Kos has a diary, Obama team leaves Lieberman decision up to Reid, that makes me think that Obama and the Senate Dems are using Lieberman as a measuring stick to judge Harry Reid's leadership. If Reid does not punish Lieberman in some significant way, then Reid is basically saying that Democrats can trash Democrats and betray the pary with inpunity. Rewarding treachery by allowing Lieberman to retain his plum committee chair and act like nothing happened sends the signal that Harry Reid is no leader.
Here's the excerpts from linked articles in Kos' diary that make me think Lieberman is really a test for Harry Reid's leadership abilities
Obama's spokesperson
"We aren't going to referee decisions about who should or should not be a committee chair," Obama transition spokesperson Stephanie Cutter emailed me, in response to questions about Obama's stance on Lieberman's future.
here's Hillary Clinton
Two Clinton aides said she is not making calls on Lieberman's behalf. "Hillary isn't doing anything," one said. "She is leaving it up to Reid."
Kos: So Obama's team has left the decision up to Reid. Clinton -- who serves on the steering committee that decides committee leadership -- has left it up to Reid.
It's on Reid's plate. If Lieberman keeps his committee leadership, it'll be Reid's fault. Everyone has dumped the decision on his lap, and it should be an easy enough one to make.
More from Greg Sargent
My take: By taking no position, Obama is in effect throwing the decision over to Senator Harry Reid, making it possible for the Senate to take action against Lieberman. But his statement -- paradoxically -- could also give cover to those who want to do nothing about him, making it easier for him to hang on to the post.
And Jame Hamsher has the key analysis.
One point I think needs to be made. This isn't about Joe Lieberman maintaining membership in a country club as a matter of feel-good "bipartisanship." There's actually a job that needs doing here, and when Chris Dodd and Evan Bayh say that they want Lieberman to retain his chairmanship, they are saying that the extraordinary waste, graft, greed and cronyism that have built the Department of Homeland Security to a bloated, ineffectual taxpayer-funded behemoth under Joe Lieberman is just fine.
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