Kos also had this little gem about how Obama handed off Lieberman's offer of congratulations to Joe Biden. Maybe he's not ready to make nice quite yet.

Can Connecticut recall his sorry ass?

More important than Leahy's answer, what struck me was the question (from Bill in Ripton) - which was 'what about us who go out and campaign and worked so hard?'
And, that summarizes a lot of sentiment people like I have? Shouldn't Lieberman's actions have consequences?

I was wondering about the recall too.

If California can do it to Gray Davis, why not Connecticut to Lieberman?

@Quinn:
I don't think Senators can be recalled.

Senate Majority Leader Pat Leahy? Sounds good to me.

I know we all forget context and history as soon as the second hand ticks ahead one tock, but Joe Lieberman didn't pass the smell test in the DEMOCRATIC PARTY during his last election. He had to register as an eponymous party of one in order to be on the ballot and win re-election.

Again, the DEMOCRATIC PARTY has already gone on the record saying that's had enough of Joe Lieberman. Other Democrats in Congress should recognize the will of the voters in Connecticut, and stop sucking up to this turncoat.

Yeah, Leahy is a real profile in courage.

Which begs the question: just how big of a wuss is Chris Dodd? A giant wuss, or a gargantuan one?

That's great news. I think Rachel Maddow has also done great service in pressing the issue and exploring it quite cogently and with refreshing candor.

I'll keep my fingers crossed. But no matter the outcome, it's good that others are now speaking out.

Congrats to Leahy for staying normal and not be a stage senator.

Way to go Senator Leahy !!!

Here`s hoping such sanity continues to pick up momentum. Just vote NO on LIEberman.

"...it`s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine..." - REM

This is the thank you note I sent to Sen. Leahy:

"Dear Sen. Leahy:

Although I am not a constituent of yours, I have always admired your principled stands on a wide number of political issues.

I want to thank you for your comments concerning the proposal that Sen. Joe Lieberman should not suffer any consequences for his opposition to Pres.-elect Obama and the lies and deception he perpetrated in support of the McCain-Palin campaign.

I believe a significant majority of Democrats support your position that Sen. Leiberman should NOT continue his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee and that is important that a man of your stature make this position known and established as a matter for debate by others in the Democratic Caucus.

Thank you again for once again taking the correct and principled position on this issue."

Feel free to plagiarize or not, but send some positive reinforcement to him so this can gain traction.

Vermont.
I keep thinking I should move there.
If you guys legalize ganja...
I swear I'm in.

The best way to stop being the battered party is to stop acting like the battered party. No to the Lieberwhiner.

Joey can stay in the caucus cuz the Dems need the numbers to increase and not decrease. BUT to let him keep the covetted chairmanship position......NOT. No way, no how, no JoeyL.....end of story.

Thank goodness for Leahy. He is one of the sensible guys in politics. He's correct. Lieberman should be sent packing to the GOPhers.

Then CT voters will send him packing back to civilian life where he can play his backstabbing games to his heart's content.

What he did during the campaign is inexcusable.If senators are not disciplined for betrayal that entire body doesn't deserve any respect from the voters. Leahy carries considerable weight, and he just might give some of the spineless types a little courage.

I just finished emailing Senators Murray and Cantwell here in Washington state to urge them to oppose Lieberman's retention of his committe chairmanship.

If you guys legalize ganja...
I swear I'm in.

It's not that they'll ever legalize it. It's that they just won't get around to arresting you for it.

Evan Bayh also expressed concern that Lieberman might resign if removed from his chairmanship and that since CT has a Republican governor he would be replaced by a Republican. Two points on this:

1) So what! Since the Dems can't rely on Lieberman's vote, what real difference does this make?

2) I am not an expert on CT law, but in every other state that I am aware of, when a senate seat becomes vacant and the governor appoints a replacement, that replacement does not serve until the end of the departed senator's term. Rather, they serve until the next general election when the voters get to vote on a senator to serve the rest of the term. If that is indeed the case in CT, Lieberman should be encouraged to resign rather than our having to put up with him through 2012. Perhaps we could get a Dem elected in 2009 or 2010.

His test should be taking the chairmanship away and then seeing how he reacts. He is the problem child we are afraid to discipline and taking away a position that he could use against us is common sense, tossing him out of the caucus would be disciplining him.

No one in their right mind is going to jump ship and become a republican out of spite. If he does, it means we made the right choice, if he doesn't, well Joe dug his own grave.

Personally, I find it disgusting that we are being made to make this choice by Reid instead of him telling them to go for it when they threaten filibuster. Reid needs to realize that we are no longer the minority and I think it's very wishful thinking on his part that we will get 60 and Lieberman will behave.

in every other state that I am aware of, when a senate seat becomes vacant and the governor appoints a replacement, that replacement does not serve until the end of the departed senator's term.

That varies by state. Who here knows what CT does?

Leahy is one of the few, few Dems with balls. He should be majority leader.

I just finished emailing Senators Murray and Cantwell here in Washington state to urge them to oppose Lieberman's retention of his committe chairmanship. Posted by: tanstaafl

Don't hold your breath. As much as I'd like to be a partisan schmuck (as opposed to just a plain schmuck), I gave up on those two about four years ago, Cantwell in particular when she sent back a form letter explaining her supporting Rice's nomination as SS because she was a female negro.

Apparently her complete failure as the National Security Adviser, her lying to the 9/11 Commission, and her support for the war in Iraq, which both Murray and Cantwell voted against, didn't figure in to accessing whether she deserved a promotion.

Vermont. I keep thinking I should move there.
If you guys legalize ganja... I swear I'm in.
Posted by: koreyel

You mean the syrup, scenery, skiing and ice cream aren't enough?

The minority chair of the Homeland Security Committee is Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
One of the chief fundraisers and advisers to Sen. Collins' re-election was/is Joe Lieberman.

Collusion?

So let's just strip Lieberman of his chairmanship. And if he threatens to go over to the Republicans and filibuster every Democratic piece of legislation then here's a thought: Why not offer his chairmanship to Susan Collins or Olympia Snowe on the condition that they join the Democrats and swear publicly never to filibuster? Isn't that kind of what the Democrats did with James Jeffords way back when?

And regarding losing Joe's "liberal" voting record, it's worth noting in the 2007 National Journal rankings, Lieberman was ranked 44th most liberal and Snowe and Collins were ranked 50th and 51st. Not quite a yawning gap there.

//Also, Evan Bayh, among others, seems to like the idea of letting Lieberman keep his committee chairmanship on something akin to probation //

Is that double secret probation?

Help me out - I've been out of the echo chamber for a while. What lies and distortions did Lieberman make? Yeah, he supported his old buddy, and yeah, he said that Obama didn't have the experience (which is a matter of opinion).

It would be smart for the Democrats to not piss Lieberman off, given that the Dems don't have 60 votes outright.

Thank you, Saint Patrick.