Lieberman on party switch
Washington (CNN) – Sen. Joe Lieberman told CNN Tuesday he is “moving in the direction of” voting for the Democratic health care bill, if the provisions allowing for early Medicare buy-in and a new public health insurance option are removed. And the Connecticut independent senator dismissed liberal criticism that he is acting out of bitterness over his loss in the Democratic Senate primary in 2006.
“Well that’s just poppycock,” he told CNN senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash. “….If I had any sense of vendetta against the Democratic Party I wouldn’t be in the Democratic caucus today. I’m an independent Democrat.”
His position was based on policy, not politics, he said.
Lieberman also said that even though the prospect was unlikely, he could not rule out running as a Republican in 2012: “All options are open,” he told CNN.
Lieberman also denied that he was making demands because he enjoys the spotlight, pointing to a campaign launched earlier this week by progressive activists to convince the nation’s largest breast cancer non-profit organization to dump his wife Hadassah Lieberman as an honorary spokeswoman. “I can tell you that inside myself I have not enjoyed this period of time. I’ve done what I thought was right, but it’s no fun to have your colleagues be angry at you. It’s no fun to have your wife attacked. But, you know, you got to do what you think is right.
“So, no. I’d be happy to have some time out of (the) limelight.”
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