Obama Lacks The Courage Of His Convictions, Wimping Out Of Debate Over Lieberman

• November 10, 2008

Coming into office, Obama has been talking about unity in America. In his acceptance speech late on election night Obama told us that he was going to be a President for everyone in America, and that he wants to seek a new spirit of bi-partisanship.
In the Senate, however, Democrats are acting with anything but a unity spirit. Harry Reid is working on stripping Lieberman of his committee chairmanship, and while Obama has been preaching unity he doesn’t appear to be ready to back up his words with action.

WASHINGTON (AP) President-elect Obama is avoiding the issue of whether Sen. Joe Lieberman should remain chairman of an important committee.
Lieberman’s affiliation with Democrats is in question after the Connecticut independent’s high-profile support of Republican John McCain for president.
Lieberman has met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, but there has been no word on whether Reid intends to try to remove Lieberman as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Obama’s incoming chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, says that what happens on Capitol Hill is the business of the House and Senate.

I wonder if Obama will be taking that last position as he, like every President before him, goes into battle with Congress over policy? I doubt it.
This is just another example of Obama’s leadership style. Which is that he has no leadership style because he’s not a leader. He’s a celebrity playing a role. That’s about it.

Tags: Politics

http://wizbangblog.com/ Jay Tea

God help me, I gotta side with the idiots here. As I understand it, Reid is talking about stripping Lieberman of his chairmanship in the next Senate, when Obama will not be a Senator any more. Further, this is a perfect example of separation of powers — each House has the authority to set its own rules and policies and determine its leadership as it sees fit, and if Reid chooses to exert his authority as Majority Leader to name someone else chairman of Lieberman’s committee, that’s his right entirely. Obama is showing uncommon good sense by staying out of it.

Besides, Lieberman’s tough. I think he’ll be OK in the end. He knew this was a possibility when he first chose to not get run out of office by the Nutroots, and he’s stood by his principles and refused to bow to them thus far. Hell, he MUST have known this was a possibility when he chose to accept the invitation to the RNC.

J.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

Why should the President weigh in on the internal mechanisms of a co-equal branch of government? It’s inappropriate.

Congress can handle it’s own affairs.

How about he is still a member of the Senate and he claims he is a uniting force, if this was true he would have slapped Harry Reid down and told him partisanship is not welcome anymore. Of course he votes present like he has for 100+ times.

NOBAMA is a bare knuckles Chicago style politican, Reid is just doing his dirty work for him. By not saying anything on the matter he is condoning it. Yep he is…
http://wizbangblog.com/ Jay Tea

Actually, Rob, Lieberman is NOT a member of their party. He caucuses with them, but he is not a Democrat. They turned a blind eye while they needed him, but now that they have a more secure majority, they don’t need to keep him as happy.

It’s a perfectly legitimate move, to replace Biden with a Democrat who has been more loyal and faithful to the party and party leadership. It’s what they get to do after winning the election. I feel bad for Biden, because I’ve respected him for a long time, but it’s a valid move by Reid.

Who, by the way, is a seriously corrupt asshole.

J.
A Citizen

Funny, I always thought that what went on on the hill was the business of the people. Oh, sorry, I forgot, this is now “Obamaland.”
Mickey

Obama hasn’t been sworn in yet so the lackeys can do their dirty work without getting him involved.
http://www.willisms.com/ Zsa Zsa

When has anything totally inappropriate ever stopped Obama from participating in anything?
http://insanereindeer.blogspot.com/ Kenny

It is totally inappropriate for the President Elect to publicly take a stance on the administrative procedures of the Senate, even if he is still technically a Senator. They are a co-equal branch of government and it is insulting for the President to take a stance.

Of course it’s not. Until he becomes President, it is hardly inappropriate for him to continue to do his job.

As head of the Democratic party, and the nation, it is hardly inappropriate to tell the members of the Senate he’d prefer if they didn’t kick Joe out of his chair. It’s the spirit of post-partisanship don’tcha know?

Section 5 of Article I of the Constitution. This is purely a procedural matter for the Senate to decide on its own.

This is a party matter.
Lioncourt

Certainly the House and Senate set their own rules, but the Dems run the Senate right now and they’re making a decision about what to do with a member of their party.

Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings

Section 5 of Article I of the Constitution. This is purely a procedural matter for the Senate to decide on its own.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

President Elect Obama recognizing Constitutional separation of powers and does not interfere with Senate internal house keeping.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/author/realitybasedbob/ realitybasedbob

and should be a coma
Jerry

Obama’s incoming chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, says that what happens on Capitol Hill is the business of the House and Senate.

I tend to agree with this.
What’s the big deal?

I’m absolutely no BO lover, so don’t get me wrong.

Joe Lieberman will have to take care of himself in the long run anyway. If I was Joe, I’d tell BO ta Kiss My Ass..
http://www.willisms.com/ Zsa Zsa

Obama manipulates people. His inability to mesmerize OR brainwash Lieberman doesn’t fit in with his Marxist plans. IMO Obama is more than a celebrity he is more like a Jim Jones, Hitler type. Look at the reactions he has on much of his following. Louis Farakhan calles him the messiah. Oprah named him The One. His following is creepy! Be prepared, this man hopes to change our Nation big time.
Puzzlefeet

Absolutely, he is very smart to let the Senate handle its own affairs.

Rob is still smarting from the beating he took earlier this week so we need to cut him some slack.
Lioncourt

God, you’re stupid.

He’s still a senator.

And you’ll excuse anything he did, because “his opponents are just angry they lost”.

What a dummy.

It is totally inappropriate for the President Elect to publicly take a stance on the administrative procedures of the Senate, even if he is still technically a Senator. They are a co-equal branch of government and it is insulting for the President to take a stance.
Lioncourt

Why should the President weigh in on the internal mechanisms of a co-equal branch of government? It’s inappropriate.

Congress can handle it’s own affairs.
http://insanereindeer.blogspot.com/ Kenny

Absolutely, he is very smart to let the Senate handle its own affairs.
Rob is still smarting from the beating he took earlier this week so we need to cut him some slack.

God, you’re stupid.

He’s still a senator.

And you’ll excuse anything he did, because “his opponents are just angry they lost”.

What a dummy.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

God help me, I gotta side with the idiots here.

I disagree, Jay. Certainly the House and Senate set their own rules, but the Dems run the Senate right now and they’re making a decision about what to do with a member of their party.

Obama is the head of the party now. He’s preaching unity. Reid and others have been parroting that line.

I think they should practice what they preach.

SayAnythingBlog.com

Obama Lacks The Courage Of His Convictions, Wimping Out Of Debate Over Lieberman

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