The mind of Joe Lieberman

Publius tries to understand what Joe Lieberman is really thinking of these days.

What's most troubling is that Lieberman could be a strong voice for change. He has enough credibility on the Right that some targeted criticisms could go a long way in making better policy and increasing oversight. Instead, he thinks the President will meet him halfway in the name of unity if he's nice. Bush won't, but he'll happily cite Lieberman's name in speeches designed to destroy his party in 2006.

That's what so tragic [crossed-out in the original] sad about the whole thing - Lieberman's good intentions (let's assume) won't prick any consciences at the White House and won't be met by anything in return in the name of national unity. They will only be used for political campaigns that will result in policies that Joe, on balance, will probably oppose. But Joe can't see that because he remains in the post-9/11 world, while the White House lives in the present.

Lieberman's a fool. You'd think he'd of learned in 2000 when he promised that Gore/Lieberman would not challenge any absentee ballots sent in by military personnel, even though many of them were suspect or downright invalid. And what did he -- and the Democratic party -- get for his upstandingness? A lost election and the ongoing malicious scorn of the Right.