Lieberman reckoning nears as Dem ally calls for 'consequences' Nick Juliano

Published: Monday November 17, 2008





Print This Email This Will he stay or will he go?



Tuesday morning, Democratic senators are expected to decide whether they want to keep Joe Lieberman in their caucus and allow him to remain chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. There have been calls to strip the Independent Connecticut senator of his powerful post or even boot him from the caucus, although few Democratic senators have been willing to go on record against Lieberman.



Delaware Sen. Tom Carper became the latest Democrat to condemn Lieberman's actions during the presidential campaign. Carper told The Hill on Monday that there needs to be "consequences" for Lieberman, although he did not directly call for stripping his chairmanship. "There need to be consequences, and they cannot be insignificant," Carper said in a Monday interview with The Hill.



Carper, a fellow centrist who was Delaware campaign chairman for Liebermans failed bid for president in 2004, said he and many other Senate Democrats are disappointed and even angered by their colleague's sometimes-inflammatory rhetoric during this year's presidential campaign. Lieberman reportedly plans to address the caucus before their meeting, although it remains unclear if he will apologize or otherwise make amends for his early and enthusiastic endorsement of John McCain's presidential campaign. In myriad campaign appearances, including a prime-time address to the Republican National Convention, Lieberman led the charge in criticizing Barack Obama's views on the war on terror and raising questions about his support for Israel.



Few details have emerged about just what will transpire at Tuesday's meeting, and it's unclear whether Democratic senators will be asked just to strip Lieberman of his chairmanship or expel him from the caucus altogether.



Several Democrats -- including President-elect Obama, who resigned his Senate seat Sunday -- have called for Lieberman's continued presence in the caucus.



So far only Sens. Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders, Vermont's two senators, have explicitly called for Lieberman to lose his chairmanship. On Sunday, Sen. Byron Dorgon (D-ND) said it would be unacceptable for Lieberman to remain chairman.



Lieberman and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met two days after the election, in what Reid said he hoped would be the "first ... of several conversations." An aide to the majority leader says the two have not sat down together since then, although the two have reportedly spoken by phone.



A spokesman for Lieberman did not return a phone call from RAW STORY Monday.



Senate Democratic leaders plan a press conference in the Capitol following the conclusion of Tuesday morning's meeting.



