[tsovimnpb]

I saw him make a statement earlier today. It was hard to tell what happened. but his demeanor was such that he seems to have lost something.

Bush has a good bi-partisan record in Texas... we all see how far that went in Washington. I'll believe it when I see it.

you have to disregard the 2 Bush terms. He got a zero mandate his first term, and after his one-state 2nd term win, he said something about "spending the capital he had just won."

Chump change.

You'll be able to tell from the Cabinet appointments.

[sandracuk]

My point is, unless you're looking to punish the opposition party, why do you need Lieberman?

Agreed. As today's events would seem to indicate (i.e. meeting between Reid and Leiberman) you don't need him to participate in the party caucus at all. Indeed even if the Dems do strip him of his Chairmanship, he may caucus with them anyway, as he may come to the realization that he has nowhere else to turn. The GOP has no real incentive to do anything for him anyway, and even if they threw him a bone given the infighting within the party and the likelihood of further divisions, I doubt it would work to his advantage.

His popularity in Ct is way down, and his days are numbered. Good riddance.

[LoveTTatall]

I understand how government works.

Does anyone?

[Machater]

Gotta use a broad definition of works.

[Zzvukttz]

^ Also, understand.

[Konidurase]

You have to agree with Bill Mahr, the woman is a category 5 moron, not only does she need a civics lesson on the roles and responsibilities of the VP, Supreme Court and various and sundry positions within state and municple govts, but apparently she has no idea what NAFTA is, nor understands the concept of the African continent. But as much as anything else, all this speaks to how well she was 'vetted' before she was selected. What a mess the McCain campaign must have been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWZHTJsR4Bc

[AliceFromHouston]

Indeed even if the Dems do strip him of his Chairmanship, he may caucus with them anyway.

Caucus or not, Lieberman votes with Democrats on most social-economic issues. It was reported months ago that Lieberman does caucus with Democrats so he can keep the chairmanship of an important committee.

From latest reports, it seems that's what it's come down to.




Lieberman and Reid at a Standoff?

Joe Lieberman Resists Call to Take Lesser Role Among Democrats, Sources Say


By JONATHAN KARL

Nov. 6, 2008—

By all accounts, the meeting today between Joseph Lieberman, the independent senator from Connecticut, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., was a cordial, even friendly, one. But Lieberman made a hard push to remain chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, suggesting he may leave the Democratic caucus if he is demoted, ABC News has learned.

For Democrats, this is payback time. They want to punish Lieberman for his high-profile support of John McCain's failed presidential bid, observers say. Democrats were especially infuriated by Lieberman's attacks on Barack Obama during his primetime speech at the Republican National Convention in September.

Lieberman is a lifelong Democrat who served as the party's vice presidential nominee in 2000. He became independent in 2006 but continues to caucus with Senate Democrats.

Reid and Lieberman met in Reid's Capitol Hill office for 45 minutes this afternoon. Reid told Lieberman that he intended to take away his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee, according to sources who have spoken with both senators about the meeting.

But Reid told Lieberman that he wants him to remain in the Democratic caucus, offering Lieberman a leadership role in a lesser committee if he agreed to continue caucusing with Democrats.

But Lieberman refused the offer, sources said, and said that taking revenge for Lieberman's support of McCain was not consistent with President-elect Obama's promise to change Washington and to work in a way that transcends partisan politics.

Despite Lieberman's high-profile support for McCain, Republicans don't expect him to join forces with them. As one senior Senate Republican aide told ABC News, "Why would he become a Republican? He votes against us on everything except Iraq."

After the meeting, both senators were tight-lipped about the meeting. Reid released a statement saying the discussions would continue, adding, "While I understand that Sen. Lieberman has voted with Democrats a majority of the time, his comments and actions have raised serious concerns among many in our caucus."

Lieberman made a short statement after the meeting, saying he was going to spend the next few days thinking about his options.

Of his actions during the campaign, Lieberman said, "We have just finished an historic election. As you know, I decided in that election that partisanship should take a back seat to doing what, in this case, I believe, was best for our country. But the election is over, and I completely agree with President-elect Obama that we must now unite to get our economy going again and to keep the American people safe. That is exactly what I intend to do with my colleagues here in the Senate in support of our new president. And those are the standards that I will use in considering the options that I have before me. And of course I will ask others to do the same."

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

[Fdmnrnba]

You have to agree with Bill Mahr, the woman is a category 5 moron, not only does she need a civics lesson on the roles and responsibilities of the VP, Supreme Court and various and sundry positions within state and municple govts, but apparently she has no idea what NAFTA is, nor understands the concept of the African continent.

I don't think she's a moron; there's lots of people who don't even know what NAFTA is. She's just in a line of work that demands intellectual curiosity, but she doesn't have it. She seems content to know just enough to muddle through life. That coupled with her more basic skills works well for her (at least in Alaska and the Republican base).

But as much as anything else, all this speaks to how well she was 'vetted' before she was selected. To be fair, she wasn't exactly an unknown commodity last August. An article in The New Yorker on how she came to be chosen VP candidate is double posted in the MILF thread. It probably never occurred to vetters that it was necessary to ask a VP candidate if she knew what Africa was.

Only in America could you have the extraordinary candidacy of Barack Obama juxtaposed with the comic lunacy of Sarah Palin.

For better or worse, it's what makes America a great country.

[escolubtessen]

Petition to the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, telling them it's time for Joe to go.

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/petition/nomorejoe

[dyestymum]

I don't think she's a moron; there's lots of people who don't even know what NAFTA is. She's just in a line of work that demands intellectual curiosity, but she doesn't have it. She seems content to know just enough to muddle through life. That coupled with her more basic skills works well for her (at least in Alaska and the Republican base).

I do not think it is unreasonable to expect nominees for national office to articulate the rudimentary concepts of NAFTA much less to identify the countries within North America. I'll bet a significant number of the Wisilla third grade class to whom she gave a 'shout out' to during the VP debate can at least tell us where Canada and Mexico are.

And don't get me started on her asking if South Africa is a country or a part of the 'African country' Good Lord.

As far as I am concerned she is an anatomically differentiated GWB. 8-|

To be fair, she wasn't exactly an unknown commodity last August. An article in The New Yorker on how she came to be chosen VP candidate is double posted in the MILF thread. It probably never occurred to vetters that it was necessary to ask a VP candidate if she knew what Africa was. ... or what the duties of US VP are, or what the Supreme Court does, or the differences between state and municipal government functions, or God knows what else.

Only in America could you have the extraordinary candidacy of Barack Obama juxtaposed with the comic lunacy of Sarah Palin.

For better or worse, it's what makes America a great country. Or even the comparisons between Palin and HRC which so infuriate many feminists who believe Pain was chosen because the GOP thinks any skirt will do. Say what you will about Hillary but she is more than qualified for the job. Does anyone really think Palin is??

[Ifroham4]

A Change is Gonna Come ...

Notes from the left coast:

> Dear Red States...

We've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country,
and we're taking the other Blue States with us.

In case you aren't aware, they include Hawaii, Oregon, Washington,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast.

We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially
to the people of the new country of New California.

To sum up briefly:

You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.
We get stem cell research and the best beaches.
We get the Statue of Liberty.
You get Dollywood.
We get Intel and Microsoft.
You get WorldCom.
We get Harvard.
You get Ole' Miss.
We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs.
You get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue; you get to make the red states pay their fair share.
Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's,
we get a bunch of happy families.
You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that Nuevo California will be pro-choice and anti-war,
and we're going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once.
If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids
they're apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose,
and they don't care if you don't show pictures of their children's
caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq, and hope that
the WMDs turn up, but we're not willing to spend our resources in
Bush's Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80% of
the country's fresh water, more than 90% of the pineapple and lettuce,
92% of the nation's fresh fruit, 95% of America's quality wines
(you can serve French wines at state dinners) 90% of all cheese,
90% of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal,
all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and
Seven Sister schools, plus Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88%
of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs),
92% of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes,
90% of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually
100% of all televangelist, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University,
Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually
swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life is sacred unless we're discussing
the death penalty, war or gun laws, 44% say that evolution is only
a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11, and 61% of you
crazy b*****ds believe you are people with higher morals than we lefties.

By the way, we're taking the good pot, too. You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico.

Peace and LOVE,
the Blue States

[Nopayof]

And don't get me started on her asking if South Africa is a country or a part of the 'African country' Good Lord.

I just think the Africa thing is overblown.

It has legs because, as far as being qualified for high political office, she's a dumbass. And I think that fact is being exploited by people in the campaign who are pissed off at her damaging their prospects for future campaign work.

It may have been a slip of the tongue. I remember Obama once made reference to "all 57 states." Maybe he was thinking of ketchup at the time. Anyway, some of the far-right blogs ran with it, but it had no legs because the underlying truth is that Obama isn't a dumbass.

The universal point of all this stuff is that McCain set up a dysfunctional campaign that is now engaged in a demolition derby. Imagine what would be going on now if he won the election, and McCain-Palin were setting up their government.

The Secretary of Geography
The Secretary of Shopping

[RastusuadegeFrimoum]

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are [Onion video]

[payporanymn]

@ZIP
Totally agree with all your points except the one regarding Africa. Not to beat this to death or to pile on, but I think you are being overly generous with respect to your interpretation of her Africa remarks. Unlike Obama who clearly misspoke with his '57' comments, reports from senior McCain officials as relayed both though Fox and Newsweek seemed to indicate a real lack of comprehension with respect to South Africa's status as a sovereign nation. Reportedly she went so far as to ask if South Africa was an independent country or a region within the country of Africa. It would be laughable if it were not so sad, And she genuinely did not know the make up of North America. I find that a bit scary

We are violent agreement with respect to how dysfunctional nature of the McCain campaign. John is just not an organizational man, and frankly I really think we dodged a bullet on this one.

@ Lofter

That is some funny stuff man.

[Mjxhnapi]

Lieberman has had his chairmanship removed today- he claims this is unacceptable - battle is brewing!

[DoctorDeryOne]

"Unacceptable" is campaigning for down-ticket Republicans.

[j2Y6Ysmb]

Obama's chief of staff choice favors compulsory universal service


Rep. Rahm Emanuel wants to force people 18 to 25
to labor for the government.

November 6, 10:03 AM
by J.D. Tuccille, Civil Liberties Examiner

Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, President-Elect Barack Obama's choice for chief of staff in his incoming administration, is co-author of a book, The Plan: Big Ideas for America, that calls for, among other things, compulsory service for all Americans ages 18 to 25. The following excerpt is from pages 61-62 of the 2006 book:
It's time for a real Patriot Act that brings out the patriot in all of us. We propose universal civilian service for every young American. Under this plan, All Americans between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five will be asked to serve their country by going through three months of basic training, civil defense preparation and community service. ...

Here's how it would work. Young people will know that between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service. They'll be asked to report for three months of basic civil defense training in their state or community, where they will learn what to do in the event of biochemical, nuclear or conventional attack; how to assist others in an evacuation; how to respond when a levee breaks or we're hit by a natural disaster. These young people will be available to address their communities' most pressing needs.
Emanuel and co-author Bruce Reed insist "this is not a draft," but go on to write of young men and women, "the nation will enlist them for three months of civilian service." They also warn, "[s]ome Republicans will squeal about individual freedom," ruling out any likelihood that they would let people opt out of universal citizen service.

As chief of staff, Emanuel will not be in a position to directly introduce public policy, but his enthusiasm for compulsory service, combined with Barack Obama's own plan to require high school students to perform 50 hours of government-approved service, suggest an unfortunate direction for the new administration.

[FrassyLap]

Yes, how unfortunate that people serve their communities for a whole three months.

No need for the author to worry, though, as I believe Obama will go about national service with carrots (money for college) rather than sticks, as he has explained in many policy speeches.

[golfmenorca]

As chief of staff, Emanuel will not be in a position to directly introduce public policy, but his enthusiasm for compulsory service, combined with Barack Obama's own plan to require high school students to perform 50 hours of government-approved service, suggest an unfortunate direction for the new administration How is this a bad thing?

While I do not support mandatory military service (ALA Israel and other nations, Turkey too I think?) having 3 months of civil sevice and training would maybe be a good thing for all post-teens.

PROVIDED, of course, that they are not denied the opportunity to work and bring a salary home to their family.

This would have to be worked out in such a way that an individual would not be denied a job or a chance at life because of a mandatory service. How would this be worked out?

You obviously cannot expect a minimum wage teen or cleaning crew late shift worker to be expected to do the same as everyone else, but also, is it fair to delay Medical School for our most tallented?

3 months may not be long enough to cause any problems, but I can't see how you could train these peopel in that time and actually make them productive in that time frame........


Any thoughts?

[MortgFinsJohnQ]

I believe Obama will go about national service with carrots (money for college) rather than sticks, as he has explained in many policy speeches.

Allowing the rich to opt out doesn't seem too egalitarian does it?

How is this a bad thing?

Was slavery only immoral because everyone wasn't enslaved?