I'll Back Republicans Again, Lieberman Says
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WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 22: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-CT) questions witnesses as ranking member Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) (L) looks on during a hearing on Capitol Hill October 22, 2009 in Washington, DC. Ridge and other experts offered testimony about the balance of power between presidentially-appointed "czars" or advisors, and Congressional authority over those positions. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Susan Collins;Joe Lieberman
Sen. Joe Lieberman calls himself an independent-Democrat, but he said he plans to support some Republicans in the coming election, according to a news report.
Deja vu? It was Lieberman’s support for Sen. John McCain during the presidential election put him at odds with Democrats earlier this year and almost cost him a committee chairmanship. But, he’s committed to backing whom he chooses, and there will likely be Republicans in the mix, he told ABC News.
“I expect that I probably will support some Republican candidates for Congress or Senate for the elections in 2010,” I’m gonna call them as I see them,” he told ABC. One Democrat he has said he plans to support is fellow Connecticut senator, Chris Dodd.
Our calls to Lieberman’s office were not immediately returned and we were told that the press officer who deals with Connecticut media was out of the office.
Yet, history shows that Lieberman’s alliances have nothing to do with party lines.
He switched his own party from Democrat to Independent in 2006 after Democrats picked Ned Lamont over Lieberman. Running under the Connecticut for Lieberman party, Joe retained his seat. Then, there is his high-profile support of McCain.
During the ABC interview, he explained his party mixing this way: there are extreme Democrats and extreme Republicans and people in the middle, so the best choice is not always a Democrat.
Who knows how this will sit with Democrats who only recently accepted Lieberman back into their good graces as a caucus member. It also comes soon after Lieberman said he would side with the Republicans in a filibuster if the national health care bill contained a public option.
Just another day in Connecticut politics.
Posted Friday, Oct 30, 2009 - 12:14 PM EST
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