Lieberman to endorse McCain
posted at 6:45 pm on December 16, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Surprising, and yet not surprising at all. He finally gets his revenge on the left, something he’s been flirting with publicly since January and which now comes not so much as an early Christmas gift to the nutroots than as a flaming bag of dog crap left on their collective porch. They won’t miss him: No Democrat wants the endorsement of the party’s last true hawk, least of all the suspiciously hawkish Hillary, which is why Bill Clinton will forgive him for not backing her despite BJ having gone to bat for him against Ned Lamont. No surprise that Liebs would go with McCain, either, as not only have the two of them been putting out jointly authored op-eds on Iraq for the past few months but periodic statements like this make the aforementioned flaming bag burn that much more brightly.
Does this do Maverick any good, though? New Hampshire famously loves its independents and there’s no one more independent right now than Liebs, but this leaves McCain open to attacks from Romney to the effect that only a true RINO would actually be endorsed by the other party. Maybe he gets a small boost from it on balance — unless he does something dramatic at tomorrow’s presser along the lines of what Glenn suggests. Imagine: Liebs endorses McCain, whereupon McCain steps to the mike and endorses Liebs for vice president if he’s nominated. That’d create the kind of buzz McCain desperately needs to close on Mitt and would also steal some of the mystique that’s been surrounding Bloomberg as a potential above the fray, nonpartisan alternative. He should do it. He’s got nothing to lose.
Update: Another buzzworthy proposal.
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fingers crossed.
treyevans on December 16, 2007 at 6:48 PM
Agreed. But Lieberman does, so it might not happen.
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 6:55 PM
So after all the hoopla and speculation,Lieberman
endorses McCain,and get’s even for that nasty
stunt that the Liberal Democrats enjoyed by throwing
Lieberman under the bus.
He,he,paybacks a !itch!
canopfor on December 16, 2007 at 6:56 PM
What does he have to lose? He just crossed the aisle and endorsed a Republican. He’s all in.
Allahpundit on December 16, 2007 at 6:58 PM
You’d sure know what that ticket would stand for: national security. That is something compelling about that.
Welcome back, btw, AP.
Spirit of 1776 on December 16, 2007 at 7:01 PM
An attack on this being RINO won’t work. Lieberman is the last Democrat that Republicans still hold some respect for since Zell Miller retired. With the choices I have right now, give me a Democrat ticket of Zell Miller and Liberman and it would be tempting to change parties. Anyway, you are right…he should try Liberman for VP.
Jay on December 16, 2007 at 7:02 PM
Not sure what all this means for a Senator. The Senate is a funny club.
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 7:06 PM
The great convergence? I sure hope not! Vive le difference!
stonemeister on December 16, 2007 at 7:08 PM
Yeah! Just what we need more partisanship from the right. Lieberman’s endorsement can only do good in my opinion as he is very favorable with pro-war Republicans.
Ian on December 16, 2007 at 7:08 PM
I’d have to vote for Maverick over anyone the Dems have to offer, but Liebs on the ticket would mean I wouldn’t have to hold my nose so tightly. Very interesting….
Pablo on December 16, 2007 at 7:13 PM
Yeah, and it’s a club that threw Liebs under the bus. Remember that he was elected as an (I).
Now, suppose Giuliani picked him as VP…
Pablo on December 16, 2007 at 7:16 PM
Maybe the McCain/Lieberman ticket is that 3rd alternative I’ve been yearning for, given the zoo on both sides of the isle.
1. Security/anti-terrorism, check
2. Capitalism, not socialism, check, at least from the top of the ticket
3. Economy, check?
4. Illegal immigration ? has Mr. McCain learned?
Since I care most about 1, without it the latter being meaningless, I’d be fine with it.
Entelechy on December 16, 2007 at 7:18 PM
In any case, the MSM has decided to ignore the WOT. Rudy and McCain need to remind the voting public that the next president will have to continue to wage the war.
Until then, we are likely to have a candidate like Huck lead the race.
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 7:22 PM
TalkLeft wonders if this won’t hurt Obama.
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 7:27 PM
McCain will get a 2nd look once the Huck bubble looses a little air. This helps but McCain could really use a boost from the right, especially since his “straight talk” image lost some luster this year.
McCain has long been the Democrat’s favorite Republican. It’s a good quality in the general election but didn’t get him through the 2000 primaries.
dedalus on December 16, 2007 at 7:29 PM
The tiny popping sounds you hear are the Kos Kids’ heads exploding.
frankj on December 16, 2007 at 7:29 PM
Hmmm…I’m for Fred, and I’ll be voting for him in the primary. But if he doesn’t get it, I could easily get behind a McCain-Lieberman ticket. I think that might be a wild card that nobody’s considered, and just might pull enough votes away from whichever Dembot runs in the general.
flipflop on December 16, 2007 at 7:33 PM
Since were into theory a bit,If Lieberman was to join
McCain for VP,I’m assuming that Lieberman will make a
couple of adjustments on becoming a bit more Republican
then Liberal,we know his stance on the war,which makes me
wonder,what else would it take for more Republican’s to
vote for this situation!
And who’s running the grand strategy for the Republican
election,so far it looks helter skelter,with religion and
guns,the left are having a field day,so were is the unifying
message,much like Newt’s “Contract with America” as an example!
canopfor on December 16, 2007 at 7:33 PM
Now that gave me a laugh. Little eentsy-weentsy explosions, indeed.
flipflop on December 16, 2007 at 7:35 PM
The VP only has 2 official jobs:
1) Vote in case of a tie in the Senate
2) Check on the health of the president each day
How will Lieberman vote?
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 7:36 PM
The VP only has 2 official jobs:
bnelson44 on December 16,2007 at 7:36PM.
bnelson44:I understand that,but will Republican voters
cosy up to Lieberman/McCain ticket!,what would
Lieberman have to do to get the Republican vote!
canopfor on December 16, 2007 at 7:47 PM
Lieberman is all class. I don’t agree with most of his social positions, but damn if he isn’t real deal when it comes to integrity. Hat tip Joe.
Limerick on December 16, 2007 at 7:52 PM
Lieberman brings in war supporting independent “moderates”. That would be an asset in the general. Especially since most people now consider themselves moderates.
The big question is will Republicans vote for the 2 of them in the primaries. I suspect not. Lieberman is too liberal.
Another reason not to see a VP announcement tomorrow, I guess.
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 7:54 PM
RINO meets DINO
Hening on December 16, 2007 at 7:59 PM
I have watched McCain in the Senate for years, and I still maintain that he cannot be trusted.
pocomoco on December 16, 2007 at 8:11 PM
that would be worth it in itself
treyevans on December 16, 2007 at 8:18 PM
The only position I have in common with Lieberman is the strong foreign policy, e.g., wrt Israel and the War(s). I’m not so sure that those aren’t the only issues since I don’t know what are his positions on the host of other foreign policy stuff — LOST, Climate Change treaties, etc — but my gut tells me we don’t see eye to eye.
Domestically, I doubt we are on the same wavelength on anything.
Liebs is a good man, but his endorsement doesn’t do anything for me. In fact, since Rudy, Fred, Mitt and Hunter will probably deliver as good a match for what Liebs is offering that I like, I resent his posturing in our preliminary stage.
Dusty on December 16, 2007 at 8:18 PM
That’s two people I kind of liked gone down the tubes!!! Oprah is endorsing Obama and now Lieberman is doing the same for McCain. I wish these two had just kept their opinions to themselves and gone about their business. I’ll never see them the same again.
jeanie on December 16, 2007 at 8:19 PM
answer: McCain on immigration: I got the message
treyevans on December 16, 2007 at 8:19 PM
Perfect.
I honestly cannot imagine ANYONE who cares about the Republican party suporting McCain. He’s the Anti-Republican! He is who he is, ONLY because he has defied his party and his President again and again on important matters simply to curry favor with the Democrats and the media. Lets’s not forget his flirtation with John Kerry four years ago. And he’s wrong on virtually everything BUT the war.
I’m not surprised at all that liberal newspapers and liberal politicians are endorsing him.
edgehead on December 16, 2007 at 8:20 PM
Could we have a 5-party election next year?
1. Romney/Steele
2. Mrs. Clinton/Richardson
3. Obama/Bloomberg
4. McCain/Lieberman
5. Paul/Buchanan
Yikes!
SouthernGent on December 16, 2007 at 8:24 PM
yeah thats it; McCain is running for president to fulfill his diabolical plan to carry out Democrat ideas. seriously, you are fooling yourselves if you think he will not sway republican the majority of the time as president. yeah, he is independent, which i used to think was a good thing, but apparently most people on here would rather the crap politics we have today to continue with party hard liners
treyevans on December 16, 2007 at 8:26 PM
Joementum!!!
docob on December 16, 2007 at 8:29 PM
Lieberman brings in war supporting…
bnelson44 on December 16,2007 at 7:54PM.
bnelson44:Got it,I appreciate your answer,thanks.
canopfor on December 16, 2007 at 8:29 PM
wow would that throw a monkey wrench in the democratic machine, I think some democrats faces would blanche if they visited this thread. McCain Lieberman would beat Obama. Rudy Lieberman would trounce Hillary imho, but that latter option I think is a tough pill for many diehard GOP, double moderates, might win an election but leave a lot of republicans upset.
caveat, when I say trounce as a figure of speech pls keep in mind how close the last two were, thanks.
whatever you all decide please win.
saus on December 16, 2007 at 8:32 PM
If I remember right, didn’t Bolten say this election
is thee most important,National Security and all.
And I have to really wonder,boy the Jihad’s are awfully
quite!
canopfor on December 16, 2007 at 8:36 PM
They attacked in Algeria. They came out with a video today. It is just that the MSM isn’t reporting it as front page news.
bnelson44 on December 16, 2007 at 8:55 PM
I hate to call Lieberman a DINO, he’s actually the last living real Democrat left. What they’re running over to the left is communist party rejects that would make FDR, Truman and Kennedy spew their breakfasts.
But the concept that Lieberman would endorse McCain says much more about McCain than it does about Lieberman. I won’t be voting that ticket, I don’t vote for liberals.
Buzzy on December 16, 2007 at 9:48 PM
Joe has nothing to lose. This will be his last term in the Senate and is putting his conscience ahead of his party. If not a Veep spot, then probably SoS or SoD.
roninacreage on December 16, 2007 at 9:58 PM
That sounds like an excellent title for a new animated Disney movie starring McCain and Lieberman!
I like McCain and I like Lieberman, on a personal level, but I wouldn’t want to see either one of them in the White House.
FloatingRock on December 17, 2007 at 3:50 AM
Just watched it on F&F this morning. Big Deal
One Democrat endorsing another demo…..huh, McCains a republican?????
Could have fooled me!
conservnut on December 17, 2007 at 7:08 AM
You have to hand it to those two, coalition forces.
Would the McCain/Lieberman independent ticket hurt equally the DNC & RNC tickets?
maverick muse on December 17, 2007 at 9:00 AM
lol you made my day
KBird on December 17, 2007 at 9:02 AM
McCain is the most decent politician in America. I support him for President.
Baphomet on December 17, 2007 at 10:07 AM
It is tiresome to read the attacks on John McCain as if her were a liberal, which he is not. John McCain, the son and grandson of U. S. Navy Admirals and a naval aviator who is a genuine war hero, is a pro-life fiscal conservative with the most knowledge about military and national security matters than any candidate in either party and whose books on character and courage are terrific. John McCain has promised to nominate judicial conservatives to the federal bench — a hugely important matter for the future of the counttry. John McCain was right about Iraq for years and is right now because he he has the understanding of military matters to make such correct judgments — a hugely valuable ability in this time of war with the radical jihadists.
I have written this before, but I will again. My older son is a U.S. Army First Lieutenant (with Ranger tab) who in October finished his first 15-month extended tour of duty in Iraq as an infantry platoon leader, and my younger son will be commissioned a U.S. Marine Second Lieutenant upon college graduation this year having already passed officer training in Quantico. I vitally care about who our next Commander-in-Chief will be. I cannot imagine any of the Democrats carrying that responsibility, and on the Republican side, John McCain is clearly the superior candidate.
So those of you who wrongly disparage John McCain, go ahead, but I think you are beiing a bunch of fools who will only lead to anti-military socialists as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama being elected President. John McCain can beat Hillary and Barack. I am not sure that in 2008 any other Republican can.
Phil Byler on December 17, 2007 at 10:11 AM
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