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Joe's No Traitor
Evan Vucci / AP Photo
Senator Lieberman’s threat to filibuster the health-care bill isn’t a betrayal of the Democratic Party, says Meghan McCain—it’s a sign of courage. And we need more of it.
A few weeks ago, I gave a speech at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and one of the questions I was asked was: Aside from your father, who are your favorite senators and politicians?
Without hesitation, I said that I admire South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and Connecticut’s Joe Lieberman. Now before my fellow Republicans start panicking at my fondness for two independent, moderate, and dare I say maverick senators, let me state that it’s no secret I have an aversion to partisan politics and extremism—on both sides of the aisle.
If I want to hear conservative dogma, I will turn on Fox. But where do people go to listen to the Joe Liebermans of the world? Where can we hear voices that dare to cross party lines, think outside the box and say what they truly believe?
Recently there has been talk of a “moderate bloodletting” within the GOP, but I think it is very clear that this attrition is happening to both parties. And the extreme, vitriolic reaction by so many Democrats to Senator Lieberman’s announcement last week that he would join a Republican filibuster if a public option was included in the final health-care bill is yet another example of how this is not just a Republican problem. Everyone from Paul Begala to Stephen Colbert immediately started dogpiling on the senator. God forbid any politician from either side dares reach across party lines and refuses to placate the partisan faithful.
The older generation needs to understand that my generation does not respond well to anger, hate, and personal attacks. We are a generation of communicators, and to us, actions speak louder than loud words. Perpetuating negativity will only result in the tuning out of another generation of voters, and we simply can’t afford that. I find it especially ironic that most of those who criticize Senator Lieberman more often than not have never run for elected office. But as the old saying goes, those that can’t do, criticize.
• Paul Begala: Traitor Joe LiebermanLet’s face it, it’s easy to preach to the converted and many people have mastered the art of the negative sound bite. If I want to hear the liberal bias, I will turn on MSNBC. If I want to hear conservative dogma, I will turn on Fox. But where do people go to listen to the Joe Liebermans of the world? Where can we hear voices that dare to cross party lines, think outside the box, and say what they truly believe? If this country wants to simply be a place of extreme partisan politics, I think we are well on our way. If people like Senator Lieberman are treated with such disrespect for daring to be true to their political beliefs, there will really be no hope for independent thinkers of my generation to be inspired to join the political process.
And for the record, Senator Lieberman is now an even greater source of inspiration and comfort to me in politics.
Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
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Don't Call Me a Slut
Meghan McCain is a columnist for The Daily Beast. Originally from Phoenix, she graduated from Columbia University in 2007. She is a New York Times bestselling children's author, previously wrote for Newsweek magazine, and created the Web site mccainblogette.com.
If I believed for a moment that Senator Lieberman GENUINELY wanted what was good for this nation... I'd be with you. But he doesn't. Speaking of Senators I respect and trust, thats simple: Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul. All others just seem so owned. The sad thing is, like withhealth care, when one party TRIES to do something GOOD, someone has to gum up the works and ruin it. Screw Libermann. Kucinich is the man. He's ALWAYS ALWAYS had the balls to stand up and say what he believes in and,frankly, he and Ron Paul are, probably the only politicians worth their salt.
LOL Really Megan? You need to go back to posting fake boob shots honey.
The MILLIONS the insurance lobby has paid to Joe the dill weed and his wife don't matter at all does it? LOL Maybe not to a single cell brain, such as yours, but to those educated people in this country? It speaks loud and clear.
........and you're a natural blond.
To be fair, it was a real boob shot. What was fake was her insistence that they were anything other than boob shots. Those bedroom eyes don't lie.
Dittoes. The fact that both of them are buddies with your Dad and followed him all over the campaign trail didn't figure into those pics either.
Look Megan, much as I thought I respected you, if not for your famous Senator Dad and beauty queen mom you'd just be another child of privilege, a member of the "inheritance class" espousing old-school Republican virtues for selfish self-interest. You certainly don't warrant a career as a political writer if you're going to expect people to swallow what you just served up here tonite.
Lieberman represents a state with more insurance companies per square mile than anywhere in the world. THAT'S why he's got "principles" and "courage". I can understand what Joe did from that point of view, but COURAGE??? Puh-LEEEZE!
Mega isn't Traitor Joe your daddy's BFF, nice try defending your uncle Joe.
Grow up girl.
BTW, Meghan: How's your health insurance, honey?
LIEberman is clearly standing up for his principles and not the Health Insurance Companies.. which coincidentally Connecticut houses more of then any other state. I guess if the sick and dieing americans who need health insurance really cared, they'd stop being so cheap and lazy and go hire some cute blonde lobbyists.. Damn lazy americans..
Joe Lieberman - best damn Senator money can buy!
Ms. McCain states "The older generation needs to understand that my generation does not respond well to anger, hate, and personal attacks."
Well, Ms. McCain. I'm part of the older generation and I LIVE in Connecticut. Those of us who have lived here and experienced Lieberman at his worst, KNOW that he is a lying opportunist who only represents himself and Israel. Move here and then tell us to trust him.
Coach - Then why does your state keep re-electing him?
Mondo .. The Republicans in Connecticut ran a true zero in the primary and all the Republicans voted for "their boy Joe" in the primary and the election. He's a shark in sheep's clothing. Nuthin' but a Republican.
Ms. McCain has a lot to learn. She still thinks politicians say what they mean and mean what they say. Joe is a Ho for big business.
"I find it especially ironic that most of those who criticize Senator Lieberman more often than not have never run for elected office. But as the old saying goes, those that can't do, criticize."
So Meghan, in your utopia only elected representatives critisise other representatives. After all, who else has the expertise? Sounds interesting, maybe we should try that. Oh wait, it's been tried before, many times actually.
Indicative of the belligerent elitism that has become the standard of modern politicos. A truly sickening statement.
I kind of agree, but Kucinich and Paul are not Senators.
I hate to break it to you TeddieLeigh, but Ron Paul isn't a Senator, and you're forgetting one very important person: Russ Feingold, the only senator to vote against the PATRIOT Act.
It's also worth pointing out that Lieberman isn't a Democrat even though he caucuses with them. Why they think he'll tow the party line is beyond me, and I'm neither surprised nor impressed with his act of "defiance" any more than with Olympia Snow's.
Ultimately Megan does have a point in that cable TV punditry as a rule is now extremely polarized and partisan on both sides of the aisle.
Ron Paul isn't a senator, he's a congressman.
and neither is Kucinich
Yes, Teddie Leigh. If he didn't have coffers filled with insurance industry money, and his wife wasn't sitting on the Board of Directors of Wellpoint ... well, he might just have a bit more credibility ... but since he does and she does, I can't quite call him courageous. More like duplicitous.
Agree on Kucinich and Paul operating relatively independent of their parties. But a minor point -- neither is a Senator.
Ms McCain, your paragraph on the older generation tells me how immature you are. The older generation is so much more civil than the 'now every other word begins with F' generation. You need to stop calling someone conservative EXTREME!! FOX interviews Lieberman a lot. My take on it is I wish the Republicans could offer up a plan, rather than talk of filibuster. I was disappointed that Lieberman would follow that line of decision making.
GROW UP girl and then start preaching to us.
rnews4u
All one needs to do is turn on the news - any channel will do - to realize that your generation is absolutely no more civil than mine. I urge you to perhaps speak with an educated 22 year old and I think you'll be amazed at our level of compassion, involvement, and true desire to change at least some small part of the world. We are a remarkably inter-connected generation of "yes" that I have no doubt will do great things once we are in power.
And besides, you're really not doing your generation any favors by telling Ms. McCain to "GROW UP girl;" I mean, we may use the "f-word" but at least we left 90s slang in the decade in which it belongs.
F U both
I love you Greg,
our generation might say naughty words but we're nowhere near as self-absorbed as the baby boomers.
Don't talk about the civility of the older generations. they did some pretty awful sh*t but it's ok because they didn't cuss? f**k that, some of this stuff is worth swearing over.
Note: my post should not convey that I agree with Ms. McCain. I agree with the rest of your post, rnews4u. I simply think you took an opportunity to bash my generation when it was not warranted. Again, please go speak to an educated 20-something. We're fun; I promise.
Since when did previous generations not use profanity? What a crock of bullshit.
You've gotta be the biggest dolt in the world to think that your gripes about the young are any different than those your parents had about your generation.
Do you remember the baby boomers as kids? Lots of derelicts having unprotected sex while tripping on acid. Don't get me wrong that sounds like fun, but fuck off with your holier-than-thou-because-I-don't-cuss stance.
This is a very good article.
I think the idea of a public option, is to give people an option between not having a choice and having to wait until they have a medical emergency, which is of course is more expensive for the tax payer in the short and long run than in theory having government health insurance as an option.
People with asthma, don't have a choice. Their lungs react to pollution, which in a round about way, pollution is also a public option.
Our planet, our Mother Earth, upon it we are as brothers and sisters, suffers and is sick too.
We accept pollution, and related costs and question the cost for universal health care. Why?
We know the need, the need isn't being questioned or debated. It is the cost.
It is about being our brother's keeper, it is about being our brother's healer.
He's a shill, via his wife, for the Insurance lobby.
You're absolutely right, if Sen. Lieberman was advocating some political belief or taking a stand to achieve something beneficial for the country. I ask you, if this is his firm political belief, then it must be for the benefit of someone...who, then, is the Senator fighting for? Who benefits from this blocking action?
So wait--Lieberman is to be respected simply because he spoke his mind? For having an unfavorable political opinion? Then why not respect every nutjob in politics? Just because Joe spoke up doesn't make him right.
only to you and your loonie left wing buddies is his opinion unfavorable... to the majority of Americans and more importantly the state he represents, his opinion is more than favorable so get over it.
More than 67% of people in Connecticut -- including me, and I live there - want the public option. You don't know what you're talking about. The polls are consistent on this.
Most folks in Connecticut are enraged at Lieberman. He hasn't a prayer at winning reelection, and he knows it. If he runs at all, it will be as a Republican. There are no Republicans in Congress left in New England, and he isn't going to get reelected. He's going to become a lobbyist after 2012, and everyone knows it.
He's deplorable, for so many reasons. He's in Congress to represent the people of Connecticut. He's not there to earn points with Meghan McCain, or to comfort her.
"More than favorable".... hahaha, you are completely clueless!
She must love Hitler and the au courant, MAO, too.
You're right, but you're a voice in the wind. Democrats are trying to stay in power while Republicans are trying to get back power. All the while, real people in America are suffering. There is no leadership. The people in power don't know that. Our generation has no power yet. Understanding why is the beginning of some type of turnaround.
"Dems are trying to stay in power"?
And how did they get that power?
Maybe it has something to do with the last 8 years?
As a young liberal, I enjoy reading your blogs and I generally take an interest in what you have to say, but I disagree with you about Lieberman. My beef with the Senator from Connecticut is that I see him as a shameless political opportunist who's only interested in doing what's best for Joe Lieberman (namely, retaining his senate seat).
agreed...The fact that he's in Conn. the home of insurance companies makes me even sicker, because there's no hiding why he opposes health reform...he's owned by insurance companies...duh!
I agree with your thoughts on the growing partisan extremism in our country, and I am fully in favor of any politician who is willing to cross party lines to act in the interests of his conscience or his constituents.
I think the ire against Senator Lieberman comes because it is difficult to believe that he is doing either. According to recent polls, the majority of Senator Lieberman's constituents favor a public option. And his stated objection to the public option, that it would blunt our current economic recovery, is difficult to accept, as the public option would not become effective for at least three years.
The fact that Senator Lieberman has received some millions of dollars in campaign contributions from insurance companies, and that he announced his objection one day after the release of the Price Waterhouse Coopers that was decidedly against the public option, does little to raise confidence that he is acting from his conscience.
I will say that Senator Lieberman's objection was perfectly timed to do the most damage possible to the public option, and that it is proof of the power one Senator can wield in Congress, for good or ill.
Still, regardless of his motives, I believe that any repercussions he suffers from the Democrat party leadership (although I suspect these will amount to little or nothing) will be deserved and possibly overdue. While I abhor politicians who hold party loyalty to above all other concerns, Senator Lieberman has demonstrated that he is not a trustworthy ally of the Democrat party, and should not expect to receive any favors from them in the future. Whether he will still hold the favor of his constituents is something to be decided in 2012.
As a disclaimer, I personally disapprove of Senator Lieberman due to some of his earlier stances, namely his aggressive attacks on the video game industry. But in this case I've tried to see his point of view in a positive light, and failed to do so.
Meghan, Lieberman's problem is not that he has a different idea than the Democratic party. He was part of that party for many years. His problem is that he looks to me like a Trojan horse. Giving the impression that he was a Democrat except when that at the final moment, when you will think you have to show your support, he switch to "independent", when that really meant siding with the Republican party. You can't be Independent, and keep signing with the Republican party for crucial votes that affect the American people.
I personally don't like people breaking ranks in crucial moments. When somebody does because they think he is going to lose, and at the end he is the one that sides with a losing cause, it means he has no clue of what he is doing.
He was demeaning to Obama during the elections. If your cause is not good enough that you have to talk trash about your opponent, your cause is not that strong after all. I remember him laughing to the most stupid comments from Republican politicians. Really pathetic. If I'm independent, you won't see me hanging around either party.
Sorry, but Lieberman is not Senator Sanders.
A Trojan HORSE'S ASS.
However frustrating it may be portrayed I for one have greater respect for those in office who are honest in their opinion than those towing the line regardless of the facts for or against a position.
All too often it is after one leaves public office that they speak out and then it is far too late.
- Orion
Are you serious with this crap? You should just go back to flashing your breasts on Twitter and talking about "your gays" who your party loathes almost as much as late-term abortion. Lieberman needs to be stripped of his committee chairmanships and thrown out of the caucus if he is going to hold up these health care solutions that everyday Americans sorely need.
Seriously, you can admire Lieberman for sticking to his guns all you want but while you are doing that a large chunk of this nation's population continues to suffer from the abuses of the insurance industry. This isn't about partisan politics. This is about doing what's right. Lieberman (like most politicians) is simply protecting his financial backers instead of trying to improve conditions for America's sick and poor.
Does this Bimbo understand that she has a conflict of interest here? This character from CT supported her father in the last election and she expects us to pay any attention to what she has to say about this. If she had any intellect or judgment she would have moved out of her parents house and developed a mind of her own, but wait, if she had developed a mind she would have been staying far away from her father who dumped his wife for a younger and richer woman.
"daing to be true to their beliefs" Really..... Joe Lieberman was for the Public Option in 2006, since then he has received over a million dollars from the insurance industry. He thinks Americans don't need the same choices the Senator has in health insurance. Americans are denied afforable health care. But the Senator's pockets are stuffed with cash, He's now an American Hero, It's only a matter of time, Before they have a reward ceremony for him, like they had for Cheney and scooter.The Center of Responsive polictics has a compete list of republicans and bluedogs who received money from the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. It time to call your Legislators and insist they support and vote on public funding of elections. The Single Payer or at the very least a strong Public Option would would cost less then the bill they are trying to foist on us now. The bluedogs, whose pockets are stuffed with cash from the insurance industry are having too much say in the design of the bill.
I agree with your points. However, there is no need to trash Meghan personally. She took an innocent picture and sent it to her friends. Some people made to much of it. You can disagree with her without trying to hurt her. Why bring the conversation down?
I actually like Meghan McCain quite a bit when she isn't trying to blow smoke up our butts. Anyone that gives the proverbial middle finger to the likes of Ann Coulter and Michelle Malkin is okay in my book. You're right though. I should have laid off that Twitter thing and stuck to the issues. She really has nothing to be ashamed of in that department anyway. If I was woman and was so well endowed I would probably be showing those off as well.
She's wearing a hat in that photo to hide her black roots.
Maybe she thinks it makes her look like Edward R. Murrow?
Honey, not even a ciggie will help.
Here, here - well thought and well said.
Meghan, please - some education on the issues will take your hypocrisy down a thousand. Lieberman isn't sticking to any 'guns' - he is incredibly angry and vindictive towards the Democratic caucus, and will hurt the American public in the process. From legitimate VP prospect to selfish ass in record time.
I think everything you've written about Joe Lieberman is correct, if you assume the world began in 2009. The best you can assume about Senator Lieberman is that he's trying to act in the best interests of a major industry in his home state. More accurately, he's so in the pocket of the insurance business that he's cheerfully acting against the interest of his own constituents.
If Joe Lieberman got his way 15 years ago the filibuster would be an anachronism. Now he's bending over his colleagues by threatening to block cloture.
Your (2nd) favorite senator is a lousy role model. You don't want that rep.
I would have more respect for this column if:
1) Joe Liberman hadn't completely abandoned his principals and his rhetoric from previous years where he campaigned FOR a public option.
2) The state of Connecticut wasn't the home of so many health insurance company head quarters
3) This wasn't such a blatantly and painfully obvious political move on Liberman's part, the part where he tries to remain relevant by causing problems in the political spectrum.
4) If Meghan McCain could give me one example in the last 10 years in which a Republican stabbed it's part in the back over such a major issue facing this country.
Finally 5)
1) Joe Liberman hadn't supported Meghan McCain's father and actively campaigned for him during the Presidential race. Lieberman has become a major John McCain ally. Why wouldn't his daughter the author of this column not come to the defense of one of her father's biggest supporters and strongest allies for the campaign point of "John McCain is a candidate of bi-partisanship".
Senator John McCain had my full support during the 2000 Presidential primary when he did everything he could to go against the man who has led this country down the path of extreme partisan politics.
However after his 2000 Presidential loss Senator John McCain completely abandoned all the principles of bipartisanship his daughter claims to support.
After criticizing the religious right extremism of Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell in 2000, John McCain embraced them for the sake of the presidential primary and his own self interest in 2008.
After being against President Bush's tax cuts in 2001, he came out as being for those tax cuts for the sake of the primary and his own self interest of the 2008 Presidential campaign. McCain even faced a recall effort in his own state during the summer of 2001 because he rightly voted against the Bush tax cuts.
Senator McCain was also in favor of closing the "gun show loophole" in which sales of unlicensed fire arms can be made to anyone at the gun show without having to run a back ground check. In 2008 he backed out of that stance as well.
I could go on and on with more examples of where Sen. John McCain has completely abandoned or changed his ideals and principles for his own self interest, but this column is about his daughter.
His daughter who is masquerading as a "moderate" in the political arena and using her father's tarnished name to somehow further who own self interest in the political arena in which she aspires to build some level of credibility.
Truth is Meghan McCain the apple never falls far from the tree and this column is a prime example of supporting or promoting someone or something for your own self interest, rather than in the interest of this country.
This is where your political view of things falls so painfully short.
Amen.
If America wants health care reform, the solution is simple. Take away the free health insurance for life (and all related perks) enjoyed by hardscrabble folks like Mr. Lieberman on Capitol Hill.
Why should the Joe Liebermans of the world care whether working Americans have health insurance? "Hey, I've got mine - you get yours."
So this is courage? Ms. McCain, you've redefined the word.
Without their premier care most of those old farts would have died 10 years ago.
where is my comment I made?
to the editor oops.... I can see it now ... sorry about that
disregard my previous email :)
leftistmenace... you are an idiot. that's not way to talk to any woman. If you don't agree just said so. Make your point and be happy that is in the blog.
Seems like you wrote this before! or everything you write sounds alike or something, same thing, different day! go pose for playboy, you know you want to!
Spawn of John, Joe's from the insurance capital of the US. Duh. He gets lots of money from them. Duh. Of course, in Republican circles, sellouts are mavericks. Ask your father about S&L's sometime. The stories he could tell! Now go flash your tits!
I might be inclined to believe that Sen Joe Leiberman was just 'reaching' across the aisle if not for some simply blatant facts: His wife, Hadassah Lieberman, is a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical and health insurance industry (http://bit.ly/4nIb35) AND a pharmaceutical company (Purdue Pharma) is one of his top 3 campaign committee contributors. (http://bit.ly/4qebgR). This looks like Washington D.C. politics 101 to me. The GOP may need him now, but you can rest assured that Joe Leiberman will put his own best political interest before any loyalty to political party, political ideology, or the best interest of his constituency.
You'tr a cute girl, but unfortunately you're dumber than a post.
I saw you on TV one time and you tried to shrug off history as if knowing what has happened in politics before in discussing a current situation is not important. How simplistic.
If you want to help America, talk your dad into telling the truth and have him apologize for unleashing Sarah Palin, an
unqualified clown, on this country.
Another peroxide related brain death.
I like to consider myself part of the generation of "free thinkers." I agree with your train of thought, however, it is a boys club. Which means, mean think in packs and fight wars by joining groups. It's all sports. When a person like Liberman isn't loyal to his pack, he is a traitor. It's like going to war and then decieding to fight for the other side. you can't change uniforms late in the game when your team is about to win. He is not maverick, he is disloyal to anything and anyone for the sake of him. He will be remembered as such.
Sadly, Senator Lieberman is blind. He cannot see the 7000 Americans who will be dead by Christmas. Or the 19,000 who will be dead by Easter. Nor the 360,000 who have died since 9-11 for no other determining factor except lack of Health Coverage. ( http://tinyurl.com/l7cy8u )
Sadly, Senator Lieberman is also deaf. He cannot hear the cries of the ruined families of those lost people.
A Public Option available to any American who thinks it the best choice would begin to level the field for ordinary people. This is not a partisan issue. It is an human issue. In the beloved community we dream of American being, we need to fend for one another.
Thee are plenty of arenas in which profit is invigorating and excellent. Cars, flat screen TVs, beer. The 60-year for-profit experiment in health care has been a grotesque and cruel failure. Any conceivable trigger conditions have long ago been met.
Sadly, Senator Lieberman is tragically self-centered, the greatest blindness and deafness of all.
Are you freaking serious..? Check his campaign contributions of now and check them from back then and you will exactly why he has changed his position. Im tired of Senators getting old and stupid. He knows he wont be re elected and thus has nothing to lose. If this is your hero that you like to follow then you have some history to learn because selling out your fellow people isnt courage.
"And for the record, Senator Lieberman is now an even greater source of inspiration and comfort to me in politics."
It's nice to know just where you stand. Personally, a politician who sells out to the highest bidder disgusts me. But I suppose that makes him your daddy's kinda maverick, and the crabapple don't fall far from the tree.
Thank you.
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