Obama backs Lieberman against the wall (literally)

by Steve Benen

Joe Lieberman, fully embracing his role as a Republican attack dog, took the lead in a GOP conference call this morning to attack Barack Obama's Middle East policy. On the call, organized by far-right Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Lieberman argued, weakly, that Obama holds the U.S. responsible for Iran's strength in the region.

"Senator Obama argued today that American foreign policy in recent years has essentially sort of strengthened Iran," Lieberman said, adding, "If Israel is in danger today, it's not because of American foreign policy, which has been strongly supportive of Israel in every way. It's not because of what we've done in Iraq, it's because Iran is a fanatical terrorist expansionist state."

Obama, apparently, didn't care for Lieberman's comments, so much so that the Democratic presidential nominee confronted Lieberman directly on the Senate floor this afternoon. Subscription-only Roll Call reported:

[D]uring a Senate vote Wednesday, Obama dragged Lieberman by the hand to a far corner of the Senate chamber and engaged in what appeared to reporters in the gallery as an intense, three-minute conversation.

While it was unclear what the two were discussing, the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating.

Using forceful, but not angry, hand gestures, Obama literally backed up Lieberman against the wall, leaned in very close at times, and appeared to be trying to dominate the conversation, as the two talked over each other in a few instances.

Now, as far as I know, this wasn't an entirely forceful confrontation, and the two reportedly "patted each other on the back" after their discussion. Reporters apparently peered over the edge of the press gallery wall to watch the disagreement, prompting Obama to smile and point up at the reporters. (I mention this because I don't want to suggest Obama was about to smack Lieberman around.)

But it's also the kind of anecdote that reminds us that Barack Obama is not afraid to push back against those attacking him.

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