Tag: 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign

The one thing you can say about Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman is that he’s a survivor.

The lawmaker who morphed from Democrat to independent to Republican stumper, all quicker than you can say, “What’s in it for me,” appears to be crafting yet a new political persona in the event of a Barack Obama victory.

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In a conference call with Connecticut reporters Friday, Lieberman stressed that his comments about the Illinois senator have always been “within bounds.”

“When I go out, I say, ‘I have a lot of respect for Sen. Obama. He’s bright. He’s eloquent.’ Someday, I might even support him for president,” Lieberman said. “But now in the midst of this series of crises, John McCain is simply so much better prepared that that’s who I am proud to support.”

Lieberman also said that if McCain doesn’t win, “I’m going to do everything I can to be bringing people … together across party lines to support the new president so he can succeed.”

Not to be nitpicky, but it was only about two months ago that the Connecticut senator was asserting the Democratic nominee did not “put the country first.” Speaking at the Republican National Convention, he went so far as to say that Obama “was voting to cut off funding for our troops on the ground.”

Which is why most political analysts have assumed that it would be payback big time for Lieberman, should the Democrats win a decisive Senate majority. The prevailing theory is, the Democratic leadership would strip him of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee, and the exiled senator would throw in with the Republicans.

But Ken Dautrich at the University of Connecticut makes a case that it is premature to write Lieberman’s political obituary.

In a Hartford Courant op-ed column last week, Dautrich points out that Lieberman’s vote could be the difference between a filibuster-proof majority for the Democrats:

Just as luck would have it that Lieberman represented the one vote distinguishing a Democrat majority from a Republican majority after the 2006 elections, it now appears that his vote just may define a filibuster-proof Democrat majority after the 2008 Senate elections.

The one missing link in the Democrats’ likely White House and congressional victories in 2008 is the possibility that the Senate may filibuster the Obama-Democratic congressional legislation. From the looks of it, Obama will win on Nov. 4, and the Democrats will maintain their majorities in Congress. But a filibuster-proof Senate requires 60 Democrats…

It now seems quite possible that the 2008 Senate races will result in 59 Democrats, 40 Republicans and Lieberman. If that happens and Lieberman chooses to remain with the Democrats, that would provide a filibuster-proof majority. On the other hand, if Lieberman aligns with the Republicans, a filibuster could prevent significant Obama-Democratic legislation…

Of course, everything hinges on the numbers. But be on the lookout for more pivots if need be from Lieberman – and the Democratic leadership.

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• Joe Lieberman blazes his own path – March 10, 2008
• Lieberman’s transformation from Dems’ VP pick to McCain mouthpiece – June 9, 2008
• Coal-mining pals Inhofe, McConnell tie up climate-change bill – June 5, 2008
• Senate passes bailout bill by overwhelming vote – October 2, 2008
• John Podesta and Cassandra Q. Butts oversee Obama’s transition – October 21, 2008
• Sen. Chuck Hagel dances closer to Obama – October 27, 2008
• New Freedom’s Watch looks a lot like old Republican Congressional Committee – April 18, 2008
• Entertainment industry overwhelmingly supports Dems in 2008 – June 24, 2008
• Homer Simpson: another frustrated voter – October 5, 2008
• Joe Biden is Obama’s pick for vice president – August 23, 2008