Lieberman Suggests Obama Isn’t Standing Up For Iranian Protesters
Updated below with denial from Lieberman’s office.
This one won’t make Joe Lieberman any more friends on the left: At a presser today, Lieberman seemed to take a veiled shot at President Obama’s handling of the Iran crisis, obliquely comparing Obama’s desire not to be seen as “meddling” in Iran with a failure to stand up for protesters.
Lieberman was at the presser with John McCain, where they unveiled new Iran legislation, to be introduced next month, that would boost funding for radio outlets that have been informing Iranians and might fund a new Farsi-language website. Lieberman said:
I know somebody asked, Don’t we risk discrediting the forces of change and reform — and reform in Iran and risk that the regime will accuse us of meddling? I would ask, If we don’t stand up for the fundamental rights of the Iranian people to speak freely, to assemble peacefully, don’t we risk abandoning our own first principles as Americans in undermining the courageous quest of the Iranian people for freedom?
Though Lieberman didn’t name Obama, the choice of the word “meddling,” which Obama used, is suggestive, and Lieberman is equating the reluctance to “meddle” with a failure to stand up for the rights of Iranians.
Obama has steadily ratcheted up his rhetoric about Iran, most recently strongly backing the rights of protesters to freedom of speech and assembly, so it’s unclear why Lieberman is referring back to Obama’s initial comments. Either way, this puts Lieberman at odds with Republicans such as Dick Lugar, as well as George W. Bush’s man in Iran, Nicholas Burns, who have said Obama has the balance right.
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Update: Lieberman spokesperson Marshall Wittmann emails over a denial:
“I’m afraid that some of our friends are reading a good deal too much into Senator Lieberman’s comment at the press conference this morning. The Senator certainly did not intend to suggest criticism of the President in his remarks. On the contrary, as he made clear during the press conference, Senator Lieberman thinks the President’s statement this week condemning the Iranian regime was exactly correct, and he fully supports the President in this matter.”
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The fact that Lieberman is saying something like this only makes me more convinced that Obama is, in fact, pursuing the right course of action. Thanks, Joe!
If he doesn’t stop this back-stabbing soon, Joe Lieberman is so gone in 2012. Everyone in CT hates his guts, even my wife’s crazy Republican relatives. If he loses the cover of Obama’s support, which barely saved his *** in 2006 — especially as the beginning of the economic recovery spending is salvaging something out of this wreck of an economy — he’s toast.
“If we don’t stand up for the fundamental rights of the Iranian people to speak freely, to assemble peacefully, don’t we risk abandoning our own first principles as Americans in undermining the courageous quest of the Iranian people for freedom?”
I would ask Joe, Is America abandoning out own principles by refusing to stand up for the fundamental rights of the Chinese people to speak freely? How about the Saudi Arabian people? Or does Joe’s political grandstanding only apply to dictatorial governments we don’t like?
Again, it’s all about us. It’s not about the Iranians at all. Why idiots like McCain and Lieberman can’t see that is beyond me at this point.
I remember when everybody was laughing at me because I was going the f*ck off about the Dems allowing Lieberman to keep his chairmanship so he would caucus with them. I certainly hope President Obama is proud of that move.
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Joe LieberSchmuck (I-Likud) — STFU.
Obama is all about acquiring and maintaining power (Salinsky again). Specter and Lieberman are prime examples.
This reminds me that in The Caucus post at the Times, re: the Nico Pitney question, a commenter (#8 “Jirati” 6/24 at 7:56 pm) said that Pitney is a Lieberman fluffer who has been fomenting revolution in Iran on behalf of the neocons.
joe wants his war, that’s all.
Radio? How typical. These dinosaurs think AM radio rules the world. Haven’t they been paying attention to the last couple weeks? Twitter? Hello. Besides, those two listen to people like Scheunemann. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are out to sabotage what is happening right now with the power struggle because according to their ideology, the only solution with Iran is submission. They don’t think Iran is capable of self moderation. Plus, those two bozo’s don’t have any idea if there is some sort of coordination between the administration and the Mousavi side of the isle. McCain and Lieberman MUST know that if we are thought to be meddling, the current regime will use anti-American sentiment to their advantage. The ONLY explanation is that they purposely want the U.S. to be seen as meddling.
sgwhite – if I was one of those people, I apologize.
While Loserman is whining, Israel is pulling out of 4 cities in the Gaza as a direct result of Obama’s pressure.
Maybe that’s what is really bugging Loserman.
Sorry guys, this is so OT, but I had to share this:
Rush has truly jumped the shark with this one. Are his dittoheads so stupid that they’d believe this bulls*&t:
“Limbaugh On The Sanford Affair: It’s Obama’s Fault!
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/limbaugh-on-the-sanford-affair-its-obamas-fault.php
On his radio show today, Rush Limbaugh offered his own explanation for the Mark Sanford scandal: That Sanford flew out of the country to have an affair because President Obama drove him over the edge…”
sorry, here is the link: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/limbaugh-on-the-sanford-affair-its-obamas-fault.php
Newsflash, Sanford was in that relationship and ******** that chick in Argentina long before Obama took office. I can’t think even this idjut ditto heads could believe that one.
So, Rush, what drove you over the edge?
re: “While Loserman is whining, Israel is pulling out of 4 cities in the Gaza as a direct result of Obama’s pressure”
Last time I looked, the Israelis had no cities in Gaza, so this should be a no brainer for them.
Greg, your first sentence implies that Lieberman had friends on the left to begin with, which it seems safe to assume he doesn’t.
So, in the age of the internet and smartphones, Lieberman and McCain want to set up “Radio Free Iran”. Somebody needs to show these two a calender, it’s not Berlin circa 1961.