White House Inexplicably Lets Lieberman Soak Up DADT Repeal Glory

The face of douchebaggery

Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, long the bane of the left, is now taking the lead on a cornerstone Democratic issue: don't ask, don't tell. At the White House's request, Lieberman will sponsor Senate legislation to repeal the policy, which bans gay men and women from openly serving in the military and which Lieberman has long opposed. Liberals, wary of trusting Lieberman with a pet issue, are skeptical of his involvement and are asking why the White House would let him reap the glory.

Atlantic Wire

Boy, Barack Obama sure does have a funny way of dealing with recalcitrant legislators. I mean, Joe Lieberman has been nothing but one big pain in the ass for his administration, (a party he once belonged to but quit after he got his ass kicked in the 2006 primary, and ended up winning the general election as an Independent). He single-handedly killed the public option. He killed the Medicare buy-in. He campaigned for John McCain and Sarah Palin for shit’s sake. And yet, Barack Obama has asked Lieberman to sponsor a bill that would repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy on sexual orientation, whose repeal is a fait accompli at this point. So the White House, advised by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen, just blasted a 320 yard drive that rolled up to within six inches of the cup and said, “Go ahead, Joe. Tap it in.” And to top it off, Lieberman opposes gay marriage. So it’s not even like he’s some great champion of gay rights.

If Obama were an actual progressive, he wouldn’t give Joe Lieberman the time of day. But the fact that the White House asks Lieberman to take the initiative on this shows just how unserious Barack Obama’s request for a public health insurance option was. I mean, think about it. If you’re the president and you truly believe that having a public option available would do millions of Americans a great service and maybe even save lives, and then Senator Droopy Dog who campaigned for your opponent comes out and says that as the potential sixtieth vote for a cloture resolution he couldn’t vote for something he actually once supported, how rip-roaring bullshit would you be?

But Barack Obama is going to let Joe soak up a lot of the glory on the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal. The reason why is beyond me. It may be beyond everyone. Lieberman has walked all over Obama and yet gets to sponsor slam-dunk legislation and keep his committee chairmanship.

Obama has shown himself to be an inept, uninspired, uninspiring, run-of-the-mill, lackluster politician and president. Legislative treason doesn’t always have to be met with punishment, but Jesus Christ, don’t ever reward it. Even George W. Bush knew that much.

- Max