Lieberman Not Ruling Out Return To Democratic Party For 2012 Re-Election Campaign
In yet another indication that Joe Lieberman is going out of his way to patch things up with the Democratic Party, The Hill reports that Lieberman is floating the idea of running for re-election in 2012 -- as a Democrat.
Lieberman said that friends have asked him whether he might go back fully to the Democratic Party. "I'm an independent Democrat, and that gives me options," said Lieberman. However, he did caution against assuming that his praise of President Obama and his work within the Democratic caucus mean he will ultimately rejoin the party: "I wouldn't reach that conclusion."
The new Quinnipiac poll from earlier this week suggests that Lieberman would have a very hard time in a Democratic primary. Among Democratic voters, his approval rating is at only 32%, with 61% disapproval. And another Quinnipiac poll from a month ago tested Lieberman as an independent in a general election against Democratic state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, with Blumenthal winning by a 58%-30% landslide, with an 83%-9% margin among Democrats alone.
But there's no denying that a lot can happen in a three and half years. In 2008 alone, for example, Lieberman travelled the country and vociferously attacked Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. And look at him now.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Fuck you Joe.
March 13, 2009 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
But let's allow Lieberman to spend the next 3 1/2 years trying futilely to make amends to Democrats; he knows that is his only, though extremely slim, chance to save a political career that does not deserve saving. It can not hurt the cause of justice to have his votes.
March 13, 2009 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good thought. The Democratic Party may as well use Lieberman as thoroughly as Lieberman has used it before seeing his butt kicked into an overdue retirement.
March 13, 2009 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
...what else floats?
March 14, 2009 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Acewrap covered it.
March 13, 2009 9:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
nixon back from the dead would get my
vote before lieberman would. odious
little fella.
March 13, 2009 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
This headline is obviously a typo. Having worn out his welcome as an "Independent", Lieberman will run as a Likud in 2012.
And just because it can't possibly be said enough: Fuck you, Joe!
March 13, 2009 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't he already Likud? Since you said it first, add my "FU Joe" to it.
March 13, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
FYJ
March 13, 2009 10:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
So let's see, what does this mean exactly? That he will run as a Democrat in the primary, and if he gets beaten, he's promising not to run in the general as an independent? Uh huh, right. FY.
Joe, what you fail to understand is that it's the voters who will decide whether you are even a Senator after 2012.
March 13, 2009 10:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe he'll run in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, and then if he loses both run as Lieberman for Lieberman again, since for the safety of the country we cannot be deprived of his guidance.
March 13, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Personally, I'm amused that he seems to think that if the Village likes him, it means he can win a nomination and an election.
I guess he's been taking lessons from his buddy John McCain... <g>
March 13, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Connecticut could fix its law so that people who ran in primaries cannot run as independents.
March 16, 2009 9:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Forget it, your political career is over worm, enjoy it while it lasts.
March 13, 2009 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmm, let me see if I understand this. Traitor joe was the dem vp nominee in 2000. He then was an unabashed king supporter and advocate for a war responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents and the destruction of a country. Then he lost because of his support of the king and the horrible war, but squeaked out a win in the general from, what 90% support from republicans??????
Then, he trashes the dem nominee and the dem party, 8 years after he was one of the leaders of the party, for two years in the hopes to get a mcbush appointment as either vp or in his cabinet, while unabashedly supporting the king's war and mcbush. Mcbush loses. Traitor joe is in big trouble. The republican party is going down the toilet and he sees the handwriting on the wall in 2012. So now he wants to forgive and forget about the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocents and his slandering of his former party?
Bottom line, and it has been said repeatedly, Fuck You [insert jon stewart clip saying fuck you] Traitor Joe.
March 13, 2009 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
I remember Joe in 2004 warning Democrats about following Dean into "the political wilderness." As it turns out, he was talking from the f'n Congo.
March 13, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Prior to going into the "political wilderness" Democrats weren't even on the same planet! But that few from afar helped us nail down global warmng, I guess.
March 13, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd say you understand it. :-)
March 13, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Joe.
March 13, 2009 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Borrowing from Sally Fields:
We don't like you, Joe.
We really really don't like you.
And just to repeat what others have said, because repetition is always a good thing:
Fuck.You.
March 13, 2009 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Time for CT to pass a sore loser law before Joe strikes again.
March 13, 2009 10:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
The thought of welcoming Joe back to the fold evokes fond memories of the greetings Carlo Rizzi got from Michael Corleone.
March 13, 2009 10:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
What really kills me is that if Traitor Joe runs again as an "independent," whether from the start or as the candidate of the Connecticut Sore Loser Lovers for Lieberman Party, he's still going to act sulky and betrayed and throw a giant self-pity party when national Democrats support the candidate of the Democratic Party.
Oh, and even though--against all expectations--you've now dropped below Ben Nelson and now tied with Mary Landrieu on my Zell Miller Quisling Hate List, just let me add, fuck you Joe, fuck you very much.
March 13, 2009 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
You're assuming national Democrats will support the Democratic candidate over an independent Lieberman. Judging by their history of Lieberman-related spinelessness, I expect most national Democrats to give at best half-hearted support to any Democratic candidate running against the guy, even if he's still an independent. And I wouldn't be surprised if the national Republicans continue their support of him too.
March 13, 2009 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Eat my shorts, Joe.
March 13, 2009 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, and is it absolutely necessary to post a picture of him just because the story's about him? Some of us are still trying to eat our processed morning fast food substances here.
March 13, 2009 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hear hear. My stomach nearly had to reject my previous beverage of hyper refined caffeine and sugar-like substances.
March 13, 2009 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, isn't there a pic of the "kiss float" in your files somewhere?
March 13, 2009 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dead Man Walking. The guy's career was over when McCain lost.
March 13, 2009 11:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Doubt it. He's a really, really smart politician. Three years is a long time, and he's singing the penance song early. I don't like him, but he has a touch of the undead.
March 13, 2009 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Say it ain't so, joe!
March 13, 2009 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Darth Cheney is a better candidate.
March 13, 2009 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
At least you know what Cheney stands for.
March 13, 2009 12:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Joe: This isn't like picking which recess soccer team you're going to play on. Kindly stfu, stfd, and gtfo.
March 13, 2009 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
My response to Joe Lieberman is--and I believe I am quoting Willa Cather in her immortal novel, My Antonia--suck my dick.
March 13, 2009 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Forgotten,
Useless,
Crooked,
Knesset-driven,
Yellow-bellied,
Old,
Ugly,
Jackoff,
Obnoxious,
Egomaniac.
March 13, 2009 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
heh heh, you were digging for the "K", but yeah, I agree.
Joe's got a better chance if he turns straight Republican, and now he can't do that. He's got 3-and-a-half years to figure out what kind of job he'll be doing next--a lot longer time than most Americans being given the shaft right now.
March 13, 2009 12:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
On second thought, the K's perfect.
March 13, 2009 12:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't know what you were complaining about in the first place, the "K" is highly apt indeed.
March 13, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
I know. My first thought was "that's not good" but it grew on me. (Kind of like the Watchmen movie. I'm actually considering watching it again.) My final thought was that "Knesset" was perfect for Joe.
March 13, 2009 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thing of beauty, man. Ought to be taught in literature classes.
March 13, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, what alex said.
March 14, 2009 6:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
If he runs on the Democratic ticket in the primary, put up a decent opposition candidate. I can't picture the Connecticut voters falling for what happened his last election and then campaigning for McCain. Full me once it's your fault full me..... whatever Bush said.
March 13, 2009 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
To get the Democratic nomination he has to get past the Democratic Town Committees and Democratic State Central Committee.
I remind the TPM readers of the following letter that the State Central Committee directed the Chair to send to Joe Lieberman back in January:
http://hampton.smartcampaigns.com/files/hampton/images/LiebermanLetter.jpg
There is no way that Joe can win a Democratic Convention or Primary.
Big question. How many commenters here are actual Connecticut voters? As someone that actually voted for Ned Lamont at the last Connecticut Democratic Convention I can tell you that most of the people that make up the State Democratic Party are over Joe. Betrayed is the word I would use. There are still a few very important people who would try to bring him back in a heartbeat. (Think union and DNC) And they have been put on notice not to try it.
March 13, 2009 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
I, for one, am not a CT voter, but I donated as much as I could to Lamont, made phone calls, worked GOTV.
That sorry loser CT elected affects us all.
March 13, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Me, dammit, I'm a CT voter. @#*^#@ And I voted for Ned Lamont. Twice.
Ned currently isn't taking input on his website but I'm monitoring it to see what his plans are. He could probably take Dodd in a heartbeat.
About that Quinnipiac poll, though: I've heard Blumenthal say he doesn't want to run. Of course, everything he's done over the past five years or so points to HUGE political ambition, so we won't know until closer to primary time.
March 13, 2009 12:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I live in Connecticut.
March 13, 2009 12:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, talk to your friends damnit! Do something about this! You have the control, you have the power, you CT voter dems are the masters now! The rest of the world depends on you! Get with the program and run this pimple on the butt of the party out. Out out damn him. There is more than one way to leave a joe-just do it. We have suffered enough.
By the way, why doesn't someone create a widget that automatically blocks Liebermans picture on my computer? I would pay for that.
March 14, 2009 6:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Will do!
But it's not Democrats who are the issue.
It's Republicans and "independents" here in CT who returned ol' Joe to DC.
March 14, 2009 2:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, Joe, you made your choice, and now you can live with it. Door's over there, and don't let it hit you.
March 13, 2009 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because it can't be stated enough, and I think we need a little variety here,
Go Fuck Yourself, Joe.
March 13, 2009 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, yes, and Joe's right that he's got lots of options.
And even though most of them involve the "f" word, unfortunately, nothing is stopping him from doing volunteer work with the Likud, pitching in for the Bush library at SMU, or going hunting with his old pal Dick Cheney.
And while I hate to pile on or be obvious,
FUCK YOU JOE!
March 14, 2009 2:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
i cannot wait until joe no longer has a SS detail. we can have a long needed 'chat' about his loyalties. and the billions of my money he has sent to Team Apartheid.
wish joe luck.
March 13, 2009 1:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lieberman has a lot of pull in the Dem party machine in CT. I wouldn't write him off. He won against Lamont precisely because he had access to all that GOTV, fundraising and local access machinery. Not to mention, support at the national level in the form of money and endorsements.
Those of us in CT who are Dems have to be vigilante to prevent Joe's friends in high places from diverting the Dem Party into his channel again.
Thanks.
mp
March 13, 2009 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sign me up...
March 13, 2009 3:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seems to me that Lieberman's current "Party of Me" is the perfect place for him.
You made your bed, Joe. Kindly have the decency to lie in it now. Oh, and GFY while you're at it.
March 13, 2009 4:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fuck you Joe and mud grass horse too.
March 13, 2009 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
What an Asshat!
March 14, 2009 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Too late! Droopy Dawg should have considered returning in 2008.
March 14, 2009 10:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
He's not going to run in the Dem primary and be embarrassed(again). However he won't have the Bush White House instructing the GOP to not support its candidate this time.
Joe needs significant Rep. and Inde' votes and if he gets them he'll still be tough to beat.
March 14, 2009 10:31 PM | Reply | Permalink