Wow, debates, what an interesting idea. Imagine if one cable network would devote an hour a night for the next month to whichever proponent & opponent would come on for an actual debate. You know: Mitch v Harkin, Kyl v Dodd, Lieberman v Weiner, Snowe v Klobuchar.

It could happen in an actual democracy. Can it happen here?

Good catch. Watched This week, Chris Matthews and Meet the Press. Missed Face the Nation.

On the Chris Matthews show one very disappointing prediction that all four guest agreed with is that there will be a “trigger” with the public option.
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Liebermann “the public option came out of no where” I would have to agree on this one. Those of us who have supported and pushed for a single payer health care reform were thrown for a loop when he kept hearing a “public option” Hope folks keep repeating the “public option” is the compromise. That is coming half way for millions of us. Public option….no trigger. that is the half way point

Hope Reachel challenges Joe Liebermann again. Play that clip of Joe saying he wants to debate and invite him on Rachel’s AGAIN

Why is Short Ride afraid of Rachel? It might actually be a small sign of remaining intelligence letting him realize that he’d be unarmed in the battle of wits that would ensue.

Laura Flanders and Ed had a few words to say about Joe last week
http://lauraflanders.firedoglake.com/2009/10/31/the-ed-show-lieberman-and-the-public-option/

Hell bet Ed or Laura would be glad to have Liebermann on. All three of them hopefully ask him on their programs to try to explain his commitment to the profits of Insurance companies

I think we’re screwed with Lieberman. He’s never going to cave and watch his arch enemy Jane celebrate.

There’s only one answer to Joe’s request for a debate: who, when, where?

Name your venue and your time, Senator, I’m sure there will be plenty of worthy opponents and cameras. Simply say when.

Rachel, Ed, Laura Flanders. Line them up

I promise to not only buy you a shake, I will buy you a cookie if you come on this show.

Rats are attracted to cheese or Peanut butter as opposed to shakes and cookies.

Joe No-Balls is too chicken because he will be exposed as a fraud.

We will need at least ten thousand cable channels before there is room for more news than missing blondes and dead celebrities.

He’ll be exposed as being a tool of the insurance companies, and his wife as a pharm implement.

I don’t think he’s a fraud, I think he’s a fool.

Rats will eat anything you offer.

We don’t question Joe’s motives – we know what they are. He is such a liar and traitor.

Joe-blow is just a whiney-ass who has learned to game the system….and the Dems let him do it just so they can count him as one of theirs while he stabs ‘em in the back.

I think a better question than “Why Is LIEberman Scared of Big, Bad Rachel Maddow” would be “Why are the Democrats in the Senate Scared of Big, Bad Joe LIEberman.” TAKE HIS FUCKING GAVEL ALREADY!

Is little Joe still running around topless, looking for someone who caucuses with the Democrats to join him validate him?

It’s a little sad.

I’d feel sorry for him if he weren’t acting out like a child in the political arena, where he is doing real damage.

Lieberman has power and he intends to use it–I think he’s holding out to keep raking in money from insurance companies, or until he has a chance to unload his insurance stocks, before their bottom falls out. He’s totally cynical.

Are you calling me a cheap date? FYI, I’m not cheap, I’m just inexpensive.

What are the chances that Lieberman is acting out the role that Obama designed for him? After all, a mentor would do anything for his mentee.

JoeNomentum’s beltway banality would crumble with Rachel’s first question I’m sure. He knows that and that’s why he’ll never show, much less acknowledge the invitation.

Wish I had the $$ to buy a full page add in the WaPo to remind him of Rachel’s invite.

Squirm Joe, squrim you worm.

Maybe I should have said: rats will eat EVERYTHING you offer. Does that fix it?

I loved the bit about “I’ll not only buy you a shake, but we’ll give you a cookie if you come on the show…” Cracked me up big time.

“debate”, Joe? You keep using that word. I no think it mean what you think it mean!

Can’t blame him for being afraid of her, though. She can be a damn tough interveiwer. But like the man said, “if you can’t take the heat…”.

FunnyWheelieDiva

I dunno, does Lieberman keep kosher?

You think that Obama and others in the administration sought out a tool (so that they could say they were for a public option while making sure that one never sees the light of day) and that Lieberman stepped up to be that tool?

I’m pretty sure he does. Oh dear.

Wish I had the $$ to buy a full page add in the WaPo to remind him of Rachel’s invite.

What a neat idea. Maybe you don’t have the $$, but I’d bet MSNBC has the $$….

At the top of the ad, Joe’s quote from today asking for folks to debate him on the public option, then right below it Rachel’s wonderful smile and her still open invitation to debate him on it.

Anyone from MSNBC reading this……?

Raising an hypothesis. Seems too choreographed to me.

Be nice to have a photo of Joe with his top off if he is still wearing his McCain/Palin ‘08 pasties.

No. It would not.
And, he has no desire to debate anyone about anything. He’s lieing again.
Not even for a kosher cookie.

Ahh…a little of the old ‘twelve dimensional chess’…

Rachel would wipe the floor with this basset hound faced buffoon! I really can’t stand this tiny little man. I’d like to ***********.

Mod note: *** Please, no violent suggestions. Thanks.

There are an extremely limited number of ways to attain a good PO and countless ways to kill or undermine it. Obama does not need Joe’s help if that is his goal.

It’s rachel@msnbc.com if you want to email. She says they read ‘em all.
Bet ya dollars to doughnuts she’ll play his “y’all should come debate me” clip alongside her “we’ll buy ya a shake and a cookie” clip on Monday night, though. She’s no dummy.

Truth is, JoeLIE doesn’t want a debate unless he and his M$M enablers can define and “moderate” it into utter meaninglessness.

FWDiva

I was thinking it might be handy for blackmail purposes, not to hang on my wall.

Oops, guess I owe ya a beverage, Demi.

FWDiva

Where’s DarkBlack when ya need him? ;-)

FWDiva

Oh, ha! Too late, you can’t back step now. I’ll bet Bob’s the one who wants it. For the floor of his cage. *g*

Yeah, it would be an excessively complicated way to kill the PO. Fails on the Occam’s Razor criterion.

Who would you blackmail with it?? The man has no shame….

The photographer that took it maybe???

I was thinking it’d make a good dartboard down in the basement…

FWDiva
if I had a basement…or played darts…

Crazy singing-like-minded minds.
Of course, he doesnt really want a debate. It so simple to see. Just, blech.

Okay…just when Lieberman is about to announce some big, repulsive splashy effort at Homeland Security strip him of his other Committee positions (Environment and Public Works, Small Business)! THEN, to further humiliate him, have Susan Collins become the Chair as a reward (lure) for her switching over to the Democrats ;-) and voting for cloture!

Tell the Repugs that if they want Holy Joe to remain on any of his Committees then they can do what is necessary…have one of their members surrender their seats for Lieberman.

I wonder if Joe can spin his tassels in opposite directions?

GAAAAAH! My Mind’s Eyes!!!

Hope Suzanne ordered extra brain bleach for Late-Late-Nite. We seem to be tapping the supply early today…

FWDiva

Bob is just about trained to only go in one place. It wasn’t intentional (on my part), he seems to have figured it out on his own. Sure helps keep things tidy.

Bet you didn’t know McCain’s campaign plane had a stripper pole, now you know why.

A) Maybe he wants it to be seen?

B) Maybe he wants it to be with someone who isn’t a word twisting, meaning mangling, sideways-talking troll?

C) Maybe he wants it to be seen?

D) Maybe he’s afraid to be that close to Olbermann? I mean what clear-thinking adult wouldn’t.

E) Maybe he wants it to be seen.

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Do. Not. Feed. Thread-hijacking. Troll.

I like this. Doesn’t have to be Collins or Snowe, though. Could be any disgusted republican. And you know they exist.

Aw, ya beat me to it, Guy!
Whatcha drinkin’ this evening?

FWDiva

The “I” stands for Insurance and Israel. Those are his true constituents.

Have you seen this recent clip of Jon Stewart when he ask “who turned Reid around on this public option thing”

“the hand tying left wing of the Dem Party otherwise known as 55% of Americans”

This clip of Stewart imitating Liarman is so funny

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/29/jon-stewart-takes-on-medi_n_338113.html

Stewart goes on to what many of us have been saying for months now “the public option is the compromise”

Saw a woman in NOLA one time who could do that. Fascinating.

So, where were we? Right. Rachel. I would love to see the two videos, side by side.

Bet you could see them one on top of tother!!

I can’t wait for Lieberman to filibuster health care reform.

Unfortunately Obama will never let it happen. He will water down opt-out to opt-in and then to triggers. And once again Joe will be promised that he can keep his chairmanship as part of the deal.

Hope I’m wrong, but I bet I’m not.

Yup. Like I said at 33.
Bet she does it, too.

FWDiva

lol, I wish I did have something to drink. Bad, bad pain day today. A few stiff drinks might either make it bearable or knock me out. Either would be fine with me.

Is it wise to start imagining what Joe’s got on under his cloths?

Oh OK.

I see.

Carry on with your circle-jerk.

Yes, dear. Why I said it, but was too lazy to go back and grab the link. If I was a betting person, and had a nickel, I’d wager you are correct.

Yep, or consecutively aired.
Wish I could have stayed on line to chat with you last night, but, you know…I got my widdle feelings hurt.

A different kind of juggling. :-)

Oh no you didn’t say that.

Wanders off blindly…

Hey, Lucas Hudgins made a country song for Joe.

More Whine.

There wasn’t room on his g-string.

Take a look at the photo in the link “Miss Connecticut” that Jane provided at this end of this post. =D

guess you hadn’t gotten to his comment about the tassels yet!

Brain bleach is available by pushing the large, friendly red buttons near the exits…

FWDiva

I’d rather see Reid explain his friendship and committee assignments given to Lieberman.

Don’t miss Scarecrow’s elegant takedown of Bob Schieffer’s “questioning” of Lieberman here.

Surprisingly pert and supple for an old guy…

Emptywheel is now up at the Mothership with

FBI’s Robert Mueller: still covering up the FBI’s Anthrax investigation.

FWDiva

Poor Bob!

I hope something is being organized here at FDL to speak loudly to Reid about the need to hold Lieberman accountable for publicly threatening to go against the Democratic caucus on a procedural vote and so to reduce Reid’s leadership to a joke.

Regardless of the outcome of this debate over a public health insurance option, Joe’s gotta go.

They’re good that way (took care of three for a while).
They like peanuts, but they can teleport cheese from your fingers to the back of the cage.

We told Harry the weak Reid that this was going to happen.
He said no, he’s with us on everything but the war.
Let Harry take the blame, he’s earned it.

That’s funny, Bob was sitting with me eating bits of peanut mere seconds before I read your comment. Never seen him let go of a piece of cheese though.

Time to get my dinner now. See ya later.

Short Ride is scared of lesbians.

Come to think of it, I recall hearing Jane say that Reid f’ed up by not getting firmer commitments from the weasel last year when he was given the Homeland Security chairmanship. What are the chances of Reid losing to a primary challenger? I suppose the chances would be better if Reid’s leadership proves to be a total failure.

Like the percentage of those who identify themselves as liberals…

Like those who watch Mathews, Olbermann or Maddow…

Like those who abort the future of their party…

Like those who engage in incest…

The #s are getting smaller…

And smaller…

One good thing about incest…it’s something the family can do together.

Carry on with your splooge fest…

They’ve opened the doors to the asylum.

The comment above yours is proof of the inmates running the conservative camp.

That’s what I thought. Makes me want to look over my shoulder now and then.

A lot better than they should be. And he’s also tanking his son’s run for state office.

Just another winger who thinks his mirror is a window.

I would like to see Lieberman and Maddow on Meet the Press face to face. MTP has a much larger audience. Why not let Joe go one on one in front of a national audience. Rachel will make mince meat out of him.

Obama supporters forget that Lieberman is his mentor. Obama didn’t offer any support to the Democratic nominee for Connecticut Senate (Ned Lamont, 2006) until about a week before the election (in an email to a few hundred) when Lieberman was polling comfortably ahead of Lamont as an “Independent”. Obama actually endorsed Lieberman in the spring of ‘06. Just today on another supposed Liberal website, I see Lieberman referred to as a Democrat. Vote the itch out this time, please, Connecticut.

Excellent idea, except that I’d rather not have to watch David Gregory moderate the debate.

To be fair to Obama, Lieberman losing the primary in 2006 and refusing to go away made many Democratic Senators feel awkward about supporting Lamont. I recall some DNC and/or DSCC money going to Lamont once he became the nominee and hearing about Senator Clinton and others calling him to congratulate him when he became the nominee, but I don’t recall many Democratic senators feeling too comfortable entering on one side or another in that situation. My memory could just be wrong. Anyway, I don’t see how you go from Obama didn’t offer Lamont much support to Lieberman is Obama’s mentor.

Having said that, I am still unhappy that Obama did so little in 2006 to help Harold Ford, Jr. defeat Bob Corker.

Seems incredible that the Senate Majority Leader really might just have to face a primary challenger and that he would in fact lose if it comes to that.

I, for one, would like to make sure that, if he does have to face a primary challenger and loses, the message to the country is that Harry Reid was weak and that the Democratic base won’t tolerate such weakness and not, as the Republicans will try to spin it, that the Democratic Party is falling apart.

There is no way that he will debate Rachael, because the manufactured Republican talking points that he is using aren’t factual, and Rachael only uses facts to back up her arguments.

He’s not stupid, geez. lol

Who’s feeding the trolls? :(

When Obama first went to the U.S. Senate in 2005, Lieberman “mentored” the newcomer. Just google Lieberman Obama mentor. It’s common kmowledge actually. Obama was the keynote speaker at a big fundraiser for Liarman, spring of ‘06. “Progressive”?….not so much, as is becoming increasingly painful.