Dean: Lieberman Should Give Up Chairmanship If He Backs GOP Health Care Filibuster

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post

With Additional Reporting By Julian Hattem

Former DNC Chair Howard Dean called on Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn) to resign as chair of Senate Homeland Security Committee if he can't bring himself to oppose a Republican filibuster of health care reform legislation.

Appearing on "The Joe Scarborough Show" on WABC, Dean stressed that he had no problem with Lieberman opposing the bill on its philosophical merits, or lack thereof. But he insisted that it was irresponsible and unprincipled to not allow the legislation to come to an up-or-down vote.

"I think that is a very complicated guy," said Dean. "He does because he says he's a principled guy but there's nothing principled about holding up a bill... If he was a principled guy he'd resign his chairmanship."

"If you are with a caucus you don't owe the leader any vote on any substance," Dean added. "I have no problem with him voting against the public option... You owe it to Harry Reid to allow him to run the Senate. And if you're not willing to do that the proper thing to do is to step aside."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/25/dean-lieberman-should-rel_n_370685.html

[DonkeyHoTay]

1. Love Howard; loathe Joe

'Nuff said...

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Lieberman resign his chair?

Get real.

[47of74]

3. It'll be a cold day in this place

Before that clown Liebermann willingly resigns his chairmanship.

Which is why I wish the caucus would grow a spine and take it from him.

[MurrayDelph]

13. Same comment I made in another DU board

Susan Collins of Maine is the ranking member of the Homeland Security committee.

Let's make a deal with her: if she switches parties and votes for cloture, we'll give HER the chairmanship.

[MaineDem]

29. That will never happen

Snowe is more likely to vote for the HC bill than Collins. And even that is iffy.

But switch parties? Never.

[Name removed]

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[BrklynLiberal]

27. They will have to drag him away kicking and screaming....

[bjobotts]

31. He'sthere for the WH to kill the PO. Now will exchange votes with Snowe for 60th and trigger

killing the PO because a trigger option is no Public Option at all which is what Rahm Obama wanted all along...remember.

[bjobotts]

32. He got rid of the torture photos ever beingreleased via FOIA when Obama couldn't get it done thru co

courts

[bjobotts]

33. Now he's back to get rid of the PO so we have to accept Snowe's trigger to get 60th vote

for clothure.

Without a public option the reform bill becomes merely an 'exchange' bill.

Millions of new customers in exchange for no pre-existing (though htye will pay higher premiums) etc.

[lsewpershad]

34. No he would not

resign. He should be kicked out.

[Odin2005]

4. +1

[MannyGoldstein]

5. BS. We Have To Be Very, Very Nice To Lieberman

So he'll vote with us.

'kay?

[ensho]

6. he'd have to be dragged away kicking and screaming

I'd help to do the dragging.

[johnhoover70]

7. Just another...

...hypocrite in office. >:-(

[polichick]

8. Lieberman should be tarred, feathered and run out of town...

But too many Dems are as corrupt and self-serving as he is.

[TheEuclideanOne]

20. I kind of like the idea of tarring and feathering him and just placing his tarred and

feathered shell in a Senate seat as a permanent reminder. Just leave him there.... it would be kinda funny IMHO.

[Not Sure]

9. Why the hell is Lieberman still relevant?

How can one insignificant little whiny douche wield so much power? What does that say about who's in charge?

[MaineDem]

10. Thank you, Howard.

But I don't think we should wait for Joe to give it up. Reid should remove him from that position.

[maglatinavi]

11. Joe L.

Get him off any chairmaship or important committee leadership NOW!!! ... we won the elections, he is independent, Reid nor any democrat owes him anything... let him be just another independent ... Geez...

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

Kick his ass to the bottom of the line... and to think he ran for vice potus ... sigh!

[AzNick]

12. Oh hell yeah nt

[Krashkopf]

14. And, if he doesn't give it up . . .

Harry Reid should fuckin' take it from him.

[Catshrink]

37. Harry would have to grow a spine first.

:rofl:

[JEB]

15. Give 'em Hell Howard

Can you imagine where our country would be right now had the "Liberal" media not railroaded him out of his run for POTUS by replaying that bad recording of his whoop? I'm thankful that we have Howard Dean fighting for us. Happy Thanksgiving.

[Le Taz Hot]

45. It wasn't the liberal media that railroaded him.

It was the corporatist Democrats Kerry, Edwards, & Gebhardt with Clinton, Emmanuel and McAulliff running things behind the scenes. Dean wasn't "electable," remember? Their hand-chosen stooge, Kerry, then proceeded to lose against the worst. president. ever. Remember that the next time some Party Faithful tells you someone is "unelectable."

[aikanae]

16. Joe's seat should have disappeared a year ago after McCain campaign

Are Dem's naive or too stupid to learn that there are no real "deal's" or "compromises"? The only thing it does is make them easy prey.

[Arctic Dave]

17. The Dems need to throw him out face first through the door.

[rateyes]

18. Resign, hell. He never should have been given it. And, it should be stripped now.

Gore's running mate ended up being one big fucking loser.

[colsohlibgal]

19. Poor Excuse For A Democrat

But then he's hardly alone in being a wolf in sheep's clothing. Droopy Dog should be drummed completely out of the party. Al Gore has done a lot of good, he seems like a brilliant man - but his brain must have been out to lunch when he picked this complete loser as his running mate.

[tjwash]

21. It’s Democratic leadership that’s allowing Lieberman to act this way.

The guy's been a fucking asshat forever. Why Dems like Obama and Dodd didn't throw more support behind Ned Lamont, I don't know.

[libodem]

22. Ah, yes

Ol' loathsome Joe. Traitor Joe. Joe Schmoe. Joe Mama. A wolf in sheep's clothing, Joe.

Joe Holeo.

How do Joe sleep at night?

Not well?

Joe conscience bothering you?

It should.

Joe Facade.

Will fall over and smash you flat.

Joe flat.

Smashed flat.

[Catshrink]

38. Senator Aetna doesn't have a conscience.

[libodem]

51. Joe right

[VPStoltz]

23. Lieberman, that prick... He should have been ousted long ago!

[Dinger]

24. "If he was a principled guy he'd resign his chairmanship." . . . God, I Love That!

:) :thumbsup: :headbang: :patriot:

[BrklynLiberal]

28. and if the Queen had balls, she would be King.

[rhett o rick]

42. agree. if he was a principled guy he wouldnt have to resign. nt

[santamargarita]

25. Lieberman should have lost that for supporting McCain

His office should be in a broom closet in the basement!

[UrbScotty]

26. Why can't they just take it from him?

I mean, John Dingell, a good progressive House Dem, got his chairmanship taken from him.

[Kingofalldems]

30. Lieberman's DU pals must be outraged over this

[musicblind]

44. Lieberman has DU pals? n/t

[DebbieCDC]

35. Love that Dr. Dean

He's always spot on. The Dems need MORE like him.

[RainDog]

36. I am thankful for Howard Dean

because he speaks for me.

[droidamus2]

39. No way

If Lieberman backs the GOP they should take his chairmanship away and tell him to go caucus with the Republicans. No more mister nice guy if you don't get with the plan we have no use for you.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

40. Someone is keeping him there

[defendandprotect]

41. Democrats should be pushing him out of that Chairman's seat --- !!!

[Enthusiast]

43. Lieberman is not principled.

And any Democrats voting against the public option are not doing so out of principle, they are doing it because they were bribed with insurance industry money.

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best one.

[The Wizard]

46. Holy Joe

is a cancer on the Senate and the Democratic Party in particular. What is wrong with Connecticut Democrats.
That Liebermann got 80% of the Republicans to cast a ballot for him says all anyone needs to know about the slimy reptile's loyalties. The word scalawag comes to mind.

[shadowknows69]

47. Be nice to hear that from Harry Reid. Yeah. I'll walk on Mars first.

[Gman]

48. I think this just goes without saying

This should already be understood by all parties.

[zbdent]

49. (Holy) Joe (I-Lieberman)? Resign?

naw ... he's getting far too much money from Republicans to be their "liberal" voice on Faux and the wannabees ...

[salguine]

50. "Give it up"? It should be wrenched away from him!

[Name removed]

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