guess there is room for major t’shuva. The other thing that came to mind was that his kids ‘may’ not even be jewish.
So maybe the American military will consider changing its rules to allow Orthodox Jews to serve (other than as chaplain or doctors)? At this point, we are the only group that is de facto prohibited from serving in the military. It would involve adopting something similar to the EEOC policy of reasonable accomodation for training and garrison duty (the laws of pikuach nefesh largely eliminate the issues when combat is involved).