I don't understand Joe Lieberman's motivation

[satireV]

Joe Lieberman has announced he will run as an independent for the Senate seat he just lost in the primary. But I don't understand why? I believe he has said he wants to help Connecticut. But how can he?

He will lose all his committee assignments.
He will have no bargaining power, because he cannot bargain for Democratic Party votes.
He will basically only have the power of one Senator, one vote.
His power to help his state is little or nil as an independent.

I can't tell if it is greed or ego driving Joe. I AM sure I question his loyalty to his state and the USA.

[saigon68]

1. greed

ego too

[kwolf68]

2. He is a power whore

.

[WA98296]

3. Totally and completely SELF SERVING.

[insane_cratic_gal]

4. This was never about him being a Democrat

It's always been about Joe's Career and ONLY Joe's career, he's running as an independent, he doesn't give two licks about the democratic party.

His only Loyalty is what will keep Joe in power

[Critters2]

5. He thinks that, if he is re-elected,

the power brokers in the party will overlook his betrayal, and let him hold onto committee assignments, etc. That's why he used the term "Independent Democrat". He still wants to claim to be a Democrat, the rat.

Thing is, I fear the party big wigs might let him get away with it.

[LaurenG]

6. Actually Tweety summed it up nicely yesterday before lieberman

lost. He said something to the effect of, Joe won't like not having the adoration and respect that he thinks he should have and has grown fond of.

I think he just can't believe no one likes him. You know the old saying denial isn't just a river in Egypt.

[MercutioATC]

7. He's trying to play it both ways...running as an "Independent Democrat"

He's betting that if he beats Lamont, he'll rejoin the Dems and keep his appointments.

In reality, he's not running as an "Independent Democrat"...he's not even running as an Independent. He's running as the candidate for "Connecticut for Lieberman", a completely new political party he created to exploit a loophole in election law that will get his name closer to the top of the ballot.

He's not a Democrat.

He's not even an Independent.

He's the candidate of a party he created to work against Democrats.

[Warpy]

8. Israel.

He would rather see a pubbie get in than Lamont. He is afraid progressives will abandon Israel and he knows pubbies will protect it.

It could be plain ego, a hissyfit because he felt entitled to the job, but I think it goes deeper than that.

[Atman]

9. He will simply switch parties back to DEM.

This was discussed on Tweet's show last night. He's a shameless whore, he has no problem subverting the will of the people.

[BuhByeChimp]

10. I guess it depends on the voters..

to decide if he is correct or not.

[asjr]

11. I feel Joe made the mistake of thinking

just because he had been in office so long it was up to the citizens to keep him there. He forgot why we vote. There is sadness to his loss because of the way he is handling it. I am sure at one time there was a real human being in the political shell he has wrapped himself in. I am not from CT, but Lamont's win has given me more hope than I have had for over 5 years.

[Swamp Rat]

12. Hubris and greed n/t

[jsamuel]

13. originally, he said that it was so that if there was a really low voter

turnout in the primary, he would allow more voters to vote for him.

That was not the case, but he still wants to keep his seat anyway.

[marions ghost]

14. exactly

I have the same feeling of puzzlement. What's up with Joe? I'm not clear who he really is. Is he so delusional he believes he can just be born again? Is this just a pathetic face-saving attempt?

The pundits say Joe could possibly win running as an Independent...but what does that mean? Would he then be representing some sort of Dem/Repub hybrid? What is this mythical animal? A 'Joe-zell' perhaps?

I was mystified at his concession speech. It just seems weird, like there's something we don't know about Joe. Maybe he needs to go for more reasons than we even realize. Is he all there in the head?

[RethugAssKicker]

15. Now we see why he sides with the Rethugs....He's crazier than

they are

[Cleita]

16. I have always thought he was more loyal to Israel than

the US and uses his influence and power to protect Israel. Okay, so if you are going to flame me, please make it informative and without ad hominem attacks. I am just making an observation and I could be wrong. It's just that no one has convinced me otherwise up until now.

[harry t]

19. response.

That could be construed as being ANTISEMETIC. Nedd I remind you that the Jews have been our most loyal Democratic voting Bloc???

[Cleita]

21. That was my point.

Criticizing a sovereing nation for their policies is not anti-semitic and criticizing a person who condones those policies is not anti-semetic but it does question his loyalty to our country.

I have dual citizenship. Although I consider myself an American citizen, my other country doesn't recognize my American citizenship so I am regarded a citizen of that country. In other words I have no choice. Now what if I became a senator and everything I was motivated to do would be to protect and enrich my other country?

What if that country did something that no one in the world agreed with, but I put that country ahead of America in my actions because that is where my true loyalties lay. Wouldn't you criticize me for doing so? Would this be in anyway regarded as racist? I don't think so.

[mmonk]

17. It's all about Joe, not Connecticut.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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[B Calm]

20. Joe Lieberman's motivation = EGO