Bernie Sanders Throws a High and Tight One

by: David Sirota

Fri Nov 14, 2008 at 18:33


TPM has the news of a super-hard-hitting statement from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on the Lieberman issue:

"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country," Sanders in the statement sent our way by his office.

"Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in,'" Sanders continued. "I very much hope that Senator Lieberman stays in the Democratic caucus and is successful in regaining the confidence of those whom he has disappointed. This is not a time, however, in which he should be rewarded with a major committee chairmanship."

More like this please, Senators.

David Sirota :: Bernie Sanders Throws a High and Tight One

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Bernie Sanders Throws a High and Tight One | 18 comments
Nice! (4.00 / 8)
Perfect Statement on this issue.    
Damn right (4.00 / 4)
"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country," Sanders in the statement sent our way by his office.

Damn right.

It's good that he and Leahy have gone public (4.00 / 7)

 The narrative was settling into pro-Lieberman terms way too easily, with Bayh and (disappointingly) Dodd leading the way to exonerate Joe for the seventieth-times-seven time he undermined the Democratic Party and its candidates.

 This helps set a counter-narrative. And since logic and reason are on our side in this affair, if the two arguments get equal play, we win.

  That this is even controversial, though, remains a serious indictment of Democratic leaders.

  Then again, I understand not wanting to piss off Lieberman. Who knows what he would do -- maybe campaign for the opposition party, or trash Democratic leaders and voters to the media, or question the patriotism of the President... man, yes, it would SUCK if he started doing stuff like that. So we must tread lightly on the eggshells...

 

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

Too bad he doesn't have a vote on the matter n/t (0.00 / 0)

Does he? (0.00 / 0)
Isn't he a caucus member?
[ Parent ]
That's the narrative here (4.00 / 3)
we're rewarding someone like Lieberman with an important post?  All this talk of purging dissent and kicking someone out of the caucus, that's Lieberman BS for you.  It really boils down to Democrats picking the best person to chair Homeland Security, and it certainly isn't someone like him.
This is Dick Cheney's hunting trip all over again (4.00 / 6)

 Remember Cheney's victim -- the guy who got shot in the face? He virtually apologized to Cheney for happening to be in the path of the bullets.

 Except for Bernie Sanders and Pat Leahy, the Senate Democrats are that guy. "Joe, we're VERY sorry we expressed any objections to your concerted attempts to destroy our Presidential candidate."  

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

fuckin A well-told!!! (4.00 / 1)


For some reason, it seems that Obama has some pathological and deep-seated psychological need for Republicans to like him.  Seriously.  It's weird.
[ Parent ]
Thanks... (4.00 / 2)

 Joe Lieberman shot us in the face. And we're worried about remaining in HIS good graces.

 How some of these Senate Democrats ever got elected, I'll never understand.  

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhh (4.00 / 1)
why is our side full of pussies?  How can Reid's or even Obama's words be taken seriously when we just unilaterally forgive and forget?

My one fear of Obama is that he tries to become TOO MUCH of a "uniter", to the point of getting railroaded.

But I am very hopeful my fears will be unfounded.  One can only "hope."

For some reason, it seems that Obama has some pathological and deep-seated psychological need for Republicans to like him.  Seriously.  It's weird.

[ Parent ]
Zing!!!! (4.00 / 2)
"Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in,'" Sanders continued.

Sanders lays into HoJo .. and his enablers good

Joe must Go! (4.00 / 5)
Sanders is absolutely right.

And please, don't give me any of this crap about 60 Senators being some magic threshhold where nirvana finally sets in.  For two years we've listened to Congressional Democrats whine that they haven't had the votes to do anything as an excuse for doing nothing.

Even with sixty, there will inevitably be some backslider (like Sen. Shitweasel (I-CT), for example) who will try to derail whatever is at hand.  Democrats need to lose their fear of the filibuster.  They have to get to the point of "let them try it".  Let the Republicans stand up there and filibuster health care or a public works program.  But MAKE THEM STAND UP THERE!  Let the theater go on for a week a more.  The public is not with the Republicans.  Let them show their true colors.  Until our side is willing to do that, their side won't back down.  

Until the Democrats are willing to do that, they will continue to get rolled.  I welcome Lieberman deciding to get out of the Democratic caucus if that's what he wants to do.   If he wants to stay and take his punishment like a man, that's okay too.  But the man is a cancer.  If the Dems won't stand up for themselves against him, let themselves be punked by him yet again, how ever are they going to make the people believe they'll stand up for them?

This has to end soon.

sTiVo's rule: Just because YOU "wouldn't put it past 'em" doesn't prove that THEY did it.

If Lieberman wins, who loses, and why? (4.00 / 7)
One thing I think is missing from this conversation is the fact that committee chairmanships are plum assignments for the party to hand out, and if Lieberman gets one, some other, more loyal democrat loses the opportunity. The question could be "isn't there someone more deserving?". I imagine some of you know who is in line to get the spot (I would imagine that person is one vote against Lieberman)... but it could also be cast as Lieberman vs Senator (Fill in the name) - and the question is, who is more deserving?  so you aren't just weighing Lieberman's negatives by themselves, but in contrast to someone elses positives. You aren't just voting against Lieberman, but for someone better.
Hate to be the cynic here... (0.00 / 0)

... but I live in Vermont and Bernie Sanders is my Senator. He's a good talker but he only speaks like this when it's politically safe. We've been pressuring him to support grassroots impeachment efforts in Vermont and he basically ignored us. Bernie lambasted Bush & Cheney for the last eight years. He's said they are the most corrupt, most right wing, most abusive leaders we've had. But when it comes to getting down to justice, Bernie shies away, right when you expect him not to back down.

This isn't anything brave or daring on his part. This was a politically safe thing for him to do, especially since all the other Dems are doing it too. He's following the heard.  

all the better (4.00 / 6)
If the safe thing is to denounce Lieberman and vote against him, that's a great sign.


New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.
[ Parent ]
That was my thought (0.00 / 0)

 Thought of a couple of frames the Dems could use:

 "There is no room for McCarthyism in the U.S. Senate."

 "Giving Joe Lieberman a committee chairmanship is like giving one to Michelle Bachmann".

   

"We judge ourselves by our ideals; others by their actions. It is a great convenience." -- Howard Zinn

[ Parent ]
How can you blame Bernie though? ... (0.00 / 0)
it's obvious he knows that most of the caucus is spineless .. besides .. he sees what happens to Kucinich in the House .. so no .. I can't blame Bernie
[ Parent ]
What happened to Kucinich? (0.00 / 0)

He brought impeachments charges in the House. Even though he was unsuccessful, it's the fact that Kucinich brought them up regardless of the results. Bernie's not doing anything. Dennis is trying to do something about it.  
[ Parent ]
Bernie Sanders Throws a High and Tight One | 18 comments





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