WASHINGTON, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate's Democratic Party leader has rejected the proposal of fellow Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., for a "War Cabinet."
The Connecticut senator, under pressure from his party for his support of the Iraq war, had intended to cool partisan rhetoric against President George Bush's conduct of the war with his new proposal, reports the Hartford (Conn.) Courant.
"Frankly, until we get some direction from the White House, we can have all the meetings in the world," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., "but unless we get the commander in chief involved in this, it's not going to do us any good."
Separately, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said Lieberman's idea "might introduce as many problems as solutions" as it would add another government layer between Congress and the White House.
The Bush administration has said it works closely with Lieberman in the war on terrorism and appreciates his leadership and ideas.
Lieberman said, "It is time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be commander in chief for three more critical years and that in matters of war we undermine presidential credibility at our nation's peril."
