| Senator Joe Lieberman's fate as chair of the Homeland Security Committee and quite possibly his future role with the Democratic party will soon be decided by a secret vote by the seven-member Democratic Caucus, largely for his crime of endorsing John McCain and speaking on his behalf at the Republican National Convention -- or maybe, knowing the Senate, it was because supported Norm Coleman and Susan Collin's re-election bids.
Unfortunately the Senate Democrats are not considering making Lieberman an apostate because of his unhinged hawkishness and unwavering support of George Bush's fantastic adventure in Iraq. Nor for his habit of using the Rovian attacks on the patriotism and loyalty of Americans who questioned the war. Nor for his contempt of the party and its supporters during the 2006 election.
And I, too, could probably forgive Joe Lieberman of all those unpleasantries -- his acts, after all, have had some consequence to his reputation and political future. If he were to face re-election today, he's probably lose, and soundly.
But what I can't forgive -- and what the Democratic Caucus should consider -- is how ol' Joe has used, or not used his committee in the past, and what him holding onto it might mean. This is Lieberman's "crime":
This seems to be routinely overlooked, but take a moment to consider what the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs actually does: it's the committee principally responsible for oversight of the executive branch. It's an accountability committee, charged with investigating the conduct of the White House and the president's administration.
As chairman of this committee for the last two years, Lieberman decided not to pursue any accusations of wrongdoing against the Bush administration. Lieberman's House counterpart -- Rep. Henry Waxman's Oversight Committee -- was a vigilant watchdog, holding hearings, issuing subpoenas, and launching multiple investigations. Lieberman preferred to let his committee do no real work at all. It was arguably the most pathetic display of this Congress.
And yet, now Lieberman acts as if keeping this chairmanship is the single most important part of his public life. Why would he be so desperate to keep the gavel of a committee he hasn't used? I'll let you in on a secret: he wants to start using the power of this committee against Obama.
The last thing we need is another presidency, like Clinton's, marred by Congressional partisan "investigations" into meaningless, trivial, or false accusations. Not to say Lieberman means to use this power, but certainly it's his only means to influence a government that has no more use for him.
I don't care if Joe Lieberman stays or leaves the Democratic party. But, if the Senate Democrats have any political sense, they'll take Joe's committee and give it to someone who'll use in the best interests of the country, not to illuminate his own fading star. Still, that's not a given, considering the Senate's subservience to loyalty and seniority. They might just give Lieberman the committee because he's been around so long. |
