Lieberman's Medicare Flip-Flop Leaves Democrats Fuming

Sam Stein
HuffPost

Sen. Joseph Lieberman's abrupt announcement that he will sink the health-care bill if it includes a provision to expand Medicare has spurred a torrent of angry recriminations from Democrats -- and confusion among those trying to divine his motives.

A big issue is all the contradictions. The Connecticut Independent has for years been an ardent champion of the provision he now opposes. Lieberman has also reversed course on the question of filibusters, which he once denounced as a way of holding up legislation. And the same senator who was once critical of his electoral opponent for not exhibiting party loyalty has now fashioned himself into the ultimate rogue agent -- happiest only when the full attention of the political world is on him.

"When carrots no longer work, when you put Senator Lieberman's most significant health care proposal at the heart of reform and he still opposes not just the larger reform but also his own provision, you start to wonder if this man is dealing in good faith," said Paul Begala, the long-time Democratic strategist. "How do you deal with someone who is so committed to opposing health care reform that he will even oppose his own ideas? It's a tall order. And I haven't the slightest idea what the answer is."

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