Bush will make appeal to Lieberman to join with Republican Party...

[kentuck]

and he could get his choice of Committees? Do you think that will happen? Not publically, but private.

[The Count]

1. A private agreement is in place since 1998. I'm sure of it.

[aquart]

10. Not gonna happen now.

A 73-year-old Republican senator from a state with a Democratic governor has just been hospitalized with leukemia.

So Lieberman could sacrifice everything and end up with nothing and no value at all.

As of now, he can stay Democratic, maintain his privileges, and still pay off the Republicans by voting with them, as usual.

[MessiahRp]

11. Who?

Forgive me for not being aware...

Rp

[aquart]

15. Wyoming. Senator Craig Thomas.

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2606204>

[hopein08]

13. Yes, please...who are you talking about?

[greeneyedboy]

2. dupe - many other threads about this. (answer: Lieberman knows which way the wind is blowing)

[Missy M]

3. He has probably already made the appeal.

[danalytical]

4. that's not even possible

The Senate is in Democratic hands now, what committees are you referring to? You mean like a cabinet position or secretary position? That would mean Lieberman would have to give up his senate seat I believe. And that's not going to happen.

[ieoeja]

17. It is possible because...

... if Lieberman chooses to join Republics instead of re-joining the Democrats in January then the Republics would control the Senate.

However, I agree with everyone else. Lieberman won't do it because everyone believes the Republic Party is going to lose even more seats in 2008 at which point anyone having switched to the Republics would be out of luck.

[kentuck]

18. Bingo!

That's the bottom line for Joe Lieberman.

[Stand and Fight]

5. Possibly already has...

It will, and probably has, happened, but I don't think Lieberman will accept. It would piss off too many Republicans.

[LTR]

6. Lieberman won't jump to a party on the downslide

Besides, the Democrats likely has much more to offer than the Republicans.

[Kagemusha]

7. At present Lieb would have to share power if he did flip

Why do that when he can sell the full power of the chairman of the chair of the Senate Committee for Homeland Security at full, undiluted prices? If you wanna be a power broker, you need capital.

[Oleladylib]

8. NO (n/t)

[bunny planet]

9. Is that the 'reaching out' he was just talking about?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. The good news is, Lieberman's a two faced bastard.

Now that dems are in power, Joedas is going to caucus with us.

[no_hypocrisy]

14. Won't be necessary if Lieberman votes like a republican anyway.

After all, he IS an "independent", isn't he?

[tkmorris]

19. It still matters

If Joe votes Republican on issues that matter to us, it's a lost vote. However, CAUCUSING with the Dems is a different matter. That is what determines which party controls the committees, who is the majority leader, and so on.

[kentuck]

16. Another thing we have to take into consideration...

The Repubs will likely lose several more Senate seats in two years. Joe would then be in a minority, with still 4 years to go in his present Senate term. Joe has it all figured out.

[LoZoccolo]

20. No he won't; you're making things up.

Isn't there better things for you to be doing right now?

[Norquist Nemesis]

21. My wish would be that Harry Reid recognize Lieberman's seniority

Since he was elected as an Independent, that would be ZERO!