by Skip KaltenheuserNice to have Joe to kick around again. As Howie recently didOf the tragic mistakes Al Gore made that bequeathed us W-- trying to cherry-pick counties in a Florida recount attempt, etc…-- none was worse than picking "Holy Joe" for his running mate.Gore compounded the fiasco by allowing Lieberman to run for re-election as U.S. Senator for Connecticut at the same time he was running for Vice-President on Gore’s ticket.Never mind Lieberman’s reputation as a water carrier for the pharmaceutical and insurance/finance industries. Did nobody tell Gore the optics of Lieberman's dual candidacy? How could any person devise a stronger message of lack of confidence in the Democratic national ticket and in Al Gore than simultaneously running for Senate re-election so that Lieberman had a fall-back position? No one thought how that lack of faith in the ticket would resonate throughout Florida and the country?And what if Gore had prevailed in the election-- as the popular vote indicated he did before Justice Kennedy and the Supremes worked their mischief in Bush v. Gore-- and if the Democratic Party had fared well enough to tie the Senate count? A Republican governor would have appointed a Republican to replace Lieberman, throwing the Senate to Republicans. This assumes one can’t be U.S. vice-president and U.S. Senator at the same time, though settling that might have sparked a legal battle. Connecticut’s appointment law is a bit confusing as to how it might apply in this unique scenario, regarding the length of appointed term before an election, but certainly an appointee would have a leg up in a subsequent election. The Democratic Party didn’t fare well enough to gain or tie the Senate, but losing control of the Senate was a feasible scenario and outcome when Lieberman decided to run for Senate re-election. It’s all about Joe.After the debacle of W’s win, Lieberman was a major supporter for the invasion of Iraq, and he continues to beat drums on Iran.The Diplomat by Nancy OhanianI suspect a submarine motive behind Lieberman’s desperation to discredit Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and return Joe Crowley to Congress. Years ago I frequented guest politician off-record breakfast briefings the press club used to hold. I attended one featuring Senator Lieberman. I’d never heard anyone jump through the hoops kissing the Israeli far right Likud rump more than Joe Lieberman did that morning, as if following an AIPAC checklist, as if someone was reporting back to relevant backers. He was throwing out this love-fest on his own, not in response to reporters' questions. One of the standout courageous positions Bernie Sanders-- held in disdain by Lieberman-- shares with Ocasio-Cortez is a call for decency in the treatment of Palestinians and concern as their rights and prospects rapidly vanish. In addition to their finance sector fan club, one of the positions Lieberman holds in common with Crowley is a shameless kowtow supporting Israel’s far right government. Any appearance of even-handedness to Palestinians will have alarm bells ringing in Lieberman’s head, and jump-start his urgent desire to derail Ocasio-Cortez. Here’s the send-off The Nation gave Lieberman when he announced his retirement, another good refresher on his legacy.It was a sad day when a laudable, authentic Republican maverick, Lowell Weicker, was narrowly defeated by Lieberman and by conservatives like William F. Buckley who bankrolled Lieberman’s campaign.Holden Caulfield had a term of art that seems tailored for Lieberman.
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