Joe Lieberman has faced some tough circumstances in the past couple of years. He faced a tough challenger in the Democratic primary and lost only to win the general election running as an independent. He decided to caucus with the Democrats thus giving them a one vote majority in the Senate. Lieberman could not force himself to switch parties or caucus with Republicans and now he will more than likely pay a heavy price.
Lieberman has been supporting John McCain and this is really rubbing the Democrats the wrong way. The very people who abandoned him in the primary are upset that he will not support Barack Obama for the presidency. On the campaign trail Lieberman said something that really ticked off the Democrats and Nancy Pelosi made it known that Joe will likely lose his committee chairmanship.
This should come as no surprise. The Democrats have wanted to strip Lieberman of any committee responsibilities for quite some time. They have not done so because they are worried about losing the majority in the Senate. However, if they pick up enough seats that they do not need him they will strip him of everything and he will be fortunate to even get table scraps from the party that once put him up as a vice presidential nominee.
I stated in the past that Lieberman should have switched parties or caucused with Republicans because I knew it would only be a matter of time before the Democrats turned on him (more so than they did in the primaries). Lieberman could not force himself to switch and now will suffer the consequences should the Democrats no longer need his services.
Nancy Pelosi has made it clear that they have not stripped Lieberman because they want to keep the majority and she made it just as clear that he could lose quite a bit for backing McCain and for saying things about the sainted one. Pelosi is in the House and has no direct influence on Senator Lieberman but anyone who thinks Pelosi is the only one with vengeance on her mind is severely lacking in the ability to think. It is a foregone conclusion that Lieberman will get screwed if the Democrats pick up seats in the Senate. Since it looks like the Republicans will lose seats it is not looking good and Lieberman will have blown his chance at his own revenge. He should have screwed the Democrats right after the last election.
The only way Lieberman does not get screwed is if he either starts drinking the Obama Kool Aid or if the Democrats do not gain seats. Neither looks like it will happen.
I admire the fact that Lieberman has been loyal to his friend John McCain and I think it is even more remarkable when one considers what he will certainly lose because of that support.
Regardless of what happens in November, Lieberman should switch parties and move to the side that has treated him well.
Source:
SF Gate
