...or "Al Gore is a pansy"

Punt!

By Jwilkes from Eyes on Obama:

What a difference a few years can make. Back in 2000, Al Gore had found in Joe Lieberman the perfect running mate. But by 2006, the political winds had changed. Already, whispers in Washington are suggesting that Democrats may move to strip Lieberman of his chairmanships if the party manages significant gains in 2008. But is it a wise move?

I was researching McCain's past position on the war in Afghanistan, and came across this very interesting Meet The Press transcript from October 21st, 2001. This transcript reveals a very intriguing blunder by John McCain that should be discussed in the press today.

He said that he thought the war in Afghanistan should be settled first before going to war with Iraq. This simply puts to lie his arguments on the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. He used to think that it was important to have everything in Afghanistan settled first, Osama bin Laden caught, and the Taliban regime extinguished before going to war with Iraq. Senator Joe Lieberman also makes a cameo in this transcript.

I could probably overlook Lieberman supporting the republican nominee. I could probably overlook his campaigning for the republican nominee. I could probably even overlook HONEST criticism of the democratic nominee. But what I cannot tolerate are LIE-berman outright lies about Barack Obama. Lieberman has shown time and time again that he has no qualms LYING to attack Obama and help John McCain's cause. This man needs to be kicked out of the democratic caucus. Take a look at his latest remarks.

I wish [Obama] would acknowledge the surge is working, rather than changing his position on how and when we should exit Iraq, without acknowledging that these are changes of positions that are understandably based on conditions on the ground. A president's credibility is based on the courage of his or her convictions, his or her acceptance of reality, and consistency of views are critical elements of national leadership. A president who squanders those does so at our nation's peril."

Obama has NOT changed his position on Iraq and just finished giving a seech demonstrating his understanding and acceptance of reality but Lieberman ignores all that in favor of a few rightwing talking points.

Finally.

Despite assurances to the contrary from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democratic insiders are certain that Sen. Joseph Lieberman will be kicked out of the party's caucus next year and lose his Senate chairmanship if he addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., as planned.

Lieberman's Democratic colleagues willing to accept his support of Sen. John McCain for president consider his speaking to the GOP convention as the last straw. Lieberman was re-elected from Connecticut as an independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic nomination because of his support for the Iraq War.

I'm sure that hearing will only embolden him to do it.

The New York Times finds that Lieberman is losing his friends.

Mr. Lieberman was leaning back in a chair in his Senate office, wearing a loose-fitting pinstriped suit, grinning a lot and appearing quite comfortable while describing "my uncomfortable position." He compared his predicament to the old Groucho Marx conceit, "I don’t care to belong to any club that will accept me as a member."

So there, Democrats!

(cross posted at MyLeftnutmeg.com)

I'm an Arab-American and I've been reading the New Yorker for almost thirty years. Oh, I know, if I think the Obama cartoon cover is offensive then I'm just "too sensitive" and I ought to lighten up and appreciate the joke.

Let's just imagine a Blitt cartoon satirizing anti-Semitic attitudes toward Joe Lieberman.

(Update - after reading about half the comment thread, taking a hot shower, and thinking about it, I'm going to delete the imagined cartoon. You can just imagine it.)

I live in a safe blue district in a safe blue state. (CT-3)

I have a family, so I can't travel much, although I'm planning to volunteer in a close state for the week before the election.

I have never been politically active before, but I want to change that and make a difference this year.

I'd love to know what kossacks think is the best use of my time.

Comments Welcome below.

Even though this comes from the 100 year old vampire demon, it's still encouraging news.

Link

Despite assurances to the contrary from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Democratic insiders are certain Sen. Joseph Lieberman next year will be kicked out of the party's caucus and lose his Senate chairmanship if he addresses the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., as planned.

Lieberman's Democratic colleagues willing to accept his support of Sen. John McCain for president consider speaking to the GOP convention as the last straw. Lieberman was re-elected from Connecticut as an independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic nomination because of his support for the Iraq war.

A STRATEGIC PIVOT FOR PEACE OR WAR

Many Americans are currently worried that the Bush Administration may attack Iran prior to the 2008 US presidential election, involving the US in a far more disastrous war even than the Iraq conflict and dramatically changing the presidential election dynamics, possibly to the benefit of US Senator and GOP presidential aspirant John McCain. A sizable American majority is opposed to a US war with Iran, but the developing political alliance between American Christian Zionists, conservative American Jews and the Israeli right makes such a war dramatically more likely.

Morning thoughts and news:

1.  Goodbye Constitution of the United States.  You will be missed.

2.  John McCain "jokes" about exporting tobacco to kill Iranians.

3.  Hey, Joe, we say you've got to go.

4.  Iran tests missiles.

5.  Russia bristles over U.S.-Czech missile defense deal

610 = the number of days since Democrats took control of Congress
0 = the number of ways in which our Representatives and Senators have held the administration accountable for their actions.

I must extend my apologies to Senator Feingold, Christopher Dodd, Dennis Kucinich and all the other members of Congress who really have tried to fight the telecom immunities, and do care.  Any unfair comments I have made only came as a result of deep frustration.  I do know that not everyone in Congress is spineless.

Wake-up music:  Yonder Mountain String Band at Hartwood Acres, Pittsburgh, PA on June 8, 2008.

"...Finally -- and most curiously -- John McCain inexplicably showed up in Colombia around the time of the "rescue."

Officer Barbrady sez... "nothing to see here folks, move along now... Just a Co-Inky-Dink folks !!

and (for MikeTheLiberal)

"Coincidence doesn't just happen." -- Homer Simpson

That is right boys and girls Iran is coming to KILL US. Grandpa Lieberman tells you to BE AFRAID! BE VERY SCARED because we are DOOMED!

http://thinkprogress.org/...

LIEBERMAN: That’s up to Israel obviously, but I would say that obviously Israel is first in the line of Iranian fire. And it represents an existential threat to Israel. But you know who is next? The Arab countries in the Middle East and they’re worried about the Iranian program and want us to ask strongly to stop it. And we’re next! Because Ahmadinejad in Tehran constantly leads the mobs in shouts of death to America. And they mean it.

Barack Obama : is he opposed to war (as he was in 2007) or against the war (as he says he is now) or ending the war (as he will be in 2009). For someone is supposed to be able to talk good, he sure seems to be prone to editing.

Joe Lieberman has announced that he will speak at the RNC convention, while he is still a Senator who caucuses with the Democrats.  That is an irreparable break -- a wound that will never be healed.  Were it not for the unusual situation we find ourselves in, where a Lieberman switch effectively gives Republicans the majority, the Democratic caucus would have kicked him out long ago.

So Chuck Hagel is saying his ideas are closer to Obama's, but he doesn't plan to endorse either candidate.  Could mean he's still trying to negotiate himself a spot on the ticket (seems unlikely), or he doesn't want to offend his friend John McCain or hurt himself further within the GOP, or he wants to burnish his non-partisan credentials by being not even partisan enough to support a presidential candidate.

Who knows?  But it occurs to me that Hagel could draw some more of the attention he seems to relish, and earn some good will from congressional leadership, if he stays neutral but pipes up every now and then to slap back some of Joe Lieberman's ridiculous attacks on Barack Obama.

Picture it:

Back in a day not too long ago, Bob Schieffer was one of two remaining television journalists with a hint of spine (the other being Keith Olberman).  Every other TV news head in America was afraid of making Condoleezza Rice cry on camera and was just plain afraid of Donald Rumsfeld, but not Schieffer.  Schieffer once snapped "let me just ask you to answer the question" at Condi and growled at Rummy, "Well, you really have not directly answered that question, if I may say so, Mr. Secretary."

I don't know what ever happened to that Bob Schieffer, but he was nowhere to be found on last Sunday's Face the Nation McCain campaign ad featuring Joe Lieberman.  Last Sunday's Bob Schieffer was Tim Russert reincarnate.  

A new Quinnipiac University poll   has Obama beating McCain 56-35 in Connecticut.

This maybe doesn't come as much of a surprise, but it should be recalled that Rasmussen polled CT at the end of May and found Obama up by only 3. After that some of the McCain team started talking excitedly about a possible "Lieberman effect", and if I recall correctly they marked CT as a possible target state on the McCain website strategy briefing.

Well, doesn't look like they'll be following up on that one. The internals don't provide any comfort for McCain either - Obama leads in every category the pollsters could think of, except Republicans.