Friday 9 December 2005

Lieberman Officially Withdraws From 2000 Ticket; Prelude To Taking Bush Cabinet Post

With Rumsfeld Saying He's Staying, Appointment May Hinge On Cheney Indictment For Last Political Hoorah

DNC, Dean, Gore Livid: Must Fill VP Position Retroactively Or Face Default On Top Of Loss

Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) stunned colleagues and his own party elders when he filed today, the official paperwork to remove himself from the 2000 Presidential ticket, as Al Gore's Vice Presidential running-mate.

The Gore-Lieberman ticket lost to now President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in the bitterly contested election, that required the United States Supreme Court to settle and decide the race, after a deeply flawed vote count in the State of Florida.

Washington insiders say the move by Lieberman, who has recently been backing President Bush's vision and strategy for the War in Iraq, is likely a formality, a prelude to Lieberman joining, as has been hotly rumored all over the Capital, the Bush Administration, possiblly replacing a retiring Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense.

The Democratic National Committee, and its' Chairman, Gov. Howard Dean, issued a statement lambasting Lieberman "for his betrayal".

"He must be a loser if he wants to join a losing team", said Dean.

Former Vice President, and 2000 Presidential nominee Al Gore said that he "was deeply disappointed" and if he had known, "would never have chosen Lieberman" as his running mate.

A spokesperson for the Federal Election Committee indicated that Liberman can, legally, withdraw from the race "even though it's over".

"It's really just a matter of filing out some forms", said the spokesperson.

The Withdrawal forms are then copied to both poltical parties, and, in the case of the 2000 election, copies were also sent to the Supreme Court.

According to the FEC spokesperson Gore must choose a new running-mate, despite that the election is over, or legally and technically, he will be faced with a default, on top of the already-recorded loss.

And late yesterday, cold water was splashed on the rumors when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stated that he is not retiring anytime soon.

"I have no plans to retire," said Rumsfeld. "Those reports have been flying around since about four months after I assumed my post in 2001."

President Bush has not, publically, indicated, that he is ready to bring Lieberman into the Administration. However. The President has gone out of his way to praise and quote Liberman as he stumps to promote his new "National Strategy For Victory In Iraq"

To counter the blistering and growing criticism, from Democrats, and also Republican members of the House and Senate, the President cites Senator Lieberman, one of his strongest Democratic supporters, and Lieberman's comments that "visible and practical progress were obvious in Iraq"

Lieberman, in speeches, has lined himself up with President Bush, saying that “the war (in Iraq), which arguably began as a “war of choice” has become a “war of necessity”

Liberman also chided his fellow Democrats, calling that "it is time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be Commander-in-Chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war we undermine Presidential credibility at our nation’s peril".

Lieberman has refused comment on whether he plans to join the Bush Administration, deferring questions to RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman.

'He's out on the ledge right now", says David Aaronson, editor of 'What Color Is My Coat Today?', the Capital Hill Newsletter that tracks politicians who turn on their own party.

"With Rummy saying he's staying, Lieberman's only hope, really, is if Cheney gets indicted. There aren't any other Cabinet members shaking out in the forseeable future".

"This is", says Aarsonson, "really his last hurrah. Weicker is lining up, possibly, to run against him in '06' and Hillary will eat his lunch if he goes for the nomination in 2008".

Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby was indicted back in October, in the CIA Leak Case, in the CIA Leak Case, and Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is continuing the investigation, having recently convined a secord grand jury to hear evidence.

Speculation is rampent that longtime Bush aide Karl Rove, and possibly Cheney and other administration officials could be hit with indictments.

In a related story, Bob Woodward, Washington Post reporter and author, says that he knew of the 2000 Presidental Election results and the courts battles that followed, but didn't tell his editors or colleagues because he was "afraid they would want me to write a book on it".

Joe Lieberman's withdrawal from the 2000 Democratic ticket places former Vice President Al Gore in jeopardy of having a "default" added to his loss