You heard the President’s State of the Union speech and the Republican rebutall.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman delivered what he called the “Independent’s response” to Obama’s address.
The Democrat-turned-independent from Connecticut says, on the whole, he liked what he heard.
“I though the President was very effective last night,” Lieberman said in a conference call with Connecticut reporters Thursday afternoon. Although he has often been at odds with Democratic leaders, and was a main bulwark to the health care bill that formed the centerpiece of Obama’s domestic agenda, Lieberman said Obama on Wednesday delivered “exactly the right speech for this moment in his presidency.”
He praised Obama for reaching beyond his partisan base by expressing support for such initiatives as nuclear power, off-shore drilling and easing taxes on small businesses.
Lieberman also says he feels a kinship of sorts with newly elected Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown. Even though Brown is a Republican who’s views on several issues contrast sharply with many of his own, Lieberman said he is looking forward to working with Brown.
During his acceptance speech, Brown repeatedly invoked the word “independent,” Lieberman said.
“I just hope and I have some confidence that when he comes in here he’ll continue that,” Lieberman said.
Lieberman met Brown while working on John McCain’s presidential campaign and called to congratulate him after his stunning win to fill the Senate seat left vacant when Ted Kennedy died. “The Massachusetts election was not just a message to Democrats [it was] a message to Republicans and Independents as well.”
What about his own political future? Lieberman, whose term ends in 2012, isn’t saying whether he’ll run as a Democrat, a Republican or an independent.
But he hinted that he’s quite comfortable being a party of one. Being an independent “fits me,” he said. “That’s who I am.”