Take Action on Lieberman Now

Posted by Chris Bowers, Open Left at 1:24 PM on November 17, 2008.

The vote on Senator Lieberman's chairmanship will be held tomorrow. Even though it will take place behind closed doors and without a roll call vote, you can still make your voice heard by signing the Just Say No To Joe petition at FDL. Or, you could directly call a member of the Democratic Steering committee:

Debbie Stabenow, Michigan - Chairwoman (202) 224-4822

Harry Reid, Nevada (202) 224-3542

John Kerry, Massachusetts (202) 224-2742

Daniel Inouye, Hawaii (202) 224-3934

Robert Byrd, West Virginia (202) 224-3954

Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts (202) 224-4543

Joe Biden, Delaware (202) 224-5042

Patrick Leahy, Vermont (202) 224-4242

Chris Dodd, Connecticut (202) 224-2823

Tom Harkin, Iowa (202) 224-3254

Max Baucus, Montana (202) 224-2651

Richard Durbin, Illinois (202) 224-2152

Kent Conrad, North Dakota (202) 224-2043

Carl Levin, Michigan (202) 224-6221

Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin (202) 224-5653

Barbara Boxer, California (202) 224-3553

Hillary Clinton, New York (202) 224-4451

Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico (202) 224-5521

Mark Pryor, Arkansas (202) 224-2353

Even though he isn't on the committee, Natasha and I both called Senator Casey's office this morning, since he is our local Democrat, and all members of the Democratic caucus will vote on this one. Senator Casey's office said that he was undecided on how to vote, so clearly there is still time to make a difference. Also, I'm trying to get my family in Rochester and Syracuse to call Senators Clinton and Schumer. My main target is my popular 12-year old niece who was elected class President a couple years ago and recently tested as the most liberal member of her class in a Social Studies quiz. If she gets into it, that should mean a couple dozen more calls.

In the extended entry, you can find some suggested talking points for your call, culled from recent statements on Lieberman by Democratic Senators.

These are some good lines to use:

"I'm one who does not feel that [Senator Lieberman] should be rewarded with a major chairmanship after doing what he did.... I felt some of the attacks that he was involved in against Senator Obama...went way beyond the pale. I thought they were not fair, I thought they were not legitimate, I thought they perpetuated some of these horrible myths that were being run about Senator Obama." (Senator Patrick Leahy)

"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country" (Senator Bernie Sanders)

"As a chairman of one of our significant committees in the Senate, not just going off and supporting [John McCain] but also criticizing [President-elect Obama], and also involving himself in a couple of senate races on the other side. The question is, is that acceptable? The answer is no." (Senator Byron Dorgan)

"Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in.' I very much hope that Senator Lieberman stays in the Democratic caucus and is successful in regaining the confidence of those whom he has disappointed. This is not a time, however, in which he should be rewarded with a major committee chairmanship." (Senator Bernie Sanders)

"President-elect Obama inherits significant economic and political challenges when he takes office in January and, under a Democratic Senate, a committee as vital as Homeland Security can simply no longer be led by one who has abandoned our party's core principles and who stood by mutely and with no oversight as President Bush debased our Constitution and our national creed, while also diminishing our nation's security posture." (Draft press releases for Senators, produced by Bob Geiger)

Make your calls now. This is our last chance. The vote is tomorrow.

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Tagged as: democrats, lieberman, reid, caucus