His first wife. President Clinton. Al Gore. The people of Connecticut. The Democratic Party.
The Joe Lieberman Loyalty Tour rolls on.
If Christoper Hitchens ever writes a book about Joe Lieberman he should call it "No One Left To Stick A Shiv In."
Ironic that Joe Lieberman's second, younger wife is named Hadassah. It was the biblical Hadassah - Persian name Esther - who was willing to sacrifice her own life to save her people. As Joe Lieberman has proven time and time again, he will sacrifice his people, Democrats, to save himself.
Wrapped in his self-righteous piousness - second, younger wife notwithstanding - Joe Lieberman inveighed against President Clinton in 1998, calling for an "accounting of the impact of his actions on our democracy and its moral foundations." Wow. If only he got that worked up about warrantless wiretapping. (When he desperately needed Bubba last month Ol' Self-preservation Joe was able to conveniently set aside his indignation and throw a hug around the man whose conduct he once called "embarrassing... immoral... harmful.") Makes one wonder, though, would Joe invite a $50 million investigation into the details surrounding the end of his first marriage?
In 2002 Lieberman repudiated Gore's populism at a DLC meeting, prompting Gore to write an Op-Ed piece defending his campaign in the New York Times. Perhaps Gore might have prevailed in 2000 had the man he chosen as his running mate been able to rebut Dick Cheney's contention that the government had had nothing to do with the tens of millions he had earned in the so-called private sector. Or didn't Joe Lieberman know who Haliburton's biggest client was? Or maybe, as ever, he was playing both ends against the middle, letting Cheney know what a useful "bipartisan" puppet he'd be should things break against the Dems.
You see, Joe Lieberman likes contingency plans. He had one in 2000, remember? When Gore made the mistake of choosing Lieberman as his running mate the Connecticut senator was faced with a choice, an easy one really. He could run for vice-president and the senate with the understanding that if Gore won the election the then-Republican governor of Connecticut would appoint a Republican senator and subvert the will of the people of his state. Or, simply, he could do the right thing: step down as senator, allow a Democrat (popular Attorney General Richard Blumenthal) to replace him on the ballot and let the people of Connecticut be accurately represented. Guess what he chose.
A couple of months ago Ol' Joe announced another contingency plan: if he lost to Ned Lamont in the Democratic primary, he would forsake his party and run as an independent. Shocker.
Now come reports of Karl Rove calling Lieberman to offer his help in any way he can. Maybe that will help Lieberman have a moment of clarity, an understanding of the volcanic contempt he has engendered in Democrats not just in Connecticut but across the nation.
If the Hadassah he married cannot help Joe understand the value of personal sacrifice for the betterment of one's people, perhaps the Hadassah in the Book of Esther can. But don't hold your breath.