Joementum Comes To A Halt
March 27, 2024 5:14 PM Subscribe
Former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman has died at 82 from complications from a fall.
As with many of our more infamous political figures, labor historian and political pundit Erik Loomis has prepared a fitting scathing obituary for the man:
As with many of our more infamous political figures, labor historian and political pundit Erik Loomis has prepared a fitting scathing obituary for the man:
Joe Lieberman, at his best, was a moralistic jerk who constantly concern trolled anyone to his left. He decided to make violence in video games a major early issue, for some reason. Like other centrist Democratic moralists of the 1980s, such as Tipper Gore, Lieberman found innovation in popular culture a threat. He was all in with the Democratic Leadership Council. In the aftermath of his 1994 re-election, which was a blowout in that horrible year since Republicans liked him too, Lieberman became the head of that most regrettable and annoying of all late 20th century political institutions, the Democratic Leadership Council. He was a huge proponent of the death penalty as well.
Lieberman’s last term in the Senate was not one in which he shined. He played an absolutely critical role in making sure that the Affordable Care Act had no public option. He told Harry Reid he would filibuster any effort to create a public option. And while he wasn’t the only Democrat to torpedo a far better bill than what got passed, Lieberman has more than his share in the blame to make that happen. A lot of people were disgusted by his behavior in the 2006 election and he was only polling at a 31 percent approval rating in 2010, so he decided to retire at the end of his term. Chris Murphy replaced him and finally Connecticut Democrats had a real senator representing their interests.
So good riddance to Joe Lieberman. He’s probably off trying to create a third party of afterlife, saying of God and Satan that Both Sides Do It.
Rest in piss, warmonger.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 5:21 PM on March 27 [37 favorites]
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 5:21 PM on March 27 [37 favorites]
(And yes, I was waiting for the Loomis obit before posting.)
posted by NoxAeternum at 5:23 PM on March 27 [12 favorites]
posted by NoxAeternum at 5:23 PM on March 27 [12 favorites]
complications from a fall
That's what happens when you try to move left and right at the same time.
posted by PlusDistance at 5:33 PM on March 27 [49 favorites]
That's what happens when you try to move left and right at the same time.
posted by PlusDistance at 5:33 PM on March 27 [49 favorites]
One of the douchbaggiest democrats ever, but still not as bad as essentially every republican. I hope his legacy is fair and he is always remembered as a selfish (independent run after losing primary) obstacle to a better world.
posted by snofoam at 5:38 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
posted by snofoam at 5:38 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
I was always taught never to say anything about the dead unless it’s good. He’s dead. Good!
posted by kirkaracha at 5:40 PM on March 27 [21 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 5:40 PM on March 27 [21 favorites]
. for the No Labels interns who have to redo all the marketing materials.
posted by charred husk at 5:48 PM on March 27 [4 favorites]
posted by charred husk at 5:48 PM on March 27 [4 favorites]
This is great news! For John McCain!
Also, star candidate of the Connecticut for Lieberman party.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:48 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
Also, star candidate of the Connecticut for Lieberman party.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:48 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
joementum deficiency
posted by hototogisu at 6:01 PM on March 27
posted by hototogisu at 6:01 PM on March 27
His name, if it is remembered at all, will be a footnote to injustice.
God have mercy on his soul.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 6:03 PM on March 27 [3 favorites]
God have mercy on his soul.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 6:03 PM on March 27 [3 favorites]
May he be more useful in the future than he was in the past.
posted by mephron at 6:04 PM on March 27 [24 favorites]
posted by mephron at 6:04 PM on March 27 [24 favorites]
Well, bye.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:10 PM on March 27 [4 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:10 PM on March 27 [4 favorites]
I'm sorry for the loss of his family and friends but I'm not sorry he's out of public life and particularly out of lawmaking.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 6:19 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
posted by gentlyepigrams at 6:19 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
I never worked harder than on the primary that drove Joe to his eponysterical party. Despite knocking on many many doors and delivering 100 lawn signs, I did not put a lawn sign out. Joe was dead wrong but his path to temple took him past my house, and I felt like that walk shouldn’t be hostile for anyone. I didn’t know what was coming, or how he would lose all remaing respect from my house. It was an amazing night, hearing the results on the radio in the car. Of course the general was like being in a cold dunk tank, damn it. Then came the refusal to help Obama do anything, then came McCain Palin, then TFG.
At least he didn’t park on the lawn or keep his trash cans out too long.
Murphy is such an upgrade. IIRC, after TFG was elected, but before he was sworn in, Murphy spoke one night at a high school and took questions from the audience. Hearing a sane person say sane things about foreign policy was hugely comforting.
posted by drowsy at 6:20 PM on March 27 [19 favorites]
At least he didn’t park on the lawn or keep his trash cans out too long.
Murphy is such an upgrade. IIRC, after TFG was elected, but before he was sworn in, Murphy spoke one night at a high school and took questions from the audience. Hearing a sane person say sane things about foreign policy was hugely comforting.
posted by drowsy at 6:20 PM on March 27 [19 favorites]
i partly blame him as VP pick for Gore's loss... America is never going to put a Jew in the White House (sorry Bernie fans, it's true)
posted by kokaku at 6:30 PM on March 27 [9 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 6:30 PM on March 27 [9 favorites]
yesverysadANYWAY.gif
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 6:43 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 6:43 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
I think (hope) that Gore's loss (which, was, let's remember, a popular vote win and extremely close in the EC) was more due to Lieberman completely failing to inspire any Democrats, due to being moderate and stuffy, rather than the fact that he was Jewish.
And don't blame him. If anyone, blame Gore.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 6:45 PM on March 27 [11 favorites]
And don't blame him. If anyone, blame Gore.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 6:45 PM on March 27 [11 favorites]
Hey, let's hope this kicks off a really good year for a political boneharvest! Off to a good start.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:48 PM on March 27 [14 favorites]
posted by BlueHorse at 6:48 PM on March 27 [14 favorites]
I need to take a leak. Where's his grave?
posted by mike3k at 6:59 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
posted by mike3k at 6:59 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
I also blame him for Gore losing.
posted by mike3k at 6:59 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
posted by mike3k at 6:59 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
In a nation without term limits, political discourse advances one funeral at a time.
posted by lock robster at 6:59 PM on March 27 [19 favorites]
posted by lock robster at 6:59 PM on March 27 [19 favorites]
Huh. A thing like that.
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:03 PM on March 27 [3 favorites]
posted by Capt. Renault at 7:03 PM on March 27 [3 favorites]
America is never going to put a Jew in the White House (sorry Bernie fans, it's true)
Even disregarding the fact that the 2000 election was quite obviously stolen due to direct Republican malfeasance, it is 100% undisputed that the Gore/Lieberman ticket won the popular vote.
(And if John McCain had chosen Lieberman as his running mate in 2008 instead of Palin, there’s a good chance we might never have seen an African American in the White House.)
posted by Atom Eyes at 7:14 PM on March 27 [22 favorites]
Even disregarding the fact that the 2000 election was quite obviously stolen due to direct Republican malfeasance, it is 100% undisputed that the Gore/Lieberman ticket won the popular vote.
(And if John McCain had chosen Lieberman as his running mate in 2008 instead of Palin, there’s a good chance we might never have seen an African American in the White House.)
posted by Atom Eyes at 7:14 PM on March 27 [22 favorites]
Good.
posted by ob1quixote at 7:17 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
posted by ob1quixote at 7:17 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
iirc at the time the thinking was that Lieberman would deliver the Jewish retiree vote in Florida.
no one knew Palm Beach County would create a ballot that required hole-punching that hundreds of those retirees apparently couldn't manage. and so it goes.
posted by martin q blank at 7:17 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
no one knew Palm Beach County would create a ballot that required hole-punching that hundreds of those retirees apparently couldn't manage. and so it goes.
posted by martin q blank at 7:17 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
I've dealt with other things that were organized in similar ways to butterfly ballots (scantron-style tests in my case) and they really are surprisingly hard to keep straight. It's one of those things that yeah in principle no problem, it seems clear enough, but it just makes people's brains barf in practice.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:38 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:38 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
He showed us his true colors. They were not art
posted by Windopaene at 7:44 PM on March 27 [3 favorites]
posted by Windopaene at 7:44 PM on March 27 [3 favorites]
Fuck. That. Guy.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:02 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:02 PM on March 27 [5 favorites]
Now do McConnell.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:07 PM on March 27 [18 favorites]
posted by fiercekitten at 8:07 PM on March 27 [18 favorites]
I cannot speak of Lieberman here the way that I would like to speak of Lieberman, or my post would quickly vanish.
Between his crusades against the entertainment industries at all levels (reminding me of why I would've had to hold my nose tightly to vote for Al and Tipper), his smug insistence that the Constitution promises "no freedom from religion," his theatrics once rejected by the Democrats of Connecticut, his torpedoing of what could have been a much better rewrite of American healthcare options, his warhawk nature, and many other distasteful characteristics and deeds of which others have spoken, I'm not sure that any other figure of that era did more to convince me that he did not just disdain the support of progressives like myself -- he loathed us and worked very hard to ensure our marginalization.
Know how I know that Lieberman was a shitbag of the highest order? The likes of Roger Stone and Mark Levin are mourning his passing and praising his politics.
They can have him. He was a waste of space, resources and nutrients and left this world a poorer place.
posted by delfin at 8:13 PM on March 27 [27 favorites]
Between his crusades against the entertainment industries at all levels (reminding me of why I would've had to hold my nose tightly to vote for Al and Tipper), his smug insistence that the Constitution promises "no freedom from religion," his theatrics once rejected by the Democrats of Connecticut, his torpedoing of what could have been a much better rewrite of American healthcare options, his warhawk nature, and many other distasteful characteristics and deeds of which others have spoken, I'm not sure that any other figure of that era did more to convince me that he did not just disdain the support of progressives like myself -- he loathed us and worked very hard to ensure our marginalization.
Know how I know that Lieberman was a shitbag of the highest order? The likes of Roger Stone and Mark Levin are mourning his passing and praising his politics.
They can have him. He was a waste of space, resources and nutrients and left this world a poorer place.
posted by delfin at 8:13 PM on March 27 [27 favorites]
And nothing of value was lost.
posted by aenea at 8:21 PM on March 27 [6 favorites]
posted by aenea at 8:21 PM on March 27 [6 favorites]
After years of receiving jury summonses in CT after leaving for college and then for the other coast, I looked into why they were trying to get me on a jury and discovered that I was still registered to vote in CT. My reaction: dammit, I could have been voting against Joe Lieberman all of those years!
posted by aneel at 8:22 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
posted by aneel at 8:22 PM on March 27 [1 favorite]
His atheophobia will not be missed.
posted by audi alteram partem at 8:25 PM on March 27 [6 favorites]
posted by audi alteram partem at 8:25 PM on March 27 [6 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics.
I wonder if it would have helped to index that $5 to inflation.
posted by foursentences at 8:29 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
I wonder if it would have helped to index that $5 to inflation.
posted by foursentences at 8:29 PM on March 27 [7 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics.
no no. pissing. not dancing. pissing. we're pissing on his grave.
posted by logicpunk at 8:54 PM on March 27 [41 favorites]
no no. pissing. not dancing. pissing. we're pissing on his grave.
posted by logicpunk at 8:54 PM on March 27 [41 favorites]
> would create a ballot that required hole-punching that hundreds of those retirees apparently couldn't manage. and so it goes.
that f'in ballot design was in fact needlessly cognitively demanding.
Aside from the visual barf of options, grouping each party ballot space into a graphically cohesive unit, instead of simple 1940s-era typography with just a horizontal line leading the eye directly to a hole to punch . . . conveniently, the GOP ballot didn't have one of these lines, if it had, Gore probably would have won, though of course SCOTUS would have intervened in another way to prevent that somehow,
posted by torokunai at 9:00 PM on March 27 [6 favorites]
that f'in ballot design was in fact needlessly cognitively demanding.
Aside from the visual barf of options, grouping each party ballot space into a graphically cohesive unit, instead of simple 1940s-era typography with just a horizontal line leading the eye directly to a hole to punch . . . conveniently, the GOP ballot didn't have one of these lines, if it had, Gore probably would have won, though of course SCOTUS would have intervened in another way to prevent that somehow,
posted by torokunai at 9:00 PM on March 27 [6 favorites]
I generally put Lieberman in the same bucket as Biden, better than any Republican*, but that's such a low bar these days it's not worth much in a WAR sense.
* or basically somebody who could have been a liberal Republican when those were a thing
posted by torokunai at 9:05 PM on March 27 [4 favorites]
* or basically somebody who could have been a liberal Republican when those were a thing
posted by torokunai at 9:05 PM on March 27 [4 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics.
The only sad thing is that so many who died in our pointless wars, or needlessly because they couldn't access healthcare aren't here to see him shuffle off.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 9:08 PM on March 27 [31 favorites]
The only sad thing is that so many who died in our pointless wars, or needlessly because they couldn't access healthcare aren't here to see him shuffle off.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 9:08 PM on March 27 [31 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics
Fuck that noise. First and foremost he was a lobbyist, which is its own political party in a dangerously abstract, nebulous way that has literally put this country on a fulcrum teetering between democracy and murderous Fascism.
Even if I wanted to, I couldn't possibly dance on his grave because I couldn't tell you what his politics really were. And I seriously doubt you or anyone else could either, even with him having the veneer of a party affiliation. At least most Republican Fascists are now up-front about what they are and what they are pursuing.
The only life lesson here is that Lieberman was the antithesis of public service, a self-serving anti-Senator in many cynical ways that have hurt and will continue to hurt millions of Americans.
Dance on that obit, if you like, circa whenever.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:36 PM on March 27 [37 favorites]
Fuck that noise. First and foremost he was a lobbyist, which is its own political party in a dangerously abstract, nebulous way that has literally put this country on a fulcrum teetering between democracy and murderous Fascism.
Even if I wanted to, I couldn't possibly dance on his grave because I couldn't tell you what his politics really were. And I seriously doubt you or anyone else could either, even with him having the veneer of a party affiliation. At least most Republican Fascists are now up-front about what they are and what they are pursuing.
The only life lesson here is that Lieberman was the antithesis of public service, a self-serving anti-Senator in many cynical ways that have hurt and will continue to hurt millions of Americans.
Dance on that obit, if you like, circa whenever.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 9:36 PM on March 27 [37 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics.
Oh hey, it's a variant on the "X you don't like" bad faith argument, ignoring how people have been discussing how the man's political career was a testament to bad policy, starting with his election to the Senate, orchestrated by arch-conservative William F. Buckley in order to unseat liberal Republican (this was before the Great Realignment) Lowell Weicker, following to his moralizing in the 90s, his hawkish foreign policy alignment that became outright bloodthirsty after 9/11, his refusal to accept his rejection by CT Democrats and independent run in 2006, which then granted him the power to weaken the ACA - an act that wound up lowering his polling that he chose to not run in 2012. Out of office, he was happy to bolster right wing efforts, particularly in foreign policy.
So if your argument is that we're attacking him for having "different" politics while refusing to actually discuss what those politics were - then you don't actually have an argument.
posted by NoxAeternum at 9:54 PM on March 27 [51 favorites]
Oh hey, it's a variant on the "X you don't like" bad faith argument, ignoring how people have been discussing how the man's political career was a testament to bad policy, starting with his election to the Senate, orchestrated by arch-conservative William F. Buckley in order to unseat liberal Republican (this was before the Great Realignment) Lowell Weicker, following to his moralizing in the 90s, his hawkish foreign policy alignment that became outright bloodthirsty after 9/11, his refusal to accept his rejection by CT Democrats and independent run in 2006, which then granted him the power to weaken the ACA - an act that wound up lowering his polling that he chose to not run in 2012. Out of office, he was happy to bolster right wing efforts, particularly in foreign policy.
So if your argument is that we're attacking him for having "different" politics while refusing to actually discuss what those politics were - then you don't actually have an argument.
posted by NoxAeternum at 9:54 PM on March 27 [51 favorites]
KTHX(not)BAI
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:44 PM on March 27
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:44 PM on March 27
And don't blame him. If anyone, blame Gore.
Gore fucked up by distancing himself from Clinton as an overreaction to the scandal involving Monica Lewinsky, and picking a condescending scold was one of the ways he did that. Clinton had a 66% approval rating when he left office.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:45 PM on March 27 [12 favorites]
Gore fucked up by distancing himself from Clinton as an overreaction to the scandal involving Monica Lewinsky, and picking a condescending scold was one of the ways he did that. Clinton had a 66% approval rating when he left office.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:45 PM on March 27 [12 favorites]
Biden is infinitely better than Lieberman.
posted by WatTylerJr at 10:57 PM on March 27 [21 favorites]
posted by WatTylerJr at 10:57 PM on March 27 [21 favorites]
I generally put Lieberman in the same bucket as Biden
Worth remembering that Joe Biden, in 2012 when a lot of Democrats were quietly suggesting Obama select a new veep, asked to be the guy to go on national TV and advocate for same-sex marriage. It could have ended his political career for all intents and purposes and he asked to do it.
That is just one of the reasons Joe Lieberman could never, and in fact did never.
posted by mightygodking at 12:00 AM on March 28 [31 favorites]
Worth remembering that Joe Biden, in 2012 when a lot of Democrats were quietly suggesting Obama select a new veep, asked to be the guy to go on national TV and advocate for same-sex marriage. It could have ended his political career for all intents and purposes and he asked to do it.
That is just one of the reasons Joe Lieberman could never, and in fact did never.
posted by mightygodking at 12:00 AM on March 28 [31 favorites]
I’ll remember Lieberman for inspiring the creation of The Senator in Sega’s Eternal Champions: Challenge From The Dark Side, one of the many Street Fighter II / Mortal Kombat clones from the 1990s. He’s a scathing commentary of a character.
The Senator is an obvious sprite edit of Larcen Tyler playable only through the use of a cheat code. Despite being an edit, nearly of all his moves are original and are appropriate for his "politician" theme. These include throwing literal red tape and stabbing opponents with a campaign pin badge. As a fatality he can transform into a postal worker that guns down the enemy. His win pose has him either waving a peace sign in the air or putting on a fishing outfit for a photo opportunity. His stage is Washington D.C. As well as The White House, the background includes a fast food restaurant surrounded by secret service agents. One of the two stage fatalities has the victim impaled on the Washington Monument.posted by Servo5678 at 12:24 AM on March 28 [4 favorites]
just another dingus warmonger.
posted by busted_crayons at 4:34 AM on March 28 [3 favorites]
posted by busted_crayons at 4:34 AM on March 28 [3 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics.
Sometimes when bad things happen to bad people you're allowed to feel good about it.
posted by AlSweigart at 4:38 AM on March 28 [18 favorites]
Sometimes when bad things happen to bad people you're allowed to feel good about it.
posted by AlSweigart at 4:38 AM on March 28 [18 favorites]
Apart from his politics (which were terrible), most of my Lieberman memories involve just how cringey his presidential campaign was. There was the JoeMobile, a garishly-decorated PT Cruiser. The slogan "A Joe-Vember to Remember". It was like his staff had only ever had publicity and advertising explained to them by aliens.
The other thing, though, and the thing that I actually feel a little bad for being so annoyed about because it's so petty, is that whenever he talked...you could only ever see his bottom teeth. It drove me crazy.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:42 AM on March 28 [5 favorites]
The other thing, though, and the thing that I actually feel a little bad for being so annoyed about because it's so petty, is that whenever he talked...you could only ever see his bottom teeth. It drove me crazy.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:42 AM on March 28 [5 favorites]
Putting my homemade Gore-Lieberman sign out on my lawn was really the beginning of my political awareness. It was printed on a color inkjet and wrapped in Saran Wrap - made it through most of the political season before the colors ran.
I remember consoling my Bush-obsessed coworker after Bush's apparent loss - and then regretting my sympathy later.
I don't think the ensuing eight years of tragedy were worth avoiding a Lieberman vice presidency, but it sure sounds like it's nearly a tossup.
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 6:03 AM on March 28
I remember consoling my Bush-obsessed coworker after Bush's apparent loss - and then regretting my sympathy later.
I don't think the ensuing eight years of tragedy were worth avoiding a Lieberman vice presidency, but it sure sounds like it's nearly a tossup.
posted by Flight Hardware, do not touch at 6:03 AM on March 28
I generally put Lieberman in the same bucket as Biden, better than any Republican*, but that's such a low bar these days it's not worth much in a WAR sense.
The person one might compare him to, across political eras, might be Joe Manchin -- a Democrat who acts deliberately to thwart the efforts of Democrats, and a politician about whom the best one can say is "...at least he's the best that they can elect in a state like that."
Except that Lieberman wasn't the best that Democrats could elect there, by far. Unlike Manchin, a Dem standing in a deep red state, Lieberman was in a comfortable Democratic seat representing a blue constituent base. That base rejected him, and he put himself over country, party and constituents and actively courted Republican support to remain politically alive. He actively opposed the Senate filibuster, joining an effort to have it defanged, until it was politically expedient for him to use it to thwart good things happening for good people. I could go on and on.
He was the template that Lindsey Graham uses today -- a suckup, a scold, and a gadfly whose few principles that remained firm were patently odious. Everything else -- loyalty, principle, philosophy, positive achievements -- blew with the wind, drifting to whatever position was most politically expedient for him at the time.
Many people are dead today -- at home due to his submarining of health care reform, abroad due to his fervent cheerleading of war in Iraq -- in part because of him.
So spare us any "you can't handle someone with differing politics" finger-wagging, please. As a human being, he was hot garbage on a steamy summer afternoon.
posted by delfin at 6:04 AM on March 28 [29 favorites]
The person one might compare him to, across political eras, might be Joe Manchin -- a Democrat who acts deliberately to thwart the efforts of Democrats, and a politician about whom the best one can say is "...at least he's the best that they can elect in a state like that."
Except that Lieberman wasn't the best that Democrats could elect there, by far. Unlike Manchin, a Dem standing in a deep red state, Lieberman was in a comfortable Democratic seat representing a blue constituent base. That base rejected him, and he put himself over country, party and constituents and actively courted Republican support to remain politically alive. He actively opposed the Senate filibuster, joining an effort to have it defanged, until it was politically expedient for him to use it to thwart good things happening for good people. I could go on and on.
He was the template that Lindsey Graham uses today -- a suckup, a scold, and a gadfly whose few principles that remained firm were patently odious. Everything else -- loyalty, principle, philosophy, positive achievements -- blew with the wind, drifting to whatever position was most politically expedient for him at the time.
Many people are dead today -- at home due to his submarining of health care reform, abroad due to his fervent cheerleading of war in Iraq -- in part because of him.
So spare us any "you can't handle someone with differing politics" finger-wagging, please. As a human being, he was hot garbage on a steamy summer afternoon.
posted by delfin at 6:04 AM on March 28 [29 favorites]
So if your argument is that we're attacking him for having "different" politics while refusing to actually discuss what those politics were - then you don't actually have an argument.
Flagged as fantastic, because it's an excellent point.
posted by Gelatin at 6:06 AM on March 28 [12 favorites]
Flagged as fantastic, because it's an excellent point.
posted by Gelatin at 6:06 AM on March 28 [12 favorites]
He insisted that democrats remove the public option from health care reform so that republicans would vote for it. They still didn't vote for it.
And a decade later we'd go through it all again with Joe Manchin and BBB. A sole Democratic senator deliberately sabotaging a rare opportunity to create lasting change. In Lieberman's case, his wife was a lobbyist for the healthcare industry (Lieberman Shills for the Healthcare Industry) and Manchin's daughter was the fucking CEO who deliberately hiked the prices of epipens (Sen. Manchin mum on EpiPen hikes by daughter’s drug company).
Democrats still haven't figured out a way to reign in these rouge party members or come up with a messaging strategy that isn't some weak variation of "we'd really like to act on our party's platform, but that old man won't let us, so I guess it's not happening. Oh well. Vote harder?"
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:10 AM on March 28 [11 favorites]
And a decade later we'd go through it all again with Joe Manchin and BBB. A sole Democratic senator deliberately sabotaging a rare opportunity to create lasting change. In Lieberman's case, his wife was a lobbyist for the healthcare industry (Lieberman Shills for the Healthcare Industry) and Manchin's daughter was the fucking CEO who deliberately hiked the prices of epipens (Sen. Manchin mum on EpiPen hikes by daughter’s drug company).
Democrats still haven't figured out a way to reign in these rouge party members or come up with a messaging strategy that isn't some weak variation of "we'd really like to act on our party's platform, but that old man won't let us, so I guess it's not happening. Oh well. Vote harder?"
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:10 AM on March 28 [11 favorites]
truly, only the good die young.
posted by ZaphodB at 7:41 AM on March 28 [3 favorites]
posted by ZaphodB at 7:41 AM on March 28 [3 favorites]
the star that burns half as bright burns twice as long, and Joe, your shitty little star kept going for YEARS.
posted by ZaphodB at 7:43 AM on March 28 [5 favorites]
posted by ZaphodB at 7:43 AM on March 28 [5 favorites]
At long last, it’s Joever.
posted by Maecenas at 9:12 AM on March 28 [4 favorites]
posted by Maecenas at 9:12 AM on March 28 [4 favorites]
The slogan "A Joe-Vember to Remember". It was like his staff had only ever had publicity and advertising explained to them by aliens.
Counterpoint: you still remember Joe-vember.
Somehow he encapsulates something about the politics of the 90s and 00s Dem Party perfectly. Wanted the genocide before Biden did, delighted in sabotaging the Dems before Joe Manchin did it. So many Joes, so so many Joes.
posted by kensington314 at 9:25 AM on March 28 [4 favorites]
Counterpoint: you still remember Joe-vember.
Somehow he encapsulates something about the politics of the 90s and 00s Dem Party perfectly. Wanted the genocide before Biden did, delighted in sabotaging the Dems before Joe Manchin did it. So many Joes, so so many Joes.
posted by kensington314 at 9:25 AM on March 28 [4 favorites]
Fuck. That. Guy.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 10:21 AM on March 28 [3 favorites]
posted by WaterAndPixels at 10:21 AM on March 28 [3 favorites]
America is never going to put a Jew in the White House (sorry Bernie fans, it's true)
I am no fan of Lieberman, but America had no problem putting Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner - both Orthodox Jews - into unelected White House positions of arguably more real power than a vice president.
As pointed up thread, Gore and Lieberman won the popular vote and the electoral college. America has no problem voting for Jewish candidates. It's the Supreme Court which has a problem with allowing votes to be counted.
posted by jb at 11:04 AM on March 28 [7 favorites]
I am no fan of Lieberman, but America had no problem putting Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner - both Orthodox Jews - into unelected White House positions of arguably more real power than a vice president.
As pointed up thread, Gore and Lieberman won the popular vote and the electoral college. America has no problem voting for Jewish candidates. It's the Supreme Court which has a problem with allowing votes to be counted.
posted by jb at 11:04 AM on March 28 [7 favorites]
“Joe Lieberman Didn’t Leave Earth, Earth Left Him,” Doktor Zoom, The Wonkette, 28 March 2024
posted by ob1quixote at 11:31 AM on March 28 [2 favorites]
posted by ob1quixote at 11:31 AM on March 28 [2 favorites]
America will put a practicing Jew into the White House long before it will put an open member of many other religious denominations, including "none of the above." It wasn't that long ago that JFK drew fire for being Catholic, with many claiming that he'd take direct marching orders from the Pope; now, no one blinks an eye at that, and the right sneers that Biden isn't Catholic ENOUGH because he's not fervently anti-choice.
Joe embraced his religious faith when it was convenient for him to do so. Demanding that the entire entertainment industry reshape itself to conform to his deeply reactionary religious values, for instance, or deciding that step one as Gore's Veep choice was to tell audiences that "there is no freedom from religion." (If he was looking to deliberately alienate people like myself, who were already uncomfortable putting Tipper Gore's husband into the top slot, he succeeded in spades.)
But when it came time for more practical issues -- wars in the Middle East, healthcare reform, affiliating with an increasingly unhinged Republican party, issues that actually made a difference in the lives of many people including whether those lives would be able to continue... Joe was all about Joe.
posted by delfin at 12:05 PM on March 28 [7 favorites]
Joe embraced his religious faith when it was convenient for him to do so. Demanding that the entire entertainment industry reshape itself to conform to his deeply reactionary religious values, for instance, or deciding that step one as Gore's Veep choice was to tell audiences that "there is no freedom from religion." (If he was looking to deliberately alienate people like myself, who were already uncomfortable putting Tipper Gore's husband into the top slot, he succeeded in spades.)
But when it came time for more practical issues -- wars in the Middle East, healthcare reform, affiliating with an increasingly unhinged Republican party, issues that actually made a difference in the lives of many people including whether those lives would be able to continue... Joe was all about Joe.
posted by delfin at 12:05 PM on March 28 [7 favorites]
The only good thing I can say is that he wasn't as bad as being in the spotlight/acting on things as Kissinger was near his end.
This guy was why I didn't vote for Gore (I mean I probably still wouldn't have). Fortunately WI went to Gore so I don't have any guilt on W getting in the first time (and 2nd time I held my nose and voted Kerry).
Seriously Lieberman and Tipper and their reactionary views helped maintain the systems in play that led to Bush and Trump. Now they all act like they didn't. "Oh who could have seen Trump" they declare as we watched the rabid hatemongering and murderous attacks from the right after 9/11.
My thoughts on these guys:
Peter Tosh - No Sympathy
posted by symbioid at 12:23 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
This guy was why I didn't vote for Gore (I mean I probably still wouldn't have). Fortunately WI went to Gore so I don't have any guilt on W getting in the first time (and 2nd time I held my nose and voted Kerry).
Seriously Lieberman and Tipper and their reactionary views helped maintain the systems in play that led to Bush and Trump. Now they all act like they didn't. "Oh who could have seen Trump" they declare as we watched the rabid hatemongering and murderous attacks from the right after 9/11.
My thoughts on these guys:
Peter Tosh - No Sympathy
posted by symbioid at 12:23 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
America will put a practicing Jew into the White House long before it will put an open member of many other religious denominations, including "none of the above."
Mike Pence likes to say, "I'm a Christian, a Conservative, and a Republican, in that order." Which is exactly backwards and is missing the most important word for an American politician: American. That should be first and religion should have no place in politics. Imagine the shitstorm if someone said, "I'm a Muslim, a liberal, and a Democrat. In that order."
posted by kirkaracha at 1:59 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
Mike Pence likes to say, "I'm a Christian, a Conservative, and a Republican, in that order." Which is exactly backwards and is missing the most important word for an American politician: American. That should be first and religion should have no place in politics. Imagine the shitstorm if someone said, "I'm a Muslim, a liberal, and a Democrat. In that order."
posted by kirkaracha at 1:59 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
EVERY TIME somebody mentions Tipper Gore I hear the live version of Stigmata in my head.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 2:00 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
posted by WaterAndPixels at 2:00 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
Metafilter circa 2024, where self-impressed children dance on the grave of anybody who didn't have identical politics.
joke's on you, i'm relentlessly self-critical.
posted by ZaphodB at 2:30 PM on March 28 [5 favorites]
joke's on you, i'm relentlessly self-critical.
posted by ZaphodB at 2:30 PM on March 28 [5 favorites]
Anyone who thinks this thread is too hard on Lieberman should read this WaPo interview [gift] with him from November. He's so deliriously smug and wrong about what U.S. politics needs most right now - a threat of a 3rd- party presidential run that will force Biden to the center. He's been laughable for a long time now, and I'm not sad he's gone.
posted by mediareport at 4:29 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
posted by mediareport at 4:29 PM on March 28 [2 favorites]
Same old Joe. The left has "disproportionate influence," i.e. any influence at all, over the Democrats, so it falls to Joe Lieberman, the Sensible One, to sigh and punch the hippies back into their place, and to wield what he himself described as "a threat" to drag Biden kicking and screaming back to 'centrism.' The Republicans view compromise as a mortal sin, negotiation as a reason for censure and bipartisanship as blasphemy, but it's the Democrats who have strayed too far by not reaching out even further in their direction.
When someone hates you with a deep passion and you hate them just as much, outliving them can be a sincere joy.
posted by delfin at 4:56 PM on March 28 [6 favorites]
When someone hates you with a deep passion and you hate them just as much, outliving them can be a sincere joy.
posted by delfin at 4:56 PM on March 28 [6 favorites]
America will put a practicing Jew into the White House
Was he even practicing? That would require, like, actual practice, right?
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:50 PM on March 28
Was he even practicing? That would require, like, actual practice, right?
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 6:50 PM on March 28
joke's on you, i'm relentlessly self-critical.
posted by ZaphodB
this is the most exciting development I've seen yet in this thread! good to hear, mr president!
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:10 PM on March 28 [4 favorites]
posted by ZaphodB
this is the most exciting development I've seen yet in this thread! good to hear, mr president!
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:10 PM on March 28 [4 favorites]
If only he'd died 26 years ago, but I guess better late than never.
He went to the grave happy, safe, warm, well fed, and secure. All the things he was utterly committed to keeping as a tightly held privilege of the ultra elite. The world is a worse place because he lived, and it is a better place with his death.
And yet, like all the other evil scum in positions of high power, he was only capable of his great acts of evil because of a large number of Americans supporting him. Remember, he COULD have been kicked out by Connecticut voters long before he was. There's no actual reason they had to keep him. They kept him because they liked him. It was only national rage that shamed them into choosing someone else in a primary election and that after decades of Lieberman being the exact same reactionary, hateful, spiteful, right wing scumbag he was when they finally voted him off the Democratic ticket.
Who is more to blame? Joe Liberman for being a truly horrible person, or the average Connecticut voter who shrugged and though 'meh, he's ok' and voted for him dozens of times? Without their votes he'd have just been an asshole.
posted by sotonohito at 6:51 AM on March 30 [3 favorites]
He went to the grave happy, safe, warm, well fed, and secure. All the things he was utterly committed to keeping as a tightly held privilege of the ultra elite. The world is a worse place because he lived, and it is a better place with his death.
And yet, like all the other evil scum in positions of high power, he was only capable of his great acts of evil because of a large number of Americans supporting him. Remember, he COULD have been kicked out by Connecticut voters long before he was. There's no actual reason they had to keep him. They kept him because they liked him. It was only national rage that shamed them into choosing someone else in a primary election and that after decades of Lieberman being the exact same reactionary, hateful, spiteful, right wing scumbag he was when they finally voted him off the Democratic ticket.
Who is more to blame? Joe Liberman for being a truly horrible person, or the average Connecticut voter who shrugged and though 'meh, he's ok' and voted for him dozens of times? Without their votes he'd have just been an asshole.
posted by sotonohito at 6:51 AM on March 30 [3 favorites]
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posted by nestor_makhno at 5:21 PM on March 27 [85 favorites]