A Politician With A Backbone

Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut (Dem) gets the "Politician With A Backbone" award this week for supporting the Presidents position on Iraq despite the general position of his party. Many in Senator Liebermans party criticize him and say he is just trying to curry favor with the administration to be tapped for the Secretary of Defense job if Rummy retires later this year as rumored. The Senator has categorically said he is not interested in the job.

Senator Lieberman understands that his fellow Democrates are undermining "the President's credibility at our nation's peril". Mr. Lieberman realizes there is a time to put the "national good and defense" above party politics. The Senator's position is not the result of a recent change of heart. In 1991 he supported the first Gulf War and in 1998 he and Senator John McCain proposed the Iraq Liberation Act which made the overthrow of Saddam Hussien a national policy.

Even though I don't agree with Senator Lieberman on many issues I do admire his willingness to take a position supporting the President on the war and not bow to pressure from his on party.