Obama gets hero’s welcome in Senate (and a conversation with Lieberman)

[ProSense]

Obama gets hero’s welcome in Senate

By Jared Allen
Posted: 06/04/08 01:24 PM

Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) received a hero’s welcome home in the Senate Wednesday as he returned to vote on the budget a day after he clinched the Democratic presidential nomination over his colleague Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.).

Obama strode into the chamber shortly before noon, led by Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and headed to the desk to cast his vote in favor of the Democrats' budget. He did not make it far, though, before being greeted by a bevy of members wanting to share a handshake, a hug and a few laughs with the new Democratic standard-bearer.

Clinton, who did not concede the contest to Obama, did not make it into the chamber and did not vote. It was not immediately clear if she returned to the Senate at all on Wednesday. Earlier, she was speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington.

But if Tuesday night’s delegate count wasn’t proof enough that the nomination is over, Obama’s Senate colleagues reinforced the message in full.

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Conversation

06.04.08 -- 3:18PM
By Josh Marshall

From Roll Call ...

Furthermore, during a Senate vote Wednesday, Obama dragged Lieberman by the hand to a far corner of the Senate chamber and engaged in what appeared to reporters in the gallery as an intense, three-minute conversation.

While it was unclear what the two were discussing, the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating.

Using forceful, but not angry, hand gestures, Obama literally backed up Lieberman against the wall, leaned in very close at times, and appeared to be trying to dominate the conversation, as the two talked over each other in a few instances.

Still, Obama and Lieberman seemed to be trying to keep the back-and-forth congenial as they both patted each other on the back during and after the exchange.

Afterwards, Obama smiled and pointed up at reporters peering over the edge of the press gallery for a better glimpse of their interaction.

Obama loyalists were quick to express their frustration with Lieberman's decision and warned that if he continues to take a lead role in attacking Obama it could complicate his professional relationship with the Caucus.

[graywarrior]

1. Holy shit...street gang stuff!

[Recursion]

2. "Joe, thanks for mentoring me, but...

...if you campaign for that octagenarian shithead, I will end you. OK, chief?"

[YDogg]

6. heh

[NotThisTime]

17. Who can fight the good fight for us & do it with a smile on his face? Obama!

As I've often said, you can say just about anything to a rival, as long as you have a smile on your face.....

[SteppingRazor]

3. Oh, MAN! To be a fly on the wall at that conversation. n/t

[Thrill]

4. They showed him and Liberman on CNN

It was during a vote

[gblady]

13. gobama.....

I hope they captured it...and it makes it to the internet
would love to see that encounter!

[ErinBerin84]

5. backed him up against a wall!

It's ok Obama, I've had the urge to kick Lieberman's ass many times.

[anonymous171]

7. Way to play hardball. GOBAMA! Take that DINO on!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

8. Good gossip.

[Divernan]

9. So Hill couldn't face her Senate colleagues & do right by her constituents by voting on the budget.

It was more important to her to hit up some fatcats for donations re her insane campaign debts.

[Independent-Voter]

15. Typical Veruca Bullshit. No need to be surprised.

Damn that carpetbagging opportunist.

[blm]

16. Hey, she's fought every day for 35 years nonstop for Dem issues. Ooops....no she didn't.

She rolled over and played dead from the first backlash against her healthcare plan in 1993, and wouldn't even make it part of Bill's platform in 1996.

She didn't decide it was worth fighting for until she needed primary votes.

Same thing with counting votes. Clintons never directed the DNC under their watch from 1993-2005 to secure the election process for all Dem candidates and Dem voters, and especially after 2000 and 2002's blatant thefts by the RNC. But as soon as she realized Obama won on Super Tuesday then it was time to pivot and work for McCain, and stirring up controversy on Mi and Florida's rulebreaking problems was a easily spinnable situation to exploit to that end - Hillary2012.

[faithfulcitizen]

10. I love it! Would also love to know what the heck was said. Gotta love Claire too.

[olkaz]

11. Is Obama a Marxist, Joe? "That's a good question!"

Obama should have jacked him for that one.

And I like the idea that Obama is getting aggressive.

[IsItJustMe]

12. Obama told Lieberman, "If you keep talking smack, you and I are going to have to go to

the hospital." Lieberman replied, "Why is that Barack?" Obama replied, "To get my foot out of your ass."

Just saying, that could of been the converstion. LOL

[americanstranger]

14. Heh. Joementum musta been shittin' bricks.

O probably told him to get in line or he'd be putting Lieberman's Senate career in a box and FedEx-ing it back to Connecticut for him.

That's why he's the Dem standard-bearer.

- as

[tridim]

20. I bet it pissed Holy Joe off too..

Such a young lad telling a Senior Senator who thinks his shit doesn't stink, "Your shit REALLY stinks".

I love this power play. :bounce:

[EFerrari]

18. Obama is one of the few politicians that I like more

the more I know him. :)

[NotThisTime]

22. You aren't alone, that seems to be the general consensus once people learn about him

[lsusteel]

19. Being a senator is such a cushy job

$170,000 salary and you get to show up when you feel like it

[Danger Mouse]

27. heh, not nearly as easy as you think.

[northernsoul]

21. I would like to commend the next president of the United States

for resisting the urge to smack the ever-loving shit out of Joe Lieberman. Barack Obama is a better man than I.

[texasleo]

23. nice

[oviedodem]

24. I bet the house that it is over Obama's Israeli stance

[jasmine621]

26. Joe has to be very happy. nt

[Swamp Rat]

25. k&r

[Danger Mouse]

28. Wonder what Obama said? I do know that Lieberman was probably quaking in fear.

:D

[Scurrilous]

29. K & R

:thumbsup:

[debbierlus]

30. Fascinating

[ProSense]

31. DNC

[SoFlaJet]

32. WE NEED VIDEO!!!

or a screen shot at least

[bhikkhu]

33. I wish there were pictures.

"the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating". I could imagine a bunch of things that could be about, but I would like to see it.

Lieberman seems oddly resilient at the polls so he isn't going anywhere, apparently, but it would be nice to see him on a short leash.

[WA98296]

34. Thank you for posting, enjoyed reading about it!

[Enrique]

35. he's demanding Lieberman accept his VP offer

:rofl:

[goletian]

36. hmm, obama soundin kinda evil in that last one. id like to see footage of that.