Lieberman Sounds Like He will Speak at Republican Convention
EmailABC News’ Matthew Jaffe Reports: Former Democratic vice-presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn., cautioned Sunday that a decision has not been made on whether he will speak at the Republican national convention in support of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., but strongly insinuated that he will in fact do so. Lieberman, now an independent senator who caucuses with the Democrats, has been a vocal supporter of McCain for president and he may speak on his behalf at the Republican convention in Minneapolis later this summer. "That decision hasn’t been made," Lieberman said on NBC’s "Meet the Press". "If John McCain feels that I can help his candidacy, which I think it’s so important to elect him our next president, I will do it." Lieberman’s comments echo what he has said recently about the convention, but the senator then strongly implied that he will appear at the GOP gathering. "I’m not going to go to that convention, the Republican convention, and spend my time attacking Barack Obama. I’m going to go there really talking about why I support John McCain and why I hope a lot of other independents and Democrats will do that and frankly, I’m going to go to a partisan convention and tell them, if I go, why it’s so important that we start to act like Americans and not as partisan mud-slingers." "Sounds like you’re going to go," replied host Tom Brokaw. "Sounds like that to me too," agreed Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., as all three men laughed. There is speculation that Lieberman might even appear at the convention as McCain’s vice-presidential nominee, but Lieberman has said he is not interested in the position, adding that McCain could find someone better. Lieberman was Al Gore’s vice-presidential running mate on the Democrats’ unsuccessful 2000 ticket. "Been there, done that," the Connecticut senator has said in the past when asked about the possibility of holding that position with McCain. "It’s not happening," Lieberman spokesman Marshall Wittmann told ABC News this week. Republican party rules would also seem to make it difficult for Lieberman to share the ticket with McCain. And as ABC News’ Jan Crawford Greenburg and Howard Rosenberg reported last month, Lieberman’s appearance could loose him both his Senate committee and his ability to caucus with Democrats.
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Kick this sorry excuse of a “republican” out of the democrat caucuses, he does NOT belong there. As long as the democrats allow him to remain, he will act as a republican agent and work to their harm. Dump him.
Posted by: JR | August 3, 2008, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
Won’t need you to caucus any more Joe. Have a nice retirement.
Posted by: ToastOnDayOne | August 3, 2008, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
“Start acting like Americans and not partisan mud-slingers” Perhaps he should start with Mccain and remind him of his promise to run a clean campaign.Lie-berman will be a nobody before too long anyways.
Posted by: linda n carolina | August 3, 2008, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
Well they got to have someone speak; all the Republicans are not goingto the covention.
Like pain? Vote McCain
Posted by: Thinking | August 3, 2008, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
Poor Joe. He’s a symbol of what a sham this decade has been. He goes from being at the side of Al Gore to being an apologist for the disastrous Bush and now to being a McBush lackey. The unbridled ambitiousness and selfishness of the decade is embodied in Benedict Arnold Lieberman.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | August 3, 2008, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
Lieberman putting Israel’s war of agression past the will of his constituents and his party yet AGAIN. He might as well put that R next to his name for all I care. He was Gore’s VP, and Gore STILL lost; Please Joe, run with McCain and be his “kiss of death” too!!! Good riddance!
Posted by: ick! | August 3, 2008, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
As far as McCain goes with all of his antics this week., I am sick. I really hope the McCain camp cleans up there act. This week has made me want to stay home in november.Has any one seen this video of McCain cussing. Wow what a potty mouth. http://www.mccanes.com
Posted by: Jane | August 3, 2008, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
I agree, I hope Lieberman and McCain enjoy their retirements. They deserve each other. The sooner the better.
Posted by: Kyle from TX | August 3, 2008, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
I hope he does speak–that backstabbing little weasel Lieberman is as boring as he is phony. He would be better than any sleeping pill to put you to sleep !!!1
Posted by: Dan A | August 3, 2008, 1:44 pm 1:44 pm
If there was ever a way to fire up the democratic base… this is the way. Democrats rallied behind this idiot to be the VP of the US.
I really hope he does speak at the repugconvention
Posted by: Omentum | August 3, 2008, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm
Who is Joe Lieberman? Does he have any credibility? McCain has a lot in common. The both ALMOST became vice presidents of the democratic party
Posted by: Omentum | August 3, 2008, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
Time to go, Joe.
Last Term Lieberman.
Posted by: JRE | August 3, 2008, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Time to go, Joe.
Last Term Lieberman.
Posted by: JRE | August 3, 2008, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
The Israel hating left is out in force.
Posted by: Dan | August 3, 2008, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
Lieberman’s huge position shifts and transparently self-interested “bi-partisan” moves are all about Joe. He has hurt the political aspirations of Jewish candidates by his double cross of the Democratic Party. He’s an embarrassment to much of the Jewish community and truly stands alone.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | August 3, 2008, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
Joeseph Lieberman won election to his seat via a democratic process we have followed for more than 200 years. If
he ‘retires’ it will be because the citizens of Connecticut vote for someone else. and no other reason. sorry kiddies.
Posted by: john | August 3, 2008, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
Like Zell Miller, Lieberman votes and speaks his conscience. I have great admiration for him. He is one of the few on Capitol Hill who stays true to his principles. Here’s a lesson though, Joe. 95% of the posts here can’t stand it that you don’t tow the leftist line. It’s a club Joe and you don’t play nice, you are out of the club, just like Zell was. My admiration for you has only grown. Stay classy lefties.
Posted by: Glynn | August 3, 2008, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
“Lieberman’s huge position shifts and transparently self-interested “bi-partisan” moves are all about Joe. He has hurt the political aspirations of Jewish candidates by his double cross of the Democratic Party. He’s an embarrassment to much of the Jewish community and truly stands alone.” Posted by: hopesprings52
You simply cannot be serious.
Posted by: Glynn | August 3, 2008, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
Goooo Israel!
Posted by: Lance Boyle | August 3, 2008, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
So Lieberman is an embarrassment to the Jewish Community? As a Jewish conservative and supporter of a strong Israel, I think there’s nothing more embarrassing than polls showing over 60% of my brethren favoring Hamas’ choice for president! When I saw Cong. Wexler, a Jew, acting as Obama’s lapdog during his South Florida condo tour, I was equally repulsed.
Posted by: Lance Boyle | August 3, 2008, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Good. That way he can change his party affiliation while he’s there and help coach McCain with his mixups, although Lieberman is starting to get a bit confused himself–referring to “Al Queda in Iran” just today.
Posted by: mary | August 3, 2008, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Mr Lieberman happens to be one of the very few honest politicians of our time. He is a true independent
Posted by: charles | August 3, 2008, 3:05 pm 3:05 pm
Lieberman is not nor Independent. Liberman is pro-Lieberman and always has been. The man left his party behind not because of ideals but because they did not want him. The Democratic party is better off without him and his ego.
Posted by: Connecticut_Yankee_Independent | August 3, 2008, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
The Republicans are in for a disappointment if they think Lieberman is going to offer up a reprise of Zell Miller’s ’04 rant against Kerry. What made that effective (as far as it did) was that Miller had no association with Bush and was going after Kerry as one military guy to another.
Lieberman, on the other hand, has been sweethearts and best buddies with McCain so publicly that the only surprise would be if he didn’t all-out endorse him.
Secondly, neither Obama or Lieberman have military records so Liberman has only two unlikely paths of attack against Obama: He can play his civil rights background but does he really think that’s going to fly against an African-American candidate? Or he can play the friend of Israel card, which may help with a percentage of Jewish voters, but I suspect even a lot of Jewish voters have had it with two-faced Joe and see through his game here.
Posted by: Frank | August 3, 2008, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
Mr Lieberman happens to be one of the very few honest politicians of our time. He is a true independent and dedicated on doing what is right and just for the total good of our country!!!!
Posted by: charles | August 3, 2008, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
He ran as an independent and sides with the Dem’s
He should be listed as an independent and not be able to affiliate with either party of which he is neither.
Posted by: Rick | August 3, 2008, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
Kerry gave Lieberman a lesson in statesmanlike discourse today. Lieberman looked lost and could only grin McCain-like most of the time.
Posted by: ericmiami | August 3, 2008, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
Of course he has to whisper in McSurges ear.
Posted by: wrong again | August 3, 2008, 3:34 pm 3:34 pm
Isn’t the Left so full of love?
Lieberman may be the last true Democrat out there. No wonder he’s coming over to the Right side.
Posted by: Mike | August 3, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
Great, I Love It! Senator Lieberman is well respected by the Jewish community, and he can bring them to vote for McCain, The Hero.
I don’t care how Obama loses. I just want him to lose to see him get over his arrogancy and vanity. And to see Oprah get over herself.
Posted by: Mrs. Phoenix | August 3, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
dems get him out hes a republican spy out to destroy the democrats!!!
Posted by: angie | August 3, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
Isael’s Senator – that’s Joe Lieberman. He wants our troops stuck in Iraq forever . . . because that’s what’s demanded by Israel.
Posted by: Oregon | August 3, 2008, 4:33 pm 4:33 pm
Joe Lieberman used to live in New Haven. Democrats in New Haven tried to get him removed from the rolls as a registered Dem since he ran on the
“CT For Lieberman” Party. Joe has since quietly moved out of town and set up residence and voter registration in Stamford. Joe’s old friends, neighbors and longtime supporters have seen Joe simply do whatever he needed to do to advance his career over 30 + years. He’s an embarrassment.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | August 3, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
The country has too few centrists like Joe and too many hyper partisans.
So does this thread.
Posted by: Frederick Michael | August 3, 2008, 4:38 pm 4:38 pm
As a Democrat I am fairly embarrassed by Joe Lieberman right now. Seems like his bitterness from the primary campaign of 2006 has not gone away despite winning his Senate seat back. I think speaking at the RNC should be the last straw for Lieberman in the Democratic Party. The Democratic Primary election season brought out record numbers of voters across the board, but early on Lieberman decided he couldn’t support any Democratic Party candidate and endorsed McCain. So all Lieberman’s talk about experience on MTP today sounded fairly hollow. Is that his real reason for not backing Obama? In that case why didn’t he endorse Biden or Richardson? Its plain bitterness.
Posted by: markymark | August 3, 2008, 5:00 pm 5:00 pm
Joe’s real bitterness began when he didn’t win the Dem pres. nomination in 2004. He was the presumed frontrunner and never got out of the starting gate. He thought that nomination should have been his because he had been the 2000 VP candidate. From that point on, he saw that he could never advance any farther in the Dem Party. That’s when he started to bash Democrats amd cozy up to Repubs. It’s all about Joe and his ambition. Bi-partisanship, yeah, sure.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | August 3, 2008, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
What, no Ron Paul?
Posted by: Huh | August 3, 2008, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
What’s a matter Libs? Can’t be tolerant when someone has a mind of their own and choose’s NOT to march to your beat? Are you people that foolish to believe that America will elect Odumba who has less than 150 days of actual service in the U.S. Senate and who has associations with such racists as Jerimiah Wright and the former terrorist Bill Ayers?
Liberalism is a true mental disorder.
Posted by: Neo | August 3, 2008, 6:09 pm 6:09 pm
Superman, Snowhite and Pinocchio are walking along. They stumble on a beauty contest. Snowhite goes in and comes back a few minutes later with the first prize. They keep walking and stumble on a contest to find the strongest man on earth. Superman goes in and comes out with the prize. They keep going and stumble on a contest for the biggest liar. Pinocchio goes in and comes out with second prize…he asks “who is this Obama guy?”
If Lieberman can help defeat Obama, then more power to him. Obama as president would make Carter look like one of the forefathers. Go Joe!!!
Posted by: Andre | August 3, 2008, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm
Good. Let Lieberman go to the Republican Convention. We sure don’t want him at the Democratic Convention. And, as has been noted, the Democrats won’t need him after the election.
Posted by: caliguy55 | August 3, 2008, 6:14 pm 6:14 pm
Lieberman is a demagogue. He knows better on this oil issue. It’s just nonsense. Obama is not against nuclear power. Illinois has plenty of nuclear plants and Obama never did a thing to oppose nuclear plants.
Go away, Joe. Just fade away in the woodwork and do the United States a favor.
Posted by: ron | August 3, 2008, 6:17 pm 6:17 pm
See, Sen. Lieberman is proof that old dogs DO change their spots for the BETTER and get much SMARTER as they get older!!! Kudos Senator, welcome to the good guys side!!!
Posted by: Anthony | August 3, 2008, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
Goooo Israel!
Posted by: Lance Boyle
Yeah, go stand on your own two legs, stop depending on America to bail your ass out every time you want to use the American weapons we gave you against your weakly armed neighbors.
Posted by: JR | August 3, 2008, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm
Poor democrats. Each convention we get a democrat (everyone thinks of Joe as still a democrat) to speak at our convention and it really ticks them off.
Last time Zell Miller gave the greatest speech and now Joe. Remember when demcorats predicted Joe would be ousted by his opponent Conneticut because he was pro war? Ha! That guy spent millions of his own money, Michael Moore gave out a warning, and in the end Joe WHIPPED his butt.
When a republican bucks their party they’re a “maverick”…(Hagel) but when a democrat does it, they’re a traitor.
LOLOLOL. Love it! You go Joe!!
Posted by: Jo | August 3, 2008, 8:03 pm 8:03 pm
P.S. How SWEET is it that a guy who only 8 years ago was running on democrat ticket as VP will now speak at OUR convention!!!
PRICELESS!!
Posted by: Jo | August 3, 2008, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
Go Liberman!!! and if Obama decides to get you removed from your committee it just goes to show just what a bully he is, bartisan my butt for Obama its my way or the highway.
Posted by: rachel | August 3, 2008, 8:24 pm 8:24 pm
liberals attacking an old fashioned Democrat, one with integrity, not like todays democrat who can lie and get popularity votes. I couldn’t support the democrats in 2000 because the cry baby pounting millionare was running for president and liberman was just along for the ride.
Posted by: bill | August 3, 2008, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
It’s nice to see that someone isn’t tied to down by a party to political decisions and has the guts to speak his mind.
Posted by: Brett | August 3, 2008, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
We saw every generation only few leader can inspire and motivate million of people and Man good change for mankind.
Obama is that kind of leader for our generation who can inspire and motivated million of people and lead our nation and the world for better future.
Posted by: titu choudhury | August 3, 2008, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm
Ummm… I voted against that moron Lieberman 8 years ago and, if I could, would vote against him at every opportunity. There seems to be some crazy Republicans here (not sure if they really are Republicans) that actually think Lieberman speaking at the convention is a good thing or that him being buds with our candidate is a good thing.
No, no, no! Lieberman is still a moron and his ideas/policies do not fall in line with what Republicans stand for. If it’s being done to embarrass the Democrats – trust me – they don’t care squat about him. The world is going crazy…
Posted by: 1percenter | August 4, 2008, 12:22 am 12:22 am
If I remember correctly, Lieberman is pretty much a down-the-line Liberal except on the War in Iraq and, possibly, energy policy, which is why he still caucauses with the Democrats. It never ceases to amaze me how virulently the antiwar Left hates him, or how much that one single stance has come to define him. As a pro-war Conservative, I admire his integrity and applaude his hawkish foreign policy views, but I don’t think he’s moved to the right so much as the Democratic party has moved to the left and left him behind. On the other hand, I’ll be glad if he gives a speech at the Republican convention explaining why he supports McCain, because I think a lot of people respect him and will listen to and consider what he has to say.
Posted by: Calix | August 4, 2008, 2:19 am 2:19 am
For you folks who think Lieberman has gotten smarter and wiser….you’re stroking yourselves….Lieberman is neither wise, honest, or courageous. He is simply a man who wanted to hold office so he ran on the “Joe Lieberman party” same as he has 30 years before he officially left the Democratic party. He is a joke! If you Republicans want him take him. He fits in well with all the other mediocre self-serving politicians that dominate the party…
Posted by: Connecticut_Yankee_Independent | August 4, 2008, 2:50 pm 2:50 pm
Just watch Lieberman will be McCains veep.
Posted by: rich | August 5, 2008, 11:25 am 11:25 am
The Republicans are trying to save face and ass.
trying to swiftboat Obama…no they are trying to swiftboard the entire democratic base who are poised to become a veto proof Congress in 2009. At the same time GOP lawmakers are making a fool of themseleves returning to Washington in a low budget theatrical production, GOP’er up for re-election have been told by party leaders to skip the RNC Convention to work on their stump speeches. yeah right, “Don’t be seen with McCain since he might lose and then the avalanche will begin in the loss of congressional seats.” Is more likely the belief.
Even Cheney has been asked not to attend. This is laughable.
Posted by: clarity | August 5, 2008, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm