Lieberman On Obama, Post-Campaign Politics

CBS News Exclusive: Independent Who Backed McCain, Offending Allies, Gives First Post-Election Interview

(CBS)  He was a ubiquitous presence on the campaign trail. Sen. Joe Lieberman, the former Democratic vice presidential candidate, stumped for his close friend, Republican Sen. John McCain.

Even speaking at the Republican party's convention in St. Paul, Minn., he said: "Sen. Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man. But, my friends, eloquence is no substitute for a record." Lieberman became an Independent in 2006 after a painful primary defeat by Ned Lamont, who, unlike Lieberman, was staunchly anti-war.

On Tuesday, Senate Democrats, who had threatened to strip Lieberman of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee decided he could keep it, though he was asked to step down as chairman of another sub-committee. Lieberman spoke with CBS News anchor Katie Couric Tuesday morning.

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Lieberman: I think what the Democratic caucus did yesterday in response to the appeal from president-elect Obama was to say "it's time for us to reconcile, to close ranks. Yes we didn't like some of the things Joe Lieberman said during the campaign, but he's one of us."

Couric: Do you feel as if you owe President-Elect Obama one?

Lieberman: Well, look, no more than what I've said from the day after the election two weeks ago, which is: I congratulate Barack Obama on becoming our president. I offer him my full-hearted commitment to help in any way I can to make him the president we need at this urgently critical time in mesh history.

Couric: I know you want to look forward, Sen. Lieberman, but I feel I would remiss if I didn't mention a couple things that enraged Democrats.

Lieberman: Why did I know you were gonna do that?

Couric: You said on whether Sen. Obama is a Marxist, you said "it's a good question to ask." Are you sorry you said that?

Lieberman: That's one of those things I wish I said more clearly. Obviously Barack Obama is not a Marxist.

Couric: You said it's a good question to ask.

Lieberman: But then I answered it and said, "no he's not Marxist." I said at the time that he's somewhat to the left of me on some issues.

Couric: What really irritated even enraged some Democrats was your speech at the Republican National Convention.

Lieberman: Yeah.

Couric: Did you understand at the time how nervy that might seem to some Democrats? How inappropriate?

Lieberman: I understood that I was doing something different as an Independent Democrat supporting a Republican candidate. But I did it not only because I felt so strongly on behalf of my friend John McCain, but because there is so much partisanship in our politics today that really stops us from getting things done for the American people. And in a speech that I would guess went 15 or 20 minutes, I spoke three sentences, which I believe were respectful, about Sen. Obama.

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Web Exclusive: Watch an extended clip of Katie Couric's interview.

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Couric: It was no secret, Sen. Lieberman, that in his heart of hearts, John McCain really wanted you.

Lieberman: Well, I don't know that that's true. I must tell you, when Rick Davis, the McCain campaign manager, called me and said that John wanted to put me on the so-called short list for vice president for vetting, I really said, Katie "are you kidding?" Because though we're very close friends, John McCain and I thought, now how's he gonna get the Republican Convention to confirm a Democratic vice presidential nominee? Somebody during that time told me that that hadn't been done since Abraham Lincoln.

Couric: Sen. Clinton is a key contender, it seems, for secretary of state. What do you think of that?

Lieberman: Well, I'm a big Hillary Clinton fan. I think if he decided he wanted her and she decided she wanted to do it, she would be a great secretary of state.

Couric: I have covered a lot of elections in my career, and it seems to me, senator, that every time a new president comes into office we hear the same thing. "We're going to work together. We're going to work for the American people. There's going to be a new spirit of bipartisanship." And, while frankly, it dissolves pretty quickly into bitter partisanship and the same-old-same old.

Lieberman: We have had here in our government in Washington for too long now a permanent campaign. There are times here, Katie, when I see the partisan squabbling going on in Congress and with the White House over the last several years I feel like we're firefighters who have stepped outside a house that's burning and are spending all our time arguing with each other instead of putting out the fire in the house.

Couric: Arguing about which hose to use?

Lieberman: Arguing about which hose to use. And I think it's so clear now that America's house is being threatened by fire that all of just got together and help to put out that fire and rebuild the house.

[ozarkron]

You have to spend a minute or two trying to discern the intent of this "Ron the cop," his use of language is atrocious and so are his thinking processes.

Posted by farouk7 at 06:04 PM : Nov 20, 2008


farouk7

Your hate filled mind of me, just lets me know that you may be smart, but you get an F in common sense.
You know nothing of me, and you have no comeback on anything. Typical Liberal.

[ozarkron]

There are evil Muslims as there are evil Christians, Jews etc. All major religions practiced in the world teach love and kindness toward one another. Now tell me again that Muslims preach love one another.
The following should make your blood boil. Yes Christains blood boils sometimes




Do you call this Love. REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of Pan Am Flight 103!

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993!

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon !

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the military Barracks in Saudi Arabia !

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the American Embassies in Africa !

REMEMBER the MUSLIM bombing of the USS COLE!

REMEMBER the MUSLIM attack on 9/11/2001 !

REMEMBER all the AMERICAN lives that were lost in those vicious
MUSLIM attacks!

Now tell me the Muslims have love.
oh and by the way, Muslims wants you to stop brething to.

[ozarkron]

ronthecop,
It''''s your ignorance that plaques this country. Your bigotry embarasses me as a Christian. There are evil Muslims as there are evil Christians, Jews etc. All major religions practiced in the world teach love and kindness toward one another. There are extremists that manipulate religion to promote evil behavior. This is not exclusive to Muslims...you''''re a perfect example of this as a Christian. This country will never unite as long as people like you continue to breath.

Posted by butterflyxo at 11:40 PM : Nov 20, 2008

I do not have any love for anyone who kills thousands of people ie 911. And you with your "This country will never unite as long as people like you continue to breath." Just shows me that you want me dead.,
Now that embarasses me as a Christian. I will pray for you.
Now on your "It''''s your ignorance that plaques this country." Doesn''t that sound as if you are judging me?
Thou shall not judge,so shall ye be judged.

[ozarkron]

So you are a demented religious bigot full of fairy tales. I feel sorry for someone so pathetic as you. May your God save you from your abject stupidity.
Posted by farouk7 at 06:05 PM : Nov 20, 2008

You feel sorry for me huh. Are you a Christain ?
If you are not then I feel sorry for you.




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Posted by farouk7 at 06:05 PM : Nov 20, 2008

[harbinger09]

David Plouffe had the nerve to email me today asking for a non partisan donation for transition. LOL. After kissing Lieberman''s *** and jettisoning the issue of war crime investigations--NO WAY. NOT ANOTHER RED BLUE OR PURPLE cent for these jokers.


Clinton. Lieberman, Holder, Franke, Daschle, Kerry--- and eternal bailouts are NOT change that I can believe in--maybe they meant after they get done, all America''s economy will have left is CHANGE. As in no dollars.

[butterflyxo]

ronthecop,
It''s your ignorance that plaques this country. Your bigotry embarasses me as a Christian. There are evil Muslims as there are evil Christians, Jews etc. All major religions practiced in the world teach love and kindness toward one another. There are extremists that manipulate religion to promote evil behavior. This is not exclusive to Muslims...you''re a perfect example of this as a Christian. This country will never unite as long as people like you continue to breath.

[harbinger09]

A bigger man is one who can forgive.
It is not easy and you may never forget.
But to forgive makes you somebody special.


Posted by whatithink10 at 07:49 PM : Nov 19, 2008


The bible also talks about forgiveness and forgetting, though we must also remember that from God, Jesus and the Angels, sometimes forgiveness takes place after a fine spate of retribution.

When scripture speaks of the "pouring out of God''s wrath" followed by plagues, angels of death or commands to destroy every man, woman and child in a tribe, that is not just a figure of speech.

to negate sometimes, the necessity to clean house is to accept continual degradation and destruction. Sort of like a person with a wound that gets gangrene, thinking because he has antibiotics, there is no need to amputate. Dems should have amputated their Joe Lieberman disease, it can only fester, grow worse, and possibly spread--due to their failure to reign it and him in.

[likeitis5050]

Grandma Couric,
What kind of questions were that?
"Are you sorry?
Do you owe Obama an apology?
How inappropriate is your comment?...."
It''''s free speech nation. If you kowtow to Obama or love to carry his balls, doesn''''t mean everybody else wants to do it.


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Posted by staralien

She''s just staying in character...#1 fan of Obama...I hear she''s the current president of his fan club and vowing to crush anyone who tries to take it away from her...not unlike Pelosi and her stupid gavel.

[staralien]

Grandma Couric,
What kind of questions were that?
"Are you sorry?
Do you owe Obama an apology?
How inappropriate is your comment?...."
It''s free speech nation. If you kowtow to Obama or love to carry his balls, doesn''t mean everybody else wants to do it.

[farouk7]

Muslims worship a dead God, My God lives. You might do good to learn that

Posted by Ronthecop at 06:02 PM : Nov 20, 2008
_____________________

So you are a demented religious bigot full of fairy tales. I feel sorry for someone so pathetic as you. May your God save you from your abject stupidity.

[farouk7]

Posted by biggcheese1 at 05:53 PM : Nov 20, 2008
____________________

You have to spend a minute or two trying to discern the intent of this "Ron the cop," his use of language is atrocious and so are his thinking processes.

[ozarkron]

What''''s wrong with Muslims? Are Christians somehow better. What are you anyway, a religious bigot.?
Posted by farouk7 at 05:59 PM : Nov 20,

Muslims worship a dead God, My God lives. You might do good to learn that

[ozarkron]

God, man, learn some grammar. You''''re not in first grade anymore, Toto. Can you even find Kansas on map?


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God, man, learn some grammar. You''''re not in first grade anymore, Toto. Can you even find Kansas on map?
Posted by biggcheese1 at 05:53 PM : Nov 20, 2008

Thank you for calling me God Man, I am very glad to be called that, and one day you will wish you could be called that to. End of Story

[farouk7]

What''s wrong with Muslims? Are Christians somehow better. What are you anyway, a religious bigot.?

[farouk7]

But you are just an unread person who whats to argue, and you really have nothing to say, so why don''t you just have another toke and say good night.

Posted by Ronthecop at 05:51 PM : Nov 20, 2008
___________________________

"Unread?" you silly clown. I have two post graduate degrees, speak five languages and have traveled the world. And you a big time cop saving people like Superman. What a joke you are, full of yourself for no good reason.

[ozarkron]

Sounds like you''''re hoping he gets assassinated, is that right. Would that fit right in with your right-wing wish bag. Posted by farouk7 at 05:45 PM : Nov 20, 2008


No way, he will hang him self, along with his muslim buddies. He will make a big blunder that will cost many American lives, and that will be it.

[biggcheese1]

Ron the cop:
How much looser is he? Do you know the difference between looser and loser? Probably not. "If I WAS you?"
God, man, learn some grammar. You''re not in first grade anymore, Toto. Can you even find Kansas on map?

[biggcheese1]

Ron the cop:
How much looser is he? Do you know the difference between looser and loser? Probably not. "If I WAS you?"
God, man, learn some grammer. You;re not in first grade anymore, Toto. Can you even find Kansas on map?

[ozarkron]

If being "Ron the cop" is your only claim to fame, you shouldn''''t tell anyone. Say you''''re a ditch diger, a street cleaner, anything but a cop. Don''''t you have any self-respect?Posted by farouk7 at 05:39 PM : Nov 20, 2008

I have plenty of self-respect! I save plenty of people like you from them selves, most of them are on drugs, or down an out. But you are just an unread person who whats to argue, and you really have nothing to say, so why don''t you just have another toke and say good night.

[biggcheese1]

Ron the cop:
How much looser is he? Do you know the difference between looser and loser? Probably not. "If I WAS you?"
God, man, learn some grammer. You;re not in first grade anymore, Toto. Can you even find Kansas on map?