This week’s delivery of our Lieberman Must Go petition was a smashing success!  Our own Communications Associate Eddie Kurtz flew to Washington to deliver the 43,000 signature petition, which demands that the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee strip Joe Lieberman of his committee chairmanship and rank within the caucus in January 2009, following the November election.  After Kurtz held a press conference with Matt Stoller of Open Left, David Waldman (Kagro X) of Daily Kos, and Marc Laitlin, he took our foot-thick petition directly to the office of Steering Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

Our petition delivery commanded the attention of the mainstream press, prompting national coverage in The New York Times, US News & World Report, The Hill, the Associated Press, and from vital local outlets like The New Haven Register.  

All of this coverage is crucial in amplifying our message. What’s more, it elevates your grassroots efforts to the national level.  Despite the fact that the petition was, as Kurtz said, kind of "wonky," you immediately grasped its importance; it is highly problematic for someone as hawkish and conservative as Lieberman, who has publicly endorsed John McCain and backs the Bush-McCain war in Iraq, to hold a high ranking seat in the Democratic caucus. 

By signing and spreading the petition, you helped us catch the eye of larger news outlets, which in turn alerted both the Steering Committee and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who so far has not said whether he will strip Lieberman of his chairmanship on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee next year.  It is for this very reason that we must keep this pressure up, and just imagine how many more will sign our petition now that they have seen it in the mainstream press.  

Lieberman’s spokesman, Marshall Wittmann, offered a feeble response to our campaign: “Americans are tired of this type of old, petty partisan politics. Senator Lieberman will continue to put the country’s interests before partisan interests." 

Marshall's comments smack of spurious reasoning, considering Lieberman has put campaigning for McCain above the interests of his former party; above the interests of the majority of Americans who do not support the war in Iraq; even above the interests of his home state of Connecticut, where Lieberman's approval rating plummeted due to his support for McCain.  If Lieberman wants to get beyond partisan politics, then he can get off McCain's campaign trail!

Indeed, our campaign proved that is Lieberman's petty partisan politics that the public won't stand for any longer.  That is why so many signed our petition and the mainstream press gave this story legs. 

And just look at the outcome.  Our petition delivery and its subsequent coverage prompted MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell to question Stabenow about whether she would respond affirmatively to our petition.  Stabenow acknowledged receipt of our petition and said she is “very understanding of the concerns [to oust Lieberman].” 

And while Stabenow claimed there are more immediate concerns for Democrats to focus on like the housing crisis and the rise in gas prices, she backtracked when Mitchell pressed her with a follow-up question about taking action on Lieberman.  She said, “Well, there wouldn’t even be a need for anything until after the election.”  That was our plan from the very beginning. 

We are fully aware that Democrats need Lieberman at the moment in order to maintain their narrow majority in the Senate.  But now, Stabenow and the Steering Committee are fully aware that the public wants Lieberman out of the caucus as soon as possible, all thanks to your efforts.