Joe Lieberman: From Mensch to Schlimazel in Just Eight Years

The Infamous Bush-Lieberman Hug and Kiss Session after Bush's 2005 State of the Union Address

MARK KARLIN'S BUZZFLASH EDITOR'S BLOG

Of course, we don’t approve of Harry Reid getting all wimpy on a Sunday political gabfest by indicating that Lieberman was both a Benedict Arnold and a fine progressive. In short, Reid was signaling that he wasn’t going to unilaterally strip "Joementum" of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee or toss him out of the Democratic caucus.

Reid seems content to let Joe get by with a mere public expression of disapproval for avidly supporting McCain, and being John’s "brain double" on foreign affairs.

Say what?

Let’s put it simply, Lieberman’s acts of betrayal and bizarre alliances aside (he not too long ago praised fruitcake, bigot John Hagee as another Moses, which kind of is insulting to both Moses and Jews, even if Lieberman is Orthodox), he’s become a schlimazel. What is a schlimazel, to those who don’t know Yiddish words that have made it into the American lexicon?

Well, we’ll quote from the most famous popular chronicler of such words, Leo Rosten. Rosten wrote in his classic "The Joys of Yiddish" this anecdote to illustrate a schlimazel:

Mintz came to his rabbi and said, "Whatever I do goes sour. My wife and children soon won’t have anything to eat. What can I do?"

"Become a baker," said the rabbi.

"A baker? Why?"

"Because if you’re a baker, even if a business is bad, you and your loved ones will have bread!"

Mintz pondered, "And what if the day comes when I don’t have enough money to buy flour?"

"Then you won’t be a baker," said the rabbi, "but a schlimazel."

"Joementum" Lieberman has been gambling his flour for the past 8 years, ever since he conceded Florida early, inadvertently helping to set into motion the Bush theft of the presidency from his presidential running mate, Al Gore.

Since he became an "Independent" and founded his own party after his Democratic primary loss to Ned Lamont in 2006, Lieberman has accelerated his role as a bad luck charm to anyone he supports. Just ask John McCain.

Lieberman didn’t just support McCain, he was assigned to be Sarah Palin’s "tutor" on foreign policy. Have you stopped laughing yet?

Yes, it is true that Lieberman votes progressively on a couple of issues: choice and gays, for example. But he did everything from help the Republicans fast track partisan GOP hacks to get on the federal bench to support Alberto Gonzales’ infamous torture memo: "You can agree with Judge Gonzales’ position in this matter or not. I happen to agree with the ultimate decision made. And the decision was, in my opinion, a reasonable one, and ultimately a progressive one," Lieberman said inexplicably in his effusive statement of support to confirm Alberto the consigliere as attorney general.

Of course, lest we forget, Lieberman has been on the losing side of the Iraq war cheerleaders and those who advocate bombing Iran. In fact, Lieberman has been a complete schlimazel when it comes to foreign policy and candidates, playing the 2008 GOP convention role that Zell Miller played in 2004.

Those who argue that Lieberman represents Jewish voters have it wrong. In fact, Obama received a higher percentage of Jewish votes in 2008 than John Kerry did in 2004, falling just short of 80%.

When the Alaska, Minnesota, and Georgia Senate seats are finally decided, it is probable that the Democrats will fall just shy of the so-called 60-vote filibuster-proof senate. However, there is nothing that forces members of the Democratic caucus to vote with the majority anyway. If Joe Lieberman stays in the Dem caucus, expect him to regularly defect to the Republicans on filibuster votes.

Reid would be better advised to try and pick off a couple Republicans from Blue States to vote with the Dems when it comes to filibusters.

Harry Reid is a nice guy, but we don’t need Mr. Softy leading the Democratic caucus at a time that we must have bold leadership. Let "Joementum" join the GOP and start planning for defeating him in 2012.

A man should never gamble more than he can afford to lose, and Joe bet all his wheat that he would become Secretary of Defense in a McCain-Palin administration. It was the final step in his transition from a mensch to a schlimazel.

It’s time to cut him loose.

Joe is just plain bad luck.

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