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Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Lieberman for Homeland Security
Posted by Tim TagarisIn the wake of the embarrassment that was Bernard Kerik's nomination to head Homeland Security, President Bush is reaching out for Senator Joe Lieberman to fill the role.
The New Haven Register has the story.
WASHINGTON President Bush is courting Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., a former Democratic vice presidential candidate, for a Cabinet post, presumably secretary of homeland security.Lieberman couldnt be reached for comment Sunday, but an aide said that if Lieberman were asked to accept a nomination, it would most likely be the homeland security post.
The Washington Post, citing two anonymous sources, reported Sunday that Bush wants Lieberman for a Cabinet position.
Nominating Joementum is the logical choice. He would be a likely consensus choice that would breeze through the nomination process. With potentially contentious confirmation hearings on the horizon such as Alberto Gonzales and a replacement for Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Republicans need a cake walk.
It also helps that whatever skeletons Lieberman has were probably uncovered in the 2000 Presidential race, helping to avoid further scrutiny of the flawed White House vetting process that allowed Kerik's past indiscretions to slip through the cracks.
Finally, the move would remove another Democrat from the U.S. Senate. Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell would appoint a Republican to Joementum's seat, the likely choice being Congresswoman Nancy Johnson from CT-5.
For the tin-foil-hatters out there, selecting Lieberman would also allow the President to trumpet bi-partisanship while allowing any potential Homeland Security mishaps to be placed conveniently on the shoulders of a Democrat.
Lieberman received ringing endorsements this weekend from Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Olympia Snowe, along with Democrat John Corzine.
It just makes sense for the White House to nominate Lieberman. And I believe they will.
Posted at 02:05 PM in General | Technorati
Comments
I actually think this wouldn't be too bad for us. Yes, it hurts us a bit more in the Senate, but 44 vs. 43 senators isn't a big deal. The main problem would be if two years of Nancy Johnson would give her a big leg up in 2006... but I think Dick Blumenthal could clean her clock.
Hey, what's up with the CT legislature? Is it Dem, as I'd presume? The folks in MA managed to change the law so that if Kerry became President, his seat would be filled in a special election, rather than by the governor. Perhaps we still have time in CT?
Posted by: DavidNYC at December 14, 2004 02:26 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
I don't know if all of the skeletons are out there. There have been many references to the scandal that the press didn't run with in 2000. The references suggest that it was so juicy that the press wouldn't even hint at it without more information. If Lieberman was the focus, then the Democrats who helped kill the story may plant it if he crosses the aisle.
There is an untold scandal from 2000. If Gore was the focus one would assume it would have been leaked by Starr. If Bush or Cheney were the focus, one would assume it would have come out this year. That leaves only one...
Posted by: Bob Brigham at December 14, 2004 03:12 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
If there is something to this, Lieberman's best move is to get some appointment job and avoid elections that way. If he's remains in a seat where he has to run to stay, that could be trouble. I bet that story would come out in the '06 campaign, too. Not in the general, but in the primary. From what I read, Dems in CT are pretty pissed about his support for the war and they want to knock him out in the primary.
Your assumption that it was Lieberman does assume that there is enough info now for the media to run with it that it would have come out in '04...
Posted by: Dan Hogan at December 14, 2004 09:10 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment