Lamont Hits Lieberman: He's Echoing GOP's Health Care Talking Points

Nine months after the Democratic leadership voted to allow Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) to retain his chairmanship of a key committee and continue caucusing with the party, the Connecticut Independent continues to rankle progressives.
Democrats who expected the Senator to tussle with President Barack Obama on foreign policy matters have watched with a mix of irritation and horror as the two have butted heads on the year's key domestic item instead.
"He is playing right into the Republican talking points" on health care, said Ned Lamont, the Connecticut Democrat who defeated Lieberman in the 2006 Democratic Senate primary, but lost to him in the general election after Lieberman ran as an independent.
"I don't think Republicans have any interest in a good bill or a bad bill. I just don't think they want Obama to move the agenda forward on health care. And it just so happens that yet again Senator Lieberman is playing into all the Republican talking points and it can fundamentally jeopardize another generational opportunity to change how we deliver health care in our country."
Lieberman hasn't shied away from expressing concerns about the policy specifics of Obama's agenda. His opposition to a public option for insurance coverage, for instance, has been known for several months.
But the Senator took the criticism to a new level this past Sunday, when he urged the White House to consider passing three quarters of the reform package while saving the rest for better economic times. He also spoke out against the use of reconciliation, which would allow the passage of legislation with 50 votes.
"It's frustrating and of course disappointing," said Karen Finney, a Democratic strategist and confidant of former DNC Chair Howard Dean. "Guaranteed healthcare for every American is a core Democratic Party value. As a Democratic Party Vice Presidential nominee he made a promise to our country to fight for those values. So he of all people should be working to help pass real reform. In fact, he should be leading the charge." LinkHere