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Obama Confronts Lieberman On McCain Advocacy, Tone, on Senate Floor
June 05, 2008 11:27 AM
Sen. Joe Lieberman, the self-described "Independent Democrat" who caucuses with the Democratic party in the Senate even though he has endorsed Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, got some tough talk from Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, yesterday about his advocacy for the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and the general tone of the campaign, Democratic sources tell ABC News.
Returning to the Senate after his securing the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama and Lieberman greeted each on the Senate floor in the Well as they were voting on the budget resolution.
They shook hands. But Obama didn’t let go, leading Lieberman - cordially - by the hand across the room into a corner on the Democratic side, where Democratic sources tell ABC News he delivered some tough words for the junior senator from Connecticut, who had just minutes before hammered Obama's speech before the pro-Israel group AIPAC in a conference call arranged by the McCain campaign.
Watch video of the encounter on the Senate floor HERE.
The two spoke intensely for approximately five minutes, with no one able to hear their conversation. Reporters watched as Obama leaned closely in to Lieberman, whose back was literally up against the wall.
Neither party is officially talking. But while Lieberman spokesman Marshall Whitman says the conversation was "a cordial and friendly discussion" and Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton says it was "private and friendly," Democratic sources tell ABC News that the conversation was a stern rebuke to Lieberman for his criticism of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as had just happened on the conference call, as well as a discussion about how far Lieberman is willing to go in his advocacy of McCain, and the tone of the campaign.
"It's one thing to support McCain," said one Democratic source, "but many think Uncle Joe has gone too far."
Obama campaigned for Lieberman in 2006 when he was challenged (and ultimately defeated) in his primary race for his Senate seat. When Lieberman opted to run as an independent, Obama wrote a supportive email endorsing Democratic nominee Ned Lamont, but he did not appear in person for him, unlike other Democrats, such as Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn.*
On the McCain conference call yesterday, Lieberman congratulated Obama "in securing the Democratic nomination and to express my own hope as a supporter of John McCain that this will be a civil and constructive campaign debate from here to November."
The only Orthodox Jew in the U.S. Senate then criticized the White House hopeful's speech to the Jewish pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, saying, "I would say respectfully that I thought in this speech that there was a disconnect between things Senator Obama said today in particularly with regards to Iran and things that he has said or done earlier either in the campaign and senate. To be specific, I was troubled earlier in the year during the campaign season when Senator Obama referred to, I guess compared Iran and other rogue and terrorists states to the Soviet Union and minimized the threat represented by Iran. I think that is wrong."
Lieberman also criticized Obama for voting against an amendment he offered with Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that designated Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group, and included other language that Obama said linked the war in Iraq to Iran in a way that troubled him. "Senator Obama opposed it saying it was saber rattling and referring to the possible threat of military force," Lieberman said. "But if you look at the Kyl-Liebermann Amendment as it was passed, it has none of that in it, regarding military action. I was hoping and I still hope that he will say that that vote was a mistake, and that he would support that resolution."
"Obama today argued that American foreign policy in recent years has essentially sort of strengthened Iran," Lieberman continued. "At one point, he almost seems to suggest that it helped to elect us Ahmadinejad, and has made Israel safe. I just disagree with that. Iran elected Ahmadinejad for their own reasons. If Israel is in danger today, it’s not because of American foreign policy which has been strongly supportive of Israel in every way, it is not because what we have done in Iraq, it is because Iran is a fanatical terrorist, expansionist state and has a leader and a leadership that constantly threatens to extinguish the state of Israel."
“Its a difficult situation,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, the Senate Democrats' Assistant Majority Leader and a major Obama backer, told reporters Wednesday, according to Roll Call. “Joe is my friend ... but I hope he doesn’t become the lead attack dog. Of course it’s a concern when someone in your Caucus is supporting the other party’s candidate. Let’s not try and sugarcoat it."
Lieberman agreed to caucus with the Democrats, who need his vote in the narrowly-divided Senate, in order to maintain power. But the Nutmeg stater is testing the patience of Democratic leaders by endorsing McCain and agreeing to speak at the Republican National Convention in September. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told MSNBC they would "watch very closely" how far Lieberman takes his advocacy.
But Obama may feel Lieberman has already taken it too far.
- jpt
* This sentence has been corrected.
June 5, 2008 in Obama, Barack | Permalink | Share | User Comments (378)
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Sounds like Obama is really starting to get assertive. A sign of things to come perhaps?
That wasn't assertiveness. That was audacity. It was arrogance. It was above the pall. It was childish and thuggish.
Joe Lieberman is not beholden to Obama. He is beholden to his own principles and they do not agree with Obama's flip flopping twice in one day on Israel.
I visited Jerusalem while I was active Navy. If they divided that city it would be like rewriting history something that has been going on right here in this country.
Get Obama a new US history book....Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviet Army. He did have an uncle it seems but he was in the Army not the Navy.
Posted by: navyvet48 | Jun 7, 2008 1:33:55 AM
Good job, Lieberman. He is one person who won't be bullied by Obama® politcs. He knows Obama is full of __it.
Posted by: aprez | Jun 7, 2008 12:38:44 AM
The more one reads of Sen. J. Liberman, the more one is wondering at.
Anyway, both Senators are the best living testimony to opportunities and democracy the USA present.
And that is the most important moral from this story.
Posted by: M. Kerjman | Jun 6, 2008 11:15:45 PM
The markets are getting in position to crash. Obama is selling free food and free health insurance, and no taxes - no reason to work. We will all be living off the government. Capitalism will move to other countries. We will become a country of nothing. Nothing made, nothing sold, nothing learned. Our companies have absolutely no reason to stay here and deal with the liberals. They are free to leave the USA and prosper in any other country. More power to them!
Posted by: Hittin' the Skids | Jun 6, 2008 9:22:23 PM
Is Obama going to send out his thugs - the Farrakhan gang? We are headed back to the radical sixties! Cities will be burning before the end of the year.
Posted by: mary | Jun 6, 2008 9:03:09 PM
He was asking him HOW MANY STATES?
Posted by: joker4usa | Jun 6, 2008 9:03:03 PM
All of you supporters of John, you vote for him if you want. I was once a believer in him also tell he left me in the cold. McCain will turn his back on you just as fast as he. Unless he’s paid. Who would vote for someone like that. Well he's a Republican, wow, if that’s the only reason stay home. Their not worth it!
Posted by: Thomas schuette | Jun 6, 2008 8:54:31 PM
Obama is as bad as a punk - how dare he back anyone up against a wall like that. Doesn't matter if it was Lieberman or anyone else. Just totally unnacceptable.
That behavior shows Obama's true temperament. Who needs it? The country surely doesn't need it. And want to bet there IS a tape of the jerk's wife in an anti-white rant from 2004? Wait for it!
Posted by: Courtney | Jun 6, 2008 8:42:07 PM
Looks like the Chicago "street organizer" skills are being used by BO.
Posted by: TWJ | Jun 6, 2008 7:10:01 PM
Sounds like Obama is really starting to get assertive. A sign of things to come perhaps?
Posted by: LongT | Jun 6, 2008 6:55:18 PM
bates, I respect John McCain for his service and sacrifice for our country. What I don't respect is the fact that the opportunist threw his first wife and family aside when the young, rich chick came into the picture. If he's willing to treat his family like that, what is he willing to do to the rest of us?
Posted by: LagunaTriMom | Jun 6, 2008 6:08:15 PM
batesba74 infers NO ONE should post negative comments about John McCain because he is a great American. I assume he's referring to his service in Vietnam. Isn't it a shame that these same people who don't want anything negative said about McCain because he was in Vietnam didn't feel the same way about John Kerry in 2004. I have NEVER in my lifetime witnessed such disrespect for a decorated war hero like John Kerry. The Swift Boat Veterans are a disgrace to America.
I may not agree with John McCain politically but I would NEVER disparage
McCains service to our country the way the republicans did to John Kerry.
Posted by: Pat | Jun 6, 2008 5:01:09 PM
I heard an interesting thought on talk radio yesterday...
In MLK, Jr.'s "I have a dream speech," he said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
The radio host said, "People aren't judging Barack Obama by his character, they are judging him by the color of his skin." (This comment was in regards to people's excitement that a black man has won the democratic nomination.)
Skin color shouldn't matter when it comes to someone being President, but yet there are articles all over the Internet with quotes from all over the world where people are praising that a person of color has the chance to be President, not a red-neck hick.
I find it very disconcerting that our presidential election has come down to the color of a person's skin and not the content of their character.
Posted by: ker | Jun 6, 2008 4:56:38 PM
Lieberman wants the US to send its own sons to fight a was Israel should be fighting....we need to stop sending aid to both Israel and Arab nations.
Posted by: judarama | Jun 6, 2008 4:46:19 PM
Are regular Americans starting to see that there IS a group of Israel-firsters who are trying their hardest to drag us into another unwinnable war for Israel? There are DOZENS of dual citizens in high US government spots (like head of Homeland Security) but Lieberman is sounding these days like he doesn't even have dual loyalty. Obama kissed AIPAC's butt but apparently that isn't enough for the Israel-firsters like Lieberman. Americans may finally wake up to what is happening beneath their noses, but is it too late?
Posted by: America First | Jun 6, 2008 4:31:09 PM
Frankly, the way Obama behaved is embarrassing.If he is the great uniter then shouldn't he have asked for a meeting with Lieberman? Or at least treating a fellow Senator with respect instead of trying to intimidate him in front of the others -like a bully on the playground. I thought McCain was the one with the hot temper? I am not sure this man should be our Commander in Chief; his actions speak volumes.
Posted by: not fooled 08 | Jun 6, 2008 3:57:24 PM
Speaking of loyalty, Liberman sold out the democrats down the river when he lost the democratic race to Lamont. If we dig deep into his support for MacCain, one thing is very clear, and that being his support of MacCain in going bombing more countries in the middle east.
obviously no one is paying attention to the fact that over past 50-60 years, Military superiority has not brought peace & stability to the middle east. Why DON'T we get it that Military and use of force proven to be uneffectice?
it sounds that he will have a position in MacCain's cabinet if he is elected, and this SHOULD scare everyone. I Wonder how they will cook the intelligence and sell it to the public?
Have we not learned our lessons for the past 8 years and do or can we offord more of the same coming our way?
The desent republicans who can differentiate between facts & garbage should take a look at who they will be voting for in November if they truly love America. In this small world, our "pull the trigger" style is not received well and just like the rest of decent Americans rest of the world is looking for change as well. Everyone gives MacCain credit as a war hero, but no one asking why on earth he voted against Veterans benefit bill.
According to Maccain with this so not good economy we can't afford more expenses (52 billion over several years), but it is ok to spend billions each week in Iraq. Again this supports MaCains' own statement that he is clueless when it comes to economy.
As a true American hero that he claims to be, he is abusing the word PATRIATIC.
Wake up America
Posted by: Ben-KD | Jun 6, 2008 3:11:03 PM
Brain, you are naive.
Or, not.
Maybe just a not very well concealed AgiProp frontman.
This might help: Other than morality and national security the US has no interest in Israel. Fortunately, despite a world-wide disinformation and propaganda campaign, the vast majority of American people recognize that Israel is important to America.
Your insinuations are transparent, and false.
But, then again, I guess you can also truly be naive. Why else would you choose to side with our enemies?
Posted by: Sashland | Jun 6, 2008 1:41:41 PM
You've got to seperate, as a party, from the keynote speaker at the republican convention. You can't say he is okay and one of us, and then have him lead the charge to keep you from power.
The senate needs to get over its short-sighted, 2 month barely majority that has gotten nothing accomplished that Bush can't veto, and look to an overwhelmingly bright future under president Obama.
Posted by: Dan | Jun 6, 2008 1:40:07 PM
Lieberman needs to be backed up against a wall and told a thing or two. He's a turncoat. He goes whichever way the wind blows. He's bucking for the Republican VP spot.
What a spineless course of action Lieberman is taking by walking a fine line between the Dem's and the R's. He's just waiting to see who will give him a better deal to shut up and go away.
Posted by: Bill | Jun 6, 2008 1:33:57 PM
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