# Should the Dems boot Lieberman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 6, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433 "2008-11-06T11:27:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/1 "2008-11-06T11:27:33Z")
I’m torn on this one. On the one hand, Lieberman has been pretty consistent over the years in his voting, esp on social issues. On the other hand, many see him as a traitor to the party, not just because he supported McCain (and Bush), but in _how far he went_ in his support of McCain (and Bush). Also, when it was 49-49 with 2 indies, the Dems needed Joe. Now, not so much. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/2 "2008-11-06T11:29:37Z")
We don’t need him. Tell him to talk a long walk on a short pier. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/3 "2008-11-06T11:39:29Z")
Absolutely, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/4 "2008-11-06T11:41:24Z")
Absolutely he should be booted. It was not merely that he supported McCain, but that almost every time McCain was on TV, I saw Lieberman’s death-head mask leering over McCain’s shoulder. He was pretty intensely against Obama. He can still vote with the Dems on social issues if he wants - or not, whatever, but there is no reason to continue to allow him to enjoy the perks of the caucus. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/5 "2008-11-06T11:48:07Z")
With the filibuster in full force (unless all four remaining races swing to the left, and fast), we may need all the Dems we can get. We don’t yet know whether the GOP will be factionalized by the McPalin disaster, but as they tend to provide a united front on issues of civil liberties, we can’t afford to take a gamble on alienating him. Better to swallow our bile and ride this one out for at least a year or two. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/6 "2008-11-06T12:50:40Z")
> [@leander](#): > > On the other hand, many see him as a traitor to the party, not just because he supported McCain (and Bush), but in _how far he went_ in his support of McCain (and Bush). How can you be a traitor to a party that you don’t belong to? When he lost the party’s nomination two years ago, he said, “Okay, I’m an Independent. See you around.” and then proceeded to run against the Democratic candidate and won. How can the Dems feel upset by his alleged lack of loyalty? They rejected him. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/7 "2008-11-06T13:20:11Z")
Are there graded options like taking away his Chair but keeping him the Caucus and on various Committees? **Northern Piper** they rejected him??? If a Democrat loses a primary then that Democrat supports the party’s nominee. He declared himself as no Democrat. I’d agree that there need to be some repercussions for his actions, primarily his way crossing the line during his speech at the GOP convention which went further than supporting McCain and into the tearing down of Obama, but the thing that matters now is getting things done. He’s no Democrat, he’s an Independent, but he’s an Independent whose vote I want Obama to be able to get when he needs it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/8 "2008-11-06T13:21:55Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Are there graded options like taking away his Chair but keeping him the Caucus and on various Committees? I’m sure that’s an option, but the question is what Lieberman would do in that situation: he kept his chairmanships from 2006-2008 in part (or maybe entirely) because he would have probably quit the caucus if the Democrats had taken them away. That had balance of power implications that no longer exist, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Camus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ba8739/32.png) [@Camus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Camus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/9 "2008-11-06T13:26:47Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > How can you be a traitor to a party that you don’t belong to? > > When he lost the party’s nomination two years ago, he said, “Okay, I’m an Independent. See you around.” and then proceeded to run against the Democratic candidate and won. > > How can the Dems feel upset by his alleged lack of loyalty? They rejected him. Connecticut Democratic primary voters did, but the party seemed to play it carefully during the general election and afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/10 "2008-11-06T13:38:27Z")
I say that if he still wants to sit on any committees, he should have to wear a dunce cap to do so. He definitely needs an “attitude adjustment”, big time. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/11 "2008-11-06T14:09:27Z")
Leiberman will likely be in the senate pretty much as long as he wants to be. Given that the party that wins the presidency nearly always loses seats in congress in off-year elections, it may not be long before that caucus vote is important again. Nursing grudges isn’t just petty, it’s self-destructive. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/12 "2008-11-06T14:21:14Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Leiberman will likely be in the senate pretty much as long as he wants to be. Given that the party that wins the presidency nearly always loses seats in congress in off-year elections, it may not be long before that caucus vote is important again. > > Nursing grudges isn’t just petty, it’s self-destructive. Lieberman won reelection because he still got a good portion of the Demcratic vote arguing he was still a true Democrat. His full fledge support of John McCain, including outright attacking Barack Obama, should ensure he doesn’t get those votes again. This will be his last term. Kick him out. The only thing he was needed for was majority. What caucus he is in should effect his voting. Well it might, but it shouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/13 "2008-11-06T14:27:58Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Leiberman will likely be in the senate pretty much as long as he wants to be. Given that the party that wins the presidency nearly always loses seats in congress in off-year elections, it may not be long before that caucus vote is important again. > > Nursing grudges isn’t just petty, it’s self-destructive. Lieberman is the one that’s petty. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/14 "2008-11-06T14:29:36Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Lieberman won reelection because he still got a good portion of the Demcratic vote arguing he was still a true Democrat. And the Republicans almost all turned out for him instead of their own candidate. I don’t know how the Democratic vote went in that election, but the Republican finished in the single digits. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/15 "2008-11-06T14:33:00Z")
Strip him of his committee assignments, and let him go where he will. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/16 "2008-11-06T14:34:35Z")
Don’tcha wish we knew what Obama said to Lieberman during their confrontation earlier this year? ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/17 "2008-11-06T14:41:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > And the Republicans almost all turned out for him instead of their own candidate. I don’t know how the Democratic vote went in that election, but the Republican finished in the single digits. Right. The Dem vote was something like 60 to 40 for Lamont if I recall. I’m saying that next time Lieberman won’t get more than 20% of the Dem vote and will lose handily. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/18 "2008-11-06T14:50:30Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m sure that’s an option, but the question is what Lieberman would do in that situation: he kept his chairmanships from 2006-2008 in part (or maybe entirely) because he would have probably quit the caucus if the Democrats had taken them away. That had balance of power implications that no longer exist, of course. Well that’s my question. What exactly are the implications right now of him being “in the caucus” or not? In or out he’ll vote against Obama and party when he thinks he should and with them when he thinks he should. What does “caucusing” do? Honestly, I don’t know. Him having a Chair as if he was a ranking member of the majority party? That’s a facade that there is no reason to keep up any more. Using his knowledge on appropriate Committees? He’s a hawk but not a stupid person. Use him. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/19 "2008-11-06T14:53:02Z")
It may just be a political strategy thing - and word is that he hasn’t been meeting with Democratic leadership on those issues since he endorsed McCain anyway. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433/20 "2008-11-06T14:54:11Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Right. The Dem vote was something like 60 to 40 for Lamont if I recall. I’m saying that next time Lieberman won’t get more than 20% of the Dem vote and will lose handily. The _overall_ vote was 50-40-10, with the actual Republican getting the 10%. According to the [exit polls](http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006//pages/results/states/CT/S/01/epolls.0.html), CT Dems voted 65-33-2 for Lamont, CT independents voted 54-35-10 for Lieberman, and CT Pubbies voted 70-21-8 for Lieberman. The 2, 10, and 21 were for the GOP nominee. Research 2000 did a poll of CT voters earlier this year, and a solid majority said that if they had to do it all over, they’d vote for Lamont. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-dems-boot-lieberman/471433.md?page=2)