Why Lieberman Will Go To GOP Convention

Photo by Larry Downing

The suspense is killing no one. Tom Brakaw asked Joe Lieberman if he will speak at the Republican convention. Lieberman give a feeble "we’ll see." Crooks and Liars has the video. Senator John Kerry was also on the panel.

Brokaw: Are you going to speak at the Republican convention? […]

Lieberman: That decision hasn’t been made. If Senator McCain feels that I can help his candidacy, which I think it’s so important to elect him our next President, I will do it. […] And frankly, I’m going to go to a partisan convention and tell them — if I go — why it’s so important that we start to act like Americans and not as partisan mud-slingers. […]

Brokaw: Sounds like you’re going to go.

Lieberman: Well, we’ll see.

Kerry: Sounds like that to me too.

One obvious motivation is Lieberman has always been a DINO. Lieberman made is national reputation trashing Bill Clinton, Grand Theft Auto and Melrose Place. Lieberman is conservative and unprincipled. In 2006, Lieberman begged Obama to endorse him. Lieberman vowed that he would help get a Democrat in the White House. He is reneged on that promise.

Lieberman's poll numbers dropped in a July Quinnipiac University poll.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman gets a 45 - 43 percent approval, down from 52 - 35 percent March 27 and his lowest score ever.

"Sen. Lieberman's approval rating has dropped below 50 percent for the first time in 14 years of polling, with nearly two-thirds of Democrats giving him low marks, probably because he is campaigning for Sen. John McCain," Dr. Schwartz said.

Lieberman will not have a political party to back him in the 2012 election. Lieberman needs John McCain to appoint him to a cabinet position.

Personally, I am glad that Lieberman is a McCain surrogate. Joementum was a horrible running mate for Al Gore. Getting beat in a political debate by Dick Cheney isn't anything to brag about. Republicans may enjoy listening to Lieberman bash Obama. There didn't love him when he was the Vice-President candidate and they don't now. People find him grating. This explains why Lieberman went from VP pick, crash and burn presidential candidacy, kicked out of his own party to low approval ratings.

Side note: I question Obama's judgement for endorsing Lieberman. Obama tends to play it safe and get burned. In politics: if Lieberman pleads for an endorsement then Obama should be able to call in an IOU. Obama didn't even get that. That is incredibly stupid.