Lieberman to speak at Republican Convention

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

http://news.yahoo.com/story//ap/20080820/ap_on_el_pr/lieberman_gop_convention

Does the mere announcement that he is a speaker mean he won't be picked as VP?  Many of us thought when Hillary was announced as a speaker that poo-poo'd any possibility of her being picked.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

McCain/Lieberman!!!!

OMG... the charisma!  The eye-burning charisma!!

[Angel of Death]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. Like Zell Miller, he knows that his electoral career is over with the Democrats, so he might as well stop beating around the bush (NPI) and go out with a bang.

[MODU]

As Death said, it's not a surprise, since he has campaigned with McCain since the beginning.  Unlike Zell, however, Joe is still very much a democrat, so he'll probably serve as a character witness and show the general public that it's ok to support someone that that doesn't share your ideology if you think they are the most qualified and capable.

[Beet]

As Death said, it's not a surprise, since he has campaigned with McCain since the beginning.  Unlike Zell, however, Joe is still very much a democrat, so he'll probably serve as a character witness and show the general public that it's ok to support someone that that doesn't share your ideology if you think they are the most qualified and capable.

He was kicked out of the Democratic party back in August of 2006, which must have been a very personal and humiliating experience for him. I'm not sure whether to blame the activists for alienating him so profoundly or give them credit for seeing into his character earlier than others.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

He was kicked out of the Democratic party back in August of 2006, which must have been a very personal and humiliating experience for him. I'm not sure whether to blame the activists for alienating him so profoundly or give them credit for seeing into his character earlier than others.

He lost a Democratic primary.  He wasn't "kicked out of the party."

[Beet]

He was kicked out of the Democratic party back in August of 2006, which must have been a very personal and humiliating experience for him. I'm not sure whether to blame the activists for alienating him so profoundly or give them credit for seeing into his character earlier than others.

He lost a Democratic primary.  He wasn't "kicked out of the party."

True. It was the most that could be done. You can't actually eject anyone from a party.

[Brittain33]

He was kicked out of the Democratic party back in August of 2006, which must have been a very personal and humiliating experience for him. I'm not sure whether to blame the activists for alienating him so profoundly or give them credit for seeing into his character earlier than others.

The key date in Lieberman's alienation from the Democratic Party was in 2004, when he went from 1st in the polls to 5th place in N.H. in the Democratic primary, and wasn't handed the nomination for the Presidency he felt he deserved. At that point, he transitioned into full spite mode and started attacking the Democratic party and its elected officials in every interview and media appearance he was given. Not surprisingly, he started getting a lot more on Fox News.

The 2006 primary was the activists' gamble they could finish him off. It failed. At that point, Lieberman was totally liberated to become the power player he couldn't be as a Democrat. He was bound by campaign promises to support the Democratic caucus, but that only lasted a few months. However, his future prospects look worse than he ever could have imagined.

[Sbane]

I hope Hagel speaks at the dem convention. Too bad he won't.

[Democratic Hawk]

Hell, Lieberman is more coma-inducing than McCain and that is saying something

Dave

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Hell, Lieberman is more coma-inducing than McCain and that is saying something

He makes Ben Stein sound like Robin Williams.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

At least this means he likely won't be the VP pick.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

At least this means he likely won't be the VP pick.

Shame.  He'd make McCain look fresh and exciting.

[TheresNoMoney]

The Democrats who defended and supported Joe Lieberman in 2006 owe the rest of us Democrats an apology.

[True Democrat]

The Democrats who defended and supported Joe Lieberman in 2006 owe the rest of us Democrats an apology.

No we don't.  Being a Democrat (or a Republican) does not mean always supporting the Democratic candidate.  It means supporting Democratic values (which is defined by each person), regardless of candidate.  That's what I did for the Connecticut Senate race in 2006 and for this presidential election.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

The Democrats who defended and supported Joe Lieberman in 2006 owe the rest of us Democrats an apology.

Like hell we don't!  I supported Lieberman in 2006, I'll support him in 2012; I'll support him until he stops running.  I don't have to support every Democratic nominee; I'll support the best candidate.

[Jacobtm]

Every suspicion anyone ever had about McCain, that he wasn't a loyal Republican, that he isn't a real Conservative, would be confirmed by picking a pro-choice Jew who voted single-handedly could have kept the Senate in Republican hands, but voted for Harry Reid instead.

[TheresNoMoney]

No we don't.  Being a Democrat (or a Republican) does not mean always supporting the Democratic candidate. 

The people like myself who advocated Lieberman's defeat in 2006 were attacked and called every name in the book. We were right about everything, every accusation.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

No we don't.  Being a Democrat (or a Republican) does not mean always supporting the Democratic candidate. 

The people like myself who advocated Lieberman's defeat in 2006 were attacked and called every name in the book. We were right about everything, every accusation.

You abandoned a guy based on 1 issue, and then called him a traitor because he didn't agree with you.  It's his right to support the war if he wants; remember, without him, we wouldn't have the Senate majority this year.  He could've voted with the GOP, but he chose to vote with us, because he is a Democrat.

[Bacon King]

Every suspicion anyone ever had about McCain, that he wasn't a loyal Republican, that he isn't a real Conservative, would be confirmed by picking a pro-choice Jew who voted single-handedly could have kept the Senate in Republican hands, but voted for Harry Reid instead.

^^^^^^
This is why Lieberman won't be McCain's veep.

[Sbane]

No we don't.  Being a Democrat (or a Republican) does not mean always supporting the Democratic candidate.

The people like myself who advocated Lieberman's defeat in 2006 were attacked and called every name in the book. We were right about everything, every accusation.

You abandoned a guy based on 1 issue, and then called him a traitor because he didn't agree with you.  It's his right to support the war if he wants; remember, without him, we wouldn't have the Senate majority this year.  He could've voted with the GOP, but he chose to vote with us, because he is a Democrat.

That 1 issue is way more important than anything else. A reason why our economy is doing so bad is because of the inflation caused by the Iraq war spending. The dollar has fallen because we are spending money we don't have( or borrowing from the chinese). Now this may lead to greater exports but we will see if that happens.

[True Democrat]

Every suspicion anyone ever had about McCain, that he wasn't a loyal Republican, that he isn't a real Conservative, would be confirmed by picking a pro-choice Jew who voted single-handedly could have kept the Senate in Republican hands, but voted for Harry Reid instead.

^^^^^^
This is why Lieberman won't be McCain's veep.

If Lieberman had voted to give the Republicans the majority, I think he would be VP.  Now, I think McCain will have to compromise for Ridge if he wants to break the mold in any way.

[Lunar]

No we don't.  Being a Democrat (or a Republican) does not mean always supporting the Democratic candidate.

The people like myself who advocated Lieberman's defeat in 2006 were attacked and called every name in the book. We were right about everything, every accusation.

You abandoned a guy based on 1 issue, and then called him a traitor because he didn't agree with you.  It's his right to support the war if he wants; remember, without him, we wouldn't have the Senate majority this year.  He could've voted with the GOP, but he chose to vote with us, because he is a Democrat....

....campaigning for the Republican candidate and going to the Republican convention..

[Brittain33]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

It was about far more than that, as has been discussed many times. Lieberman is also the first person to start calling people who disagree with him traitors, and he meant it in a literal sense.

[Democratic Hawk]

The Democrats who defended and supported Joe Lieberman in 2006 owe the rest of us Democrats an apology.

I feel intensely betrayed by Lieberman - but don't for one minute expect me to apologise for endorsing Lieberman over Ned 'the one trick' Donkey

I'm supporting Obama, primarily, for two reasons:

1. Obama is someone I perceive as being pretty much a left-leaning Christian Democrat - he's not a Catholic, but the social gospel is seemingly something that has informed him; indeed, capitalism with a conscience appears to be his model - when it comes to the economy and quality of life issues. I'm not sure what McCain is, nowadays, but I suspect deep-down he's just another libertarian-leaning conservative elitist, which bodes for indifference. We saw that with Phil Gramm; while Lindsey Graham said that McCain would, absolutely, be an enhancement on Bush's policies

2. And as a citizen of the world I'm looking to America for leadership and Obama is my choice to restore American prestige abroad and reassert her moral authority. What I witnessed in Berlin (albeit via a TV screen) with American flags being waved most enthusiastically is testament to that. And when he says the world is looking to America for leadership, I agree with him

I know in the UK support for Obama, among Britons transcends the ideo-political divide. In fact, when I'm loafing around my mate's tobacconist shop, whenever an American enters we lobby for Obama - and Jim, unlike me, is a staunch Thatcherite

Dave