At least that interview outed Brokaw as part of the DNC.

I found his "regrets, he's had a few" routine irritating, but not nearly as much as his skating past Brokaw's questions with, "That's in the past. We have to look forward. God gave us eyes in the front of our heads to look forward"...blah, blah, blah.

This all-purpose "that's the past" answer helped make Palin look like a complete dolt in her "debate" with Biden, and it makes an old geezer like Lieberman look even more idiotic. Nobody believes that a few months ago constitutes "the past."

At least that interview outed Brokaw as part of the DNC.

Right. The same Brokaw who thought it was a "smart tactical move" for McCain to suspend his campaign during the financial crisis.

The same Brokaw who acted as NBC liaison with the McCain campaign.

That Brokaw.

it's so disappointing that leiberman keeps his chairmanship. for actions there should be consequences, otherwise... this look a lot like a wall street bailout.

like the political junkie he is, lieberman will continue to act with impunity, realizing the tail indeed does wag the dog.

in an otherwise optimistic forward looking period his 'pardon' looks an awful lot like the past.

Screamin' Demon, don't forget Brokaw's view of Obama: "There's a creepy cult of personality about all this." Yep, creepy is just the word you use for the supporters of someone you support.

Joe Lieberman sponsored the Senate resolution authorizing war with Iraq. Now he wants to go forward.

He called for the bombing of Iran and stated that Iran has declared war on us. Now he wants to go forward.

He called for greater domestic spying in the U.S. Now he wants to go forward.

He supports waterboarding.

He supported Roberts for the Supreme Court and trusted that McCain would make good Supreme Court picks. Now he wants to go forward.

He told women seeking abortions to take a hike. Now he wants to go forward.

He hearts Christian creep John Hagee.

He joined the McCain campaign and vigorously campaigned against Obama, implying that he is a Marxist. Now he wants to go forward.

Go forward where? People who do the things Joe Lieberman has done do not have the right to go forward with the Democratic Party. They belong out on their ass with the garbage. A party moves forward by rejecting arrogant shitheads like Lieberman who do their best to undermine the party's values and ideals.

At some point Obama is going to have to smack Lieberman down. Otherwise he is going to control the Senate agenda.

I found his "regrets, he's had a few" routine irritating

Why should anyone be upset with Lieberman for saying the words he truly feels, and not the words of one who kneels?

The only real question remaining is how long will Lieberman wait before he decides that Obama's entire administration is in dire need of stringent oversight from Holy Joe's committee.

Lieberman doesn't regret a damn thing from the campaign--except for the fact that his candidate lost. All of the bizarre statements he made, all the phony and hurtful accusations? He doesn't regret or repent of those one iota.

Soon, Ried and Obama will be deeply regretting their failure to kick Joe's ass to the curb. Lieberman will crank up the hearings, churn out the subpoenas, join the Republicans in their filibuster efforts, and generally do everything he can to thwart and destroy Obama. Reid and the rest will be powerless to stop him.

I'm sure he wants to move forward, because otherwise he'll be looking at having his ass handed to him in 4 years when he runs for re-election. On a slightly related note, I think it might be a little soon for progressive groups like Credo to be using Joe Lieberman's image in a joking way when it comes to talking about switching anything.

Going forward with Lieberman requires you to screw your head on backwards.

OK, Obama wants to make nice so he can call in chits when he needs them. Let's see whether the Senator from Jerusalem can play nice, or if he's merely about himself as he's always been.

An apology means much more than a simple regret.

Who doesn't have regrets?

With apology, you recognize likely deleterious consequences your words or deeds may have had on others.

A regret is not an apology by a long shot.

And wow, he sure took pains to remain vague, while putting Brokaw on the defensive for even airing his quotes "How nice of you.."

What the Fu*k did you expect Lieberman? Now he wants Brokaw to apologize for exposing the truth?!

I'm sure a requirement of political survival is the ability to get past offensive things said during a campaign. That said, the problem with Lieberman is that he has been campainging against the Democratic party, non-stop, for almost as long as I can remember.

To tell the truth, I'm trying to come up with a single instance where Lieberman has gone before the cameras to defend a Democrat - any Democrat, under any circumstance. I'm drawing a blank.

There's something wrong when a repub leaning independent would rather caucus with the Dems. There's something even more wrong with the Dems who permit the charade.

Lieberman receives more attention than his insignificance warrants. He has reduced himself to a characature. I suspect Obama's rescue was more about building a bridge to McCain and Graham, both of whom remain significant, than about forgiving Joe. Joe has been nuetralized as a critic by his vacilation,pomposity and lack of contrition. He has a lot of ground to make up with the public and with his collegues.

All I have to say is that Connecticut has a score to settle with the American people come 2012. By then, Lieberman had better be at the end of his career as a Washinton pol.

I just hope that behind the scenes there has been some explicit quid pro quo for this - some promise extracted, some expectations laid firmly down.

Otherwise Dems have given up yet again.

The Olde Republican Filibustre

With 60 or fewer Democratic caucus members, Holy Joe Lieberman has the Democratic leadership by the short hairs. However, if they had 61 members, they would probably still tolerate HJ, because you can never count on ALL the Dems to vote with their caucus. 62? Same thing.

Maybe the Dems just need leaders with shorter short hairs??

"I regret," said the Fox to the Chickens,
That I've smashed your henhouse door;
That your blood is spattered on the walls
And your feathers now carpet the floor.
You need both Courage and Unity to defend yourselves, BUT---
You've not the cojones for the chore....

Well, all I can say to this is: What the hell is wrong with the people of Connecticut? Get rid of the guy!

It's official, I now HATE Joe Lieberman.

His hawkish nature, self-serving contrarianism, and arrogance have just been supplemented generously with gutlessness.

You're an a-hole, Joe. Either apologize for it or own it and be a man. Now, you're an a-hole... AND a coward.

Zell Miller was a man about being an a-hole. I hate to use his name and the words "role model" in the same sentence, but at least I could respect his principled, if wretchedly misguided, opposition.

I know we all really can't stand this guy but credit PEBO for playing his cards and getting this guy on the right team- if not finally. I really don't care if he apologizes of not.

now back to NFL sunday!

This is the influence of the Jewish lobby, nothing else, that allowed Lieberman to keep his chairmanship to the Homeland Security Committee as well as even being allowed to continue his participating in the Democratic caucus. The man has dual loyalties: Republican vs. Democratic ideas and America vs. Israel. Obama and the Democratics are going to rue the day that they allowed this snake in the grass to remain in their midst.

It reminded me of interviewing a long-term psych patient--denial, miminizing behavior, not taking responsibility for one's actions, missing the general point, filtering out the negative, shining on. Brokow did a noteworthy job. I could hear the disapproval in his voice.
But I can't stand hearing LIEberman's voice. I get a visceral reaction of nausea. Traitor Joe.

Lieberman is more liberal that the average Democratic Senator on all issues EXCEPT one: kicking ass in the Middle East. The fact that he chose to stand with the Republicans, for the minor marginal difference between them and the Dems on that issue, must mean it really is ALL that matters to him.

The fact that this one-trick pony is still given a prominent perch from which to propagandize for the bombing of more Muslims countries is a sad statement on the atrophied debate on Mideast foreign policy in the US.

I don't care if he apologizes, or votes for liberal Democratic causes - what's a couple percent more progressive tax rate compared to the 1 million innocent dead people, from wars helped by the advocacy and lies of people like him?

Being Jewish, Lieberman should understand the nefarious power of race baiting and hate-mongering perpetuated by the McCain campaign.

Saying he 'regrets' participating in such a propoganda campaign hardly satisfies in the context of the racist attacks and hate-mongering perpetuated against Jewish people throughout history.

It seems that Lieberdweeb is saying that we should let Usama Bin Laden off the hook, because after all he attacked us in the past and we should just leave it there, in the past, where the past belongs. And hey, that would be the same for all terrorist acts up to this point, because after all, if they happened at all, they happened in the past. What's done is done, and done again and again, because it's so quick and easy to get it over with, and once it's over with, it's in the past, wherein everything is moot.

Does he still have his own political party? What was it called again? Lieberdweeb for Anarchy?

I can see why he gets along with the rethuglicans so well.

I really hope this is a "Fredo Corleone" situation. Obama and other top Dems are waiting for some unknown thing to happen first before they take their revenge on Lieberman.

Perhaps the 2010 elections or some other event that will allow Dems to move against him away from the eyes of the press.

A man can hope, right??

A vote for Obama was a vote against Lieberman. I don't think the Dems understand that. There is a touch of fiddling while Rome burns about this affair.

Odd that your Democratic party did not break him, for nothing other than treachery. Breaking ideological ranks is fine, obliquely or directly critiquing a party candidate or platform point, again fine. Actualy going out and agitating and doing joint appearances with the opposition, well that should be grounds for expulsion. Ideology be damned, I am no bloody Leftist, but on this kind of matter a bit of fucking spine is needed.

McCain "puts this country first" bullshit(and then picks Palin) and this "bipartisan" crap about McCain is just ludicrous. If you agree with a republican your bipartisan, if you don't you're not. That's all "bipartisan" has ever meant to these goobers.

What I want to know is why is Lieberman on MTP to begin with. He's been on that show more than nearly anyone else...should have his own chair.

I'm so sick of hearing his nonsense...and it is nonsense...claiming "we all do it in the heat of a campaign" and trying to minimize his hateful rhetoric. He should just admit that he did it primarily because he thought he would get picked for VP. Just like McCain, all he has ever done his pursue his own selfish agenda for position and power. If there were a communist party and he thought he had a chance to be VP he'd join that party or any other to advance his own career.

He admittedly put himself up for sale to the highest bidder when he said if he doesn't keep his chair then he'd caucus with republicans. So he doesn't believe in the democrats ideology unless he gets rewarded huh. One has to look long and hard for integrity in the senate these days...they truly have become the house of Lords.

This man has no honor.

Best 2 give Joe a big hug, & don't let go. Keep ur friends close, & your enemies closer - especially if U can use them. Obama is VERY confident he can bitch-slap Joe if/when necessary.

One word comes to my mind when I think of Lieberman, Smarmy!

Conncticut will not forget Smarmy Joe in 2012 if runs. The voters will speak!

I'm with flubber on this one.

I do believe that Lieberman is broken and has completely dishonored himself. There is really no need to further intervene. He has dishonored both sides. By begging to be "taken back" as a price of keeping his chairmanship -- then by sucking onto McCain before that...there is nothing there... You think that the Republicans think that he has anything to offer them except further shame? If he had quit the Democrats with his head high and done what he thought was the "right thing" -- well yes. But that is NOT what he did. He groveled and licked boots and whimpered in soft begging noises. He was a b---- begging for the John not to hurt him. No need to do the Vito Corleone whack job. He whacked himself and the I am sure, very embarrassed and mortified people of Connecticut will take him on a "drive in the countryside" ala Godfather when he is up for re-election.

He has dishonored himself, and the people of Connecticut. It would diminish the Democrats' prestige to further intervene and allow him to upgrade his status through claimed victimhood.

Till the next election, the Democrats will use him, as one uses the dishonored vanquished -- then throw him aside when their use is satisfied.

If I were his wife, (dont know what she is like), I would be dying a thousand deaths of sadness and shame....

Gosh I wish Russert was still with us. One he would have enjoyed the campaign and election to no end. Second, Tim would never, I repeat never, had let LIEberman off the hook. As far as LIEberman getting elected again - if the Republican do not support him (over 70%) a donkey will beat Joe.

While one may perhaps objectively understand why the Dems have given Lieberman a pass on tactical political grounds, that does nothing to alter the fact that he is nothing but a piece of shit. Personally, I disagree with how they've handled Lieberman, but then, I'm not one who likes pieces of shit anywhere in my house. One wonders how some Republicans who might otherwise have considered voting with them will view these forgiving Dems at crunch time. Probably as the mewling wimps they seem to be. They should have cut Lieberman's nuts off, posting them way up high so Connecticut voters get the message that so long as they support this disloyal asshole, good things are unlikely for their state.

Oh, and Brokaw is a piece of shit, too. He always has been.

You know as aggravating as this guys mug on TV can make me I'm laughing a bit on the inside. No matter what he does 'going forward' Joe's will always be remembered as a sniveling little shit, and there's nothing he can do to change it.

Sniveling Joe. Eat in Joe. Rest in Political Hell you douche. Ya deserve your infamy.

I'll tell you this as well...progressives had better get another tune in regards to what we consider "victory" other than the old Repub frame of "Kicking Ass".

Obama and we have inherited one hell of a mess. Can I say that again, ONE HELL OF A MESS.

Now, we can spend our time worrying about petty vengeance on types like Lieberman, and further waste energy shoving him around. My take is that we are going to need every scintilla of energy to fix our mess. That's right -- it is now OUR mess. Don't forget that.

While there is a certain satisfaction in kicking a little a--, its a pleasure that can easily become an end in itself... RETRIBUTION is not the banner of this new administration.

I hope that Napolitano is being brought to DHS to dismantle it. Return Secret Service to Treasury, INS &/or ICE to Justice; make FEMA a sub-cabinet level agency unto itself, as it were thru Clinton; redeploy resources to the agency's (re)assuming control. If Janet does that, she can return to AZ by '10, & run against Mc Cain (or his chosen successor) on her record of gubernatorial & cabinet stream-lining (which should go over well in Goldwater's homestate). Win-win-win, in this telling. No DHS, No committee for Liebs to chair, No more Walnuts! in the Senate.

Poor Lieberman. I feel sorry for him. He was as honest as he knew how to be about where he was in his thinking, and now he's been making a roadtrip between "rock" and "hard place."

I respect him all the more for taking his lumps from the leftist illuminati who act as if Lieberman belonged in some Dante-esque punishment for having the gall to be intellectually honest. The man is not Benedict Arnold, for crying out loud.

Just goes to show that as much as Democrats want to blame Republicans they are just as culpable for continually caving to bad ideas in the name of bipartisanship.

Lieberman was a wasted teaching moment. Harry Reid, the leader of the Senate should have been more than willing to spend political capital to make an example of Lieberman. Simple math trumps political calculus here. political treason + half-hearted regret never equals 2 chairmanships.

Looks like the Dep. of Homeland Security has been a failure. It's time to reorganize it. Of course, Lieberman's committee won't have anything to do, so I guess that committee should be disbanded.

Yeah yeah, time to reorganize and regret the past decision to try and make all those small departments fit together. Time to move forward.

I can't even stand looking at that man's face any more. Make it go away.

Why did the Dems not demand a ban on Holy Joe TV appearances?
If people would not watch Joe, the ratings would cave and they would quit inviting him. Controversy makes him a target for TV invitations.

"There are some things that I said, in the heat of a campaign, that I wish I had said more clearly, and there are some things that frankly I wish I hadn't said at all. That happens to all of us in the heat of a campaign."

This is a masterful bit of shenanigans (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expression_of_regret). First, not only is he not saying he's sorry. He's not even willing to identify why he regrets some of the things he said. Does he regret saying that we'd be less secure if Obama won? Who knows? You can draw your own conclusions. Maybe Joe's turned a new leaf and wants to be back in the fold. Maybe he only regrets that he said that both Obama and McCain were good candidates.

But the best part is that this is not just a non- apology. This is a denial that there could be any blame attached to him, but rather that "the heat of a campaign" makes everyone say horrible things. It's a subtle suggestion that McCain and his surrogates should be let off the hook, and that the Democrats did the same thing...but we shouldn't look back at it. Never accept an expression of regret when an apology is due.