11/13/08: TWD's Late Agenda For The Day: The Trial of The Senate Judas, Part 1

The trial of Joe Lieberman has been discussed vehemently, all over the liberal online network.

From the Daily Kos:
Mr.Moulitsas on Evan Bayh saying Lieberman needs to say on the committee, after he has a "sincere apology" of some sort. M-squared believes Lieberman has too much ego to shown penitence.

Of course, we all know Lieberman never will issue such an apology. He doesn't think he did anything wrong. His megalomania is such that it prevents him from every showing any humility or regret.

So will Bayh still whip his fellow Democratic senators in favor of Lieberman if Lieberman refuses to offer that heartfelt public apology? He'd look foolish if he did so.

Then again, Lieberman has never given a damn about making his allies look foolish. Bayh may end up being just the latest in a long line of people burned by Lieberman's insufferable sanctimony.

Also from the Kos is Jed Lewison perspective on this, and it isn't at all warm to what Bayh said, even if it makes the proud man that is Lieberman apologize:

Let's not forget that Evan Bayh and Joe Lieberman were the two leading Senators to push the Iraq War Resolution. President Bush thanked Bayh and Lieberman by name at every stop he made in 2002 campaigning for the war resolution.

The notion that in order to withdraw from Iraq we need to reward Joe Lieberman's support for John McCain with the homeland security chairmanship is silly enough. To hear Evan Bayh advance that argument is downright hilarious.

Lewison also adds in an earlier post that Harry Reid needs to just listen to the people:

This should not be a tough decision.

After winning a mandate for change, why in the world would Senate Democrats choose a defender of the old guard to be one of their chief spokesmen and policymakers? Aren't elections supposed to have consequences?

Nobody is saying Joe Lieberman ought to be excommunicated. But the public voted for change, and they deserve to get it.

Next week, Senate Democrats should listen to the voters. The time for change has arrived.

Think Progress goes all out with their whole report on Lieberman. It is tremendous. So tremendous that they even did a PDF.

A PDF?! That's TP for you!

TPM talks about Roll Call having the article of the day, showing Obama not minding how Lieberman smeared him throughout the campaign.

Roll Call has the article of the day on the behind-the-scenes jockeying over Joe Lieberman's fate, reporting that Lieberman's Senate allies are using Obama's recent statement that he holds "no grudges" against Lieberman to claim momentum against punishing Lieberman for his many acts against the party.

One Lieberman supporter tells the paper that Obama "has in a large sense set the tone" in favor of Lieberman. Obama's statement specifically says that he won't "referee" the decision over whether Lieberman should keep his plum Homeland Security chairmanship.

But Obama's statement -- whatever its intent -- has had the practical impact of lending Lieberman allies something they can use to claim Obama's support, and could also give cover to Senators who want to do nothing to oust Lieberman.

Glen Greenwald expresses major disappointment over what looks to be the case, in his mind:

Though it hasn't happened yet, it is appearing increasingly likely that Senate Democrats -- led by Barack Obama (who seems to be playing a much more active role in all of this than his spokesperson yesterday suggested) -- are going to choose Joe Lieberman to serve as their Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the next Congress. If that happens, there will be one important silver lining: it will remind many people, who have understandably forgotten due to the euphoria last week, exactly what most Beltway Democrats are, what their priorities and beliefs are, and to whose opinions and concerns they do and do not pay attention.

Greenwald maybe is jumping the gun here with a pessimistic display (lumping Obama and others Democrats as Beltway Democrats right now is a little ehhhhhhh), but it is kind of weak if nothing happens to Lieberman and his arrogant self.

Kind of weak? No, it is most definitely a move that would make a feather look strong with how it does nothing at all, to a man who ran against you at all costs.

The Agenda's P.S is coming through real late today because of school stuff.