HolyJoe bows out

I have heaped a fair share of scorn on HolyJoe Lieberman.

After the Democratic Party had nurtured him for decades, even anointed him as its VP nominee in 2000, he turned on his party in 2006 to run as an Independent for the senate -- and winning the general election against the same Ned Lamont who beat him in the Democratic primary.

Then he proceeded to play this cat and mouse game with the Senate Democratic leaders -- dangling his crucial vote as bait for retaining his subcommittee chairmanship and status within the Democratic caucus. But then some of us saw him as a traitor for actively campaigning for John McCain against Obama in 2008. He should have been stripped of the chairmanship for that, for sure. And then he wasn't exactly an asset in the negotiations for health care reform.

He partially redeemed himself by breaking with this same McNothing over repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- even to becoming one of the leading advocates for repeal.

Because of that last act, I am less gleeful over his official announcement today that he will not seek re-election in the 2012 race. But I would be very happy to see him replaced by a more reliable liberal vote in the senate. That remains to be seen. Connecticut just elected a Republican governor. On the other hand, Obama will head the ticket in 2012 and should bring out the voters.

Mostly, I am just glad to see HolyJoe go.

Ralph