Roll Call Politics Reports on How Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman Goes His Own Way

For the Rest of Us, the Important Thing is That He Just Goes

Go Please, Just go

Maybe Democrats haven’t done a very good job of governing when they have had the power to do so, but surely they have not done such a terrible job that they deserve the curse of Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.  This once principled and respected politician has descended so far into an egomaniacally driven maniac that even if he does nothing else for the rest of his career in the Senate he has earned the scorn not only of Democrats but even Republicans.

Senator Lieberman joined the Senate as a progressive Democrat, a champion of government supporting people.  He was rightly outraged by President Clinton behavior with Ms. Lewinsky, and his prominence and integrity resulted in his being named as the Vice Presidential nominee in 2000.  After losing that election and losing a primary bid in 2006 Senator Lieberman turned into, well turned into an enigma. 

He remained a Democrat, because he could leverage his threat to leave the party in order to gain prominent assignments in the Senate.  But while a Democrat he joined with Republicans, sought the Republican Vice Presidential nomination and spoke at the Republican convention.    There should be no question in anyone's mind that if the Republicans had taken control of the Senate after the 2010 election or needed one more vote to do so,  Mr. Lieberman would now be a Republican.  After the 2008 election Democrats chose expediency over principle and continued to court Senator Lieberman and allow him to retain his Democratic seniority and leadership positions in the Senate.

Senator Lieberman has repaid this treatment by continuing to side with Republicans and to work to thwart the President’s programs.

Sen. Joe Lieberman is chafing Democrats with his opposition to President Barack Obama’s jobs bill and his flirtation with Republican presidential and Senate candidates. But with the Connecticut Independent retiring and Senate Democrats — with whom he caucuses — holding a slim 53-seat majority, there’s little they can do to rein him in.

While he is retiring after this term (thank you, thank you, thank you) he is not only not helping Democrats keep his seat, but he is actively helping Republicans who want to replace him.

Perhaps most disconcerting to Democrats have been Lieberman’s recent discussions with his state’s 2010 GOP Senate nominee, former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon,  and former Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays (R), a longtime friend, to discuss their campaigns to capture his Senate seat in 2012.

Linda McMahon is everything Mr. Lieberman used to be against.  If elected she would be a radical conservative Republican, voting to end all of the social programs that help millions of low income and middle income Americans, and voting to deliver even more benefits and tax cuts to the wealthy.

The reason for Sen. Lieberman engaging in this behavior is simple.  It is all about him, anything to retain the spotlight and attention.  This is an American tragedy, that this once decent and honorable man has become so bitter and pitiful such that his retirement from the Senate is a cause for celebration.  Not a celebration of his career, but a celebration that at long last he is leaving.