In accordance with unwritten Senate documentation and latent tradition, Arlen Specter (D-Pennsylvania) was roundly beaten into the Democratic Caucus this morning. On hand for the beat down were Senators Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), John Kerry (D-Massachusetts), Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana) and Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland).

Said Senator Landrieu, "It's rare that we get to participate in something this exciting and liberating. It's a real opportunity to build camaraderie and esprit-de-corps."

John Kerry chimed in, his hand still bloody from the laceration dealt to Specter's left cheek, "We never get to do this if someone is appointed or popularly elected into our ranks. And the fact that we know Arlen made the beat down all the more enjoyable."

Senator Boxer (D-California) received high praise from her colleagues as her patented "Oakland 360 destroyer" roundhouse kick connected solidly with Specter's right temple.

Some of Specter's constituents have already decried these actions and appealed for leniency from Bob Casey, the Pennsylvania junior senator. Senator Casey is reported to have complied by declining the use of the World War II-era brass knuckles which had been used repeatedly by the Republicans in their induction of Senators Campbell and Shelby into their caucus.

Senator Mikulski could not be reached for comment as she was apparently still sitting on Specter's face at press time.

When asked for comment about the glaringly inappropriate nature of the Senators' actions, Senator Leahy replied, "Don't mess with me. I was in Batman, bitch."

Stay tuned for more updates throughout the day...

There's more...

This looks promising:

There's a good chance Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman will lose his only committee chairmanship next year, according to Democratic aides.

Members of the majority party's leadership have discussed taking away Lieberman's gavel on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, perhaps replacing it with a subcommittee gavel, aides said Wednesday.

Such a move would require the assent of the caucus, which won't get together until after the election.

"No decisions have been made," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev.

Obviously the very fact that he actively campaigned against Barack Obama this year is reason enough to remove Lieberman from his chairmanship, but there's actually a very practical reason he shouldn't be heading up that committee under an Obama presidency.

Lieberman's current chairmanship allows him to examine how well every arm of the executive branch functions. In the event of a presidential victory by Obama, D-Ill., that raises the possibility of a former Democratic vice presidential candidate handling the oversight of a Democratic presidential administration that he traveled the country to campaign against.

While the plan under consideration would remove Lieberman from his chairmanship, he would remain within the Democratic caucus (assuming he wants to be), he would keep his seniority on the committees he currently sits on and a bone in the form of a sub-committee chairmanship would be thrown his way.

I don't really have a problem with this. Stripping him of his chairmanship is the real priority for me. Lieberman's vote can still be useful. But having said that, I do like this action by Bold Progressives:

So here's the plan. Immediately after Election Day, if Democrats don't need Lieberman as their 60th vote in the Senate, progressive activists in Nevada will stand in front of Harry Reid's office for hours and read your letters to Harry Reid about Joe Lieberman.

Media will be invited. It will be a grand spectacle, and Harry Reid will get the hint that in the progressive era, he needs to be bold. And the first step is to boot Joe Lieberman.

Nice.

If you support this and want to let Harry Reid know how you feel on the subject, sign up HERE.

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Obama was leading with 5 percent, but waiting for the 2nd largest village of Dededo to report.

They did.  They too overwhelmingly went to Hillary.

Village of Dededo
Hillary Clinton 509
Barack Obama 313

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 The Bush Dogs, also known as the Blue Dogs, are the impediment against the Democrats exercizing the will of the American People, as indicated on Nov. 6, 2006.  The Bush Dogs must be brought to heel, and taught to sit on command.  They are wild dogs now, but not for long.

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Given the revelations in the Sunday, March 11th Washington Post on the House Democrats' divisions on Iraq, there is growing reason to doubt anything effective will be done by the new Democratic Congress, despite its November victory, to end the war in Iraq, or, according to late reports, do anything to prevent an attack on Iran.  

There is a particularly distressing aspect to the current "debate" among Democrats in the House of Representatives on what to do.  As party we do not seem to be able to learn from the successes of conservatives.    A major reason Republicans are so united and disciplined is that their leaders are not afraid of going to their rank and file to discipline errant members.    

Democrats in Congress are acting as a caucus:  Republicans are acting as a party.    This is a major reason why they win.

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