Senate Dems Shoot Themselves In The Foot By Keeping Lieberman

mWell the rumors starting yesterday were true, Joe Lieberman is keeping his Chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The majority of the Democratic caucus failed to realize the reality of what Joe Lieberman did to his former party by campaigning for McCain and other GOP candidates down the ballot. Now most of them understand what the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee does and how it can hurt President Obama going forward, so what the hell were they thinking?

From RawStory:

"It's very clear that the vast majority of the Democratic caucus wants to keep Sen. Lieberman as the chairman of his committee, a member of the Armed Services Committee, and that was done, it's all over with," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters after a Democratic caucus meeting Tuesday. "Joe Lieberman is a Democrat, he's a part of this caucus."

Lieberman maintained his spot as chairman on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, despite calls for him to lose that post because of his campaigning for McCain.

Reid, addressing reporters in the US Capitol Tuesday morning, said the caucus was not interested in retribution and wanted to move beyond the campaign.

Before Tuesday's vote, observers expected that the Independent Connecticut senator would receive little more than a slap on the wrist for the myriad scurrilous attacks he unleashed on President-elect Barack Obama during the campaign.

Basically nothing happened to Lieberman for his treachery. It was about letting him hold onto power within the caucus and the Senate and nothing else. Reid was wrong to say that is merely about retribution however. Alongside the vicious attacks on Obama and praises for McCain, Lieberman completely abrogated his responsibilities as a United States Senator in charge of the committee in question.

Joe should have exercised oversight on President Bush's actions yet did absolutely nothing to keep George in check. Lieberman was a loyal lap dog for Dubya and violated his Constitutional duty to help the Legislative branch be a check and a balance to the Executive. His specific role has enabled the killings of hundreds of thousands if not millions in Iraq and was an able cheerleader of the illegal war, nothing else.

The majority of the caucus should be embarrassed for such a lame slap on the wrist. Lieberman should be a back bencher without seniority for his actions and now the Dems have shown that when it comes to principles, they have very little. As Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post points out, it is all about personal loyalties. What a shame it is that they don't see that gun behind Joe's back.