Lieberman now praising Obama

Sen. Joe Lieberman, the maverick lawmaker from Connecticut, has praised
President-elect Barack Obama’s national security team after criticizing Obama’s
ability to lead during wartime earlier this year.

Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-independent, backed former GOP
presidential nominee John McCain (Ariz.) during the election and pointedly
questioned Obama’s credentials to become commander in chief.

{mosads}But Lieberman struck a conciliatory note Monday after Obama helped him
hold on to his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs Committee earlier this month.

“I applaud President-elect Obama for assembling a talented and
bipartisan national security team,” said Lieberman.

Obama gave Lieberman crucial support as Democratic leaders debated
whether to take away the former vice presidential nominee’s chairmanship by
making it clear he wanted Lieberman to continue caucusing with Senate
Democrats. Although a self-declared independent, Lieberman attends Democratic
caucus meetings, allowing the party to count his seat in their column when
determining the partisan division of the Senate.

Lieberman returned the kind words when Obama announced his national
security team Monday at a news conference in Chicago.

Obama announced his selection of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)
as secretary of state, Gen. James Jones as national security adviser, Arizona
Gov. Janet Napolitano as secretary of homeland security, Susan Rice as
ambassador to the United Nations, and Eric Holder as attorney general. Obama
has also asked Robert Gates to continue serving as secretary of defense.

Lieberman lavished praise on the nominees:

“At a moment in history when our nation faces both great dangers and
great opportunities in our foreign relations, the President-elect has begun to
build an administration that can lead America forward on the world stage with
purpose and principle,” Lieberman said.

Lieberman’s statement continues the process of reconciliation with his
former party.

During the heat of the campaign, several Democrats called for Lieberman
to lose the Homeland Security gavel.

They were incensed that Lieberman questioned Obama’s leadership ability
during a primetime speech at the Republican National Convention.

Lieberman called Obama an “eloquent young man” who lacked a record of
accomplishment.

Lieberman also questioned Democrats’ general approach to foreign
policy.

“I think either [Democrats] are, in my opinion, naïve in thinking we
can somehow defeat this enemy with talk, or they’re simply hesitant to use
American power, including military power,” said Lieberman during an interview
with The Hill last year.

“There is a very strong group within the party that I think doesn’t
take the threat of Islamist terrorism seriously enough,” he said.

McCain, Lieberman’s close friend, often derided Obama for pledging to
meet with the leaders of hostile nations without preconditions.

Lieberman often campaigned with McCain in the months leading up to the
election and McCain seriously considered tapping him as his running mate.

Lieberman accused Obama of not taking the threat posed by Iran
seriously enough.

“I was troubled earlier in the year during the campaign season
when Senator Obama … compared Iran and other rogue and terrorists states to the
Soviet Union and minimized the threat represented by Iran. I think that is
wrong,” Lieberman told reporters during a conference call in June,
according to ABC News.

But Obama buried the hatchet shortly after the election when he told
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that he wanted Lieberman to remain
in the Democratic Caucus.

Lieberman expressed regret for his statements on the campaign trail
during a closed door meeting with Democratic colleagues.

Democratic leaders ultimately decided to strip Lieberman of his seat on
the Environment and Public Works Committee, a milder-than-expected
punishment.