Lieberman: “My wife said to me, ‘Why do you always end up being the point person here?’ ” [View All]

[ProSense]

Lieberman Pushes Shifts on Overhaul

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: December 14, 2009

WASHINGTON — Just the thought of Joseph I. Lieberman makes some Democrats want to spit nails these days. But Mr. Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, is not the least troubled by his status as Capitol Hill’s master infuriator.

In fact, he could not be happier. He is right where he wants to be — at the center of the political aisle, the center of the Democrats’ efforts to win 60 votes for their sweeping health care legislation. In short, he is at the center of everything and he loves it.

“My wife said to me, ‘Why do you always end up being the point person here?’ ” he said, flashing a broad grin in an interview on Monday.

The day before, Mr. Lieberman threatened on national television to join the Republicans in blocking the health care bill, President Obama’s chief domestic initiative. Just hours later, he said, he left the office of the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, more certain than ever that he held all the cards.

“Harry said, ‘We will do what we can do to secure this,’ ” Mr. Lieberman recalled. “He said, ‘I have got some work to do with other members of the caucus.’ But he said, ‘My own feeling is we need you to get to 60 and so I am going to do my best.’ ”

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