Lieberman: Call Me A Democrat

Sen. Joe Lieberman, who won re-election as a third-party candidate, has a message for his Senate colleagues in the next Congress: Call me a Democrat.

The three-term Connecticut lawmaker defied party leaders when he launched his independent bid after losing to Democrat Ned Lamont in the August primary. During the campaign, he vowed to be an "independent-minded Democrat" if he were re-elected. In Tuesday's election, Lieberman won strong GOP support, and given the closely divided Senate, Republicans are expected to court him.

So will he count as a Democrat or an independent who caucuses with the majority Democrats? In an e-mail message late Thursday, Lieberman spokesman Dan Gerstein said the senator will begin his new term as a Democrat.

With the Democratic takeover of the Senate, Lieberman is in line to become chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

In a post-election news conference, Lieberman said he was reassured by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid that he would retain his seniority when the new Senate convenes.

As for Lamont, the man who stunned the political world by knocking Lieberman out of the Democratic Party on the ballot, he said Thursday that he has no plans to run for office again but will remain active in public service.

"I'm going to stay involved, that's for sure," Lamont said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "Politics is not something in my blood but public service is. I never rule anything in or out. It's not in my game plan right now."

Lieberman won decisively Tuesday with roughly 50 percent of the vote, to anti-war businessman Lamont's 40 percent. Republican Alan Schlesinger trailed far behind with 10 percent.

[heresmy2cent]

The headline reads:
"Lieberman: Call Me A Democrat"

How about this revised headline?:
"Lieberman: Power Mad, Ego-Maniac, Man-***."

[zasel]

I am not a Lieberman supporter and I sincerely believe he should have dropped out of the election when his party rejected him in the primary. That being said, now that he has won the general election, I am grateful that he wishes to remain a Democrat and that Senator Reid has promised to grant him all the seniority he has earned as well as a chairmanship. A conservative Democrat at this point is better for us than a liberal Republican. We need the numbers to ensure we maintain the majority in the Senate.

[stick130]

No doubt the Pubs got Lieberman elected.Homeland Security is a waste of US Tax Dollar's. Bush felt the need to pay off some of his Crime Family,How much money should we pay for colored charts? Give Lieberman a box of crayola's and plenty of poster cards and let him do his important work. We do need to give all thet gets paid working for homeland sc. their Pink Slips.

[arthurcl1]

This year, Republicans had many reasons to be lukewarm about their representatives. Spending has been obscene. Earmarks are a disgrace. The reforming zeal of the class of '94 has long since melted into complacency.

[sunshine_2]

So long as he did not become a Republican Over night ... I am releived.
He has, however been a Democrat slightly out of step with the party for years ... Just as McCain is not always a "Truely Red" republican.
If that is Independant or it is the "Modern Democrat"... then his Voters wanted to keep him as their Representative. God Bless Their Voter Voice & not allowing any Party To Execute their Right to Use it, by Eleminating his Right to Run for office on the ticket that gave him a chance.
It just goes to prove that the Parties are not always the Reason a Voter votes as he does, Sometime It really is the Man, despite the color of his coat or tie.

[tibu987]

Lieberman would turn into a giraffe if that is what it took to keep him feeding at the government trough. There are a lot of things I would call him and Democrat is not one of them.
Well, I guess he brings in the pork for his constituents and for that, they keep him around.
They can have him.

[book54552134]

Lieberman is like most politicans of his ilk. He will postion himself in such a way as to gain the most power & influence for himself. Many Republicans were under the false impression that he would eventually change his allegiance to Republicans (either offically by switching to Republican status or unofficially as an Independent,)if they supported his re-election. He will continue his support to Dubya in regard to Iraq (possibly because of an unspoken allegiance to Israel,) but other than that, his past record is clear - he is a Democrat at heart. He never said he would change that. Republicans duped themselves into believing what they wanted to believe at their own expense. When you play with fire, sometimes you get burned.

[roach9703]

Knowing something about Connecticut politics, I would stay that being a Lamont Democrat is not a good thing to be right now. Is it pay back time?

[doctorgraz]

We love you Lieber and we'll be true we love you Lieber and f___ you.

[doctorgraz]

Oh well it's time for dinner and a wee bit of vino paisano..........have a nice day people and a happy veterans day to all. God bless us all !!!!!!!