I think we'll learn a lot about Obama's intentions vis-a-vis his pledge to pursue a new era of bi-partisan politics by observing what happens to Joe Lieberman in the Senate over the next few weeks. Harry Reid wants to punish Lieberman for his support of McCain by stripping him of his senior committee chairmanship. But now I see reports that Obama would like for Lieberman to continue to caucus with the Democrats.
Seems to me that the best way to make that happen is to exert pressure on Reid to not exact his revenge on Lieberman, who, whatever you think of his politics, made a principled stand based on what he thought was right, and not what he thought was best for the party.
This is, allegedly, what Obama wants from his Administration and, indeed, from Americans in general. So I can think of no better way to lead by example than to honor Liebermen's choice, rather than punish him for it.
One way or the other, we're going to learn something here about what kind of President Obama intends to be... and we may also learn whether or not Tom MF Jefferson was right that Obama's biggest challenge may not be war, or the economy, but his own party's congressional leaders.
UPDATE: Apparently I'm not the only on thinking this way.
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2 comments:
Lieberman continued to caucus with the Democrats over the last 2 years,thus ensuring that they had the majority party in the Senate. Now that they don't need him, they want to boot him off the committee he founded and chaired. Stay classy Harry Reid!
Yeah I mean for our sake I prefer they kick him out and create bad feelings that push him to the Republican side, but if they want to be smart about it (as well as bi-partisan) they'll let him keep his job and let bygones be bygones.
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