I live in perpetual fear that Joe Lieberman will retire, thus depriving us the opportunity to help kick him to the curb. I want his exit from politics to be as humiliating as possible. Therefore, this is encouraging:
He still has a few months to decide, but at the moment U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman said he’s “probably” running for reelection in 2012.
“I haven’t decided fully, but I’d say I’m probably going to run again,” Lieberman, who won reelection in 2006 as an Independent after being defeated in the Democratic primary by now gubernatorial contender, Ned Lamont, said Monday.
He's already started raising money, which is wonderful.
Truth is, Lieberman is among the least popular senators in the country, with Democrats (approve 33- disapprove 57) and Independents (41-51) hating on him pretty badly. There aren't enough Republicans (51-42) in Connecticut to get him over the line, and in any case, the GOP isn't likely to give the race a pass as they did in 2006. Lieberman has no base of support. Running would be supremely stupid. And with Rep. Chris Murphy ramping up with an eye toward 2012, he's already got a top-tier challenger in the cards.
But Lieberman has perhaps the most gigantic ego in the Senate (and the Senate is nothing if not egos). There'd be no more glorious achievement for him than to win reelection in the face of sniveling critics like us. It would be epic, a crowning achievement in his career.
I'm banking on that ego. Because really, there would be no more glorious achievement for me than to help what will be a massive labor-netroots-grassroots coalition rid the Senate of its Emperor Palpatine wannabe.