Seniority

The Hill has a report stating that 'a group' of Democratic Senators is growing unhappy with Joe Lieberman and that they are floating the possibility that they might strip him of his seniority within the caucus if he  wins in November. Since this, in effect, echoes what Kos was demanding immediately after the election, one wonders who is pulling what strings.

If he continues to alienate his colleagues, Lieberman could be stripped of his seniority within the Democratic caucus should he defeat Democrat Ned Lamont in the general election this November, according to some senior Democratic aides.

In recent days, Lieberman has rankled Democrats in the upper chamber by suggesting that those who support bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq by a certain date would bolster terrorists’ planning attacks against the U.S. and its allies. He also sparked resentment by saying last week on NBC’s Today show that the Democratic Party was out of the political mainstream.

Democrats are worried that Lieberman may be giving Republicans a golden opportunity to undermine their message.

“I think there’s a lot of concern,” said a senior Democratic aide who has discussed the subject with colleagues. “I think the first step is if the Lieberman thing turns into a side show and hurts our message and ability to take back the Senate, and the White House and the [National Republican Senatorial Committee] manipulate him, there are going to be a lot of unhappy people in our caucus.”

Michael Lewan, Lieberman’s former chief of staff, has worked to quell Democratic discontent with Lieberman and to steer them away from campaigning against his former boss, said Democratic aides familiar with Lewan’s activities.

Lewan, a lobbyist with Brown Rudnick, said that he has had conversations with Democrats from between eight and 12 Senate offices. He said he understands that many Democrats have endorsed Lamont because he is the Democratic primary winner.

He added, “It would be terrific from my point of view that during the time in September, October, and early November, if they campaign, they spend their time in places other than Connecticut.”

Lewan said that the issue of stripping Lieberman’s seniority did not come up in any of his conversations. He also said he has offered to share Democrats’ concerns with the Lieberman campaign.

This sideshow they complain about is of their own making. There has been a lot of disingenuous posturing about the entire Lamont candidacy, like having Screaming Howie Dean's brother involved. The floating of the seniority idea sounds like the Kos wing is flexing – or trying to flex – its muscles. They took a Democrat's scalp with Lamont's win. They spent all the effort and resources on what should have been a safe seat. Now they want to play enforcer.

And you know what? It also sounds like exactly what people have been warning about. The Democrats risk veering into national irrelevancy by being seen a a party that will not tolerate anything but lockstep.