Obama Spokesperson: He Doesn't "Hold Any Grudges" Against Lieberman

[WilliamPitt]

TPM:

President-Elect Barack Obama doesn't "hold any grudges" against Senator Joe Lieberman for opposing his presidential candidacy, and will not take any position on the question of whether Lieberman should be permitted to keep his plum chairmanship of the Homeland Security committee, an Obama spokesperson just confirmed to us.

"We aren't going to referee decisions about who should or should not be a committee chair," Obama transition spokesperson Stephanie Cutter emailed me, in response to questions about Obama's stance on Lieberman's future.

Cutter's comments are the first on-the-record indication of Obama's position on the politically fraught question of what to do about Lieberman.

"President-elect Obama looks forward to working with anyone to move the country forward," Cutter continued. "We'd be happy to have Sen. Lieberman caucus with the Democrats. We don't hold any grudges."

The move is all but certain to take the steam out of any efforts to dislodge Lieberman from the committee, and hence to diminish his influence in some way in return for his support for McCain, his suggestion that Obama put troops in danger, and his claim that Obama hasn't always put the country first.

Link: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/obama_spokesperson_he_doesnt_h.php

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. He has to say that...punishing Lieberman would negate his message of "bipartisanship"

*HOWEVER* I have faith, based on my knowledge of the oft cited Chicago politics, that Obama is no fool.

[LSdemocrat]

5. I'm guessing he knows how to play "good cop/bad cop"

[dflprincess]

2. Gee, I thought his maternal grandmother was Irish

and if there's one thing we can do, it's hold a grudge. Maybe Biden will be in charge of that. :evilgrin:

[krispos42]

3. Most of the 62 million people that voted for him do

I'm.... okay.... with Joe the Rusty Trombone staying in the Democratic caucus but there is no way in hell he should be in charge of any committee.

[ensho]

4. I will continue to hold a grudge against Lieberman

he should not be the head of anything even horrible Homeland Security. (hate to type that word H-------).

H S should be shipped to a toxic dump.