Washington (CNN) - Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman told CNN Tuesday that he has not ruled out running as a Republican in 2012.
Lieberman told CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash Tuesday that the move remained a legitimate, if unlikely, option. "I don't know what I'll run as," he said. "I like being an independent. So that's definitely a possibility. But I'd say all options are open….
"It's unlikely I'd run as a Republican, but I wouldn't foreclose any possibility. I think the more likely thing is that I'd run as an independent because that's what I am."
He also denied that a decision on whether to caucus with Republicans depended on which party was in the majority: "Well, no. It depends on where I am. That's all hypothetical. I'm just happy to be where I am. I'm grateful I got reelected in '06, and I'm going to try to do the best I can every day.
"I've reached the stage in my career where I'm not measuring every step I take based on how it's going to affect the next election. I think if you do that you end up compromising the quality of your service."
"In this very polarized time in our politics, if you take a stand, a bunch of people will think you've done something great and a bunch of people will think you've done something awful. You've got to decide, I've got to decide that I've done the best I could to do what's right and best for my country and my state. And that's what I feel I'm doing on health care reform."
Related: Lieberman moving towards a 'yes' vote on health care reform
From CNN Politics
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Whoever he runs against, however he runs, Joe will lose. I will make sure of it.
Come on over Joe, We love ya!
Joe LIEberman is a joke. As far as i am concerned, there is only one senator from my state Connecticut, Chris Dodd.
Lieberman: The only Senator representing both the State Of Israel and the State Of Hartford (Insurance). Sold out to both of them. Our young soldiers die defending Israel from Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, while our middle aged people die from lack of health insurance. If Lieberman and the Republicans can only get Medicare repealed, then our old people will be dying from lack of health insurance also. They will then have a Troika, or if you will, a hat trick. The time to answer is coming Joe and Hassah – crime does pay, but not when you have damaged so many people. The public sympathy is just not there. Pack your bags. Leavenworth awaits you.
Say it is so Joe and don't let the door slam you in the...!
Democrat lost primary,switched to Independent,now thinking of running
as a Republican.If everyone would just ignore him he would go away.Enjoys being in the spotlight regardless how it hurts the American people.
I know politicians can be sleazy but this guy Lieberman he's a worm!
Why wait. Harry Reid, please expel this charlatan from the caucus. Let's make his decision process easy
Lieberman is disgusting. I can't believe the voters of Connecticut would re-elect this guy again.
Afterthought Lieberman wants to leave all options open.He forgot to give the American people Public Option they want if an option is good for Lieberman then it is good for the American people.
Finally, a democrat with a conscience.
The one impossibility appears to be that he will act like a mensch!
As an Israeli, I would gladly trade our Barack for yours; as for Lieberman, I leave you yours, and throw in ours as a gift.
The problem is you keep changing your feeble-mind and positions on issues no one klnows where you stand you pathetic grand-standing self-important hypocrite!
ONE WORD – RECONCILIATION!
Can you just imagine being a member of Lieberman's staff? Do they try to switch positions on issues along with him or does he just hire a new staff every time he reverses his positions? If they try to stay on staff, do they get dizzy from going in circles? If voters agree with his positions when they go into the polls, they can't know if they still do when they come out!
And exactly how is that a change from the status quo? As early as 2002 he was a democrat in name only with a voting record matching that of the average republican! This isn't news!
No surprise here.
How come the whole federal legislation for health care is being taken hostage by a single person, despite the fact that over two-thirds of Americans support a public option?
I think this guy is utterly scummy..
Leiberman will run with any dog that will hunt. His nickname should be Flipper.
Time for a change, get him out from our sight, along with his wife!
It doesn't matter whether he loses as an independent or loses as a Republican, as long as he loses to a real Democrat.
Here's another open option to consider, Joe – retirement.
Lieberman ought to run as a Republican–Quisling. Give him a basement office and be done with it.
He's GRATEFUL he got re-elected in 2006?? He ran on a universal healthcare platform in 2006 and in 2009 he's completely against a watered down public option and extending Medicare benefits to 55+ citizens? Hopefully the people of Connecticut are smart enough to know that he'll say anything to get elected and will vote his sorry butt out of office.
If it is a good idea to require 60% of the senate to pass a bill the country needs...why don't we require 60% of the voters to elect a senator?