Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Lieberman's Wife Targeted By Angry Health Care Bill Supporters
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 15, 2009
Modified Dec 15, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 15, 2009
Modified Dec 15, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The wife of Senator Joe Lieberman—whom the Times dubs a "master infuriator" for his recent threat to join a Republican filibuster unless Democrats drop a plan to let uninsured Americans under 55 purchase coverage under Medicare—is in the cross hairs. Liberal activists led by the blog Firedoglake are calling upon the Susan B. Komen Foundation to fire Hadassah Lieberman, who works as a paid international spokesperson for the breast-cancer research group.
Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher, herself a breast cancer survivor, is demanding that "no more money raised for cancer treatment be given to Hadassah Lieberman or any other ex-Pharma/Insurance strategists... For decades, [she] has worked for the insurance-pharmaceutical-lobbying complex. Like Newt Gingrich, Dick Gephard and Tom Daschle she never registered as a lobbyist to avoid the official taint, but nonetheless worked at the powerhouse lobbying shops Hill & Knowlton and APCO. She also did stints at Pfizer and Hoffman-La Roche."
As the White House meets with Democratic Senators today in an attempt to close ranks on a health care bill, MoveOn.org is holding a rally outside the White House to call on President Obama to "stand up" to Senator Lieberman "and fight for health care reform with a public option." Lieberman, who has received more than $1 million in insurance company campaign contributions since 1998, surprised Democrats Sunday by saying that expanding Medicare would be "extremely expensive." But Lieberman was for the Medicare buy-in before he was against it, as as this video shows.
But what Joseph wants, Joseph gets; yesterday White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to order him to cut a deal with Lieberman. According to one of Reid's aides, "It was all about 'do what you've got to do to get it done. Drop whatever you've got to drop to get it done." The White House wants the bill passed by Christmas, and they've given up on the public option and on expanding Medicare to get Lieberman's vote, making liberals apoplectic. "If you think you are sick of Joe Lieberman now," Jim Shea, a columnist in The Hartford Courant, wrote Monday, "just wait until you get sick."
Tagged
Hadassah Lieberman
health care legislation
health care reform
joseph lieberman
nyc
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
The new deck will be used to store buses and supplies while crews tear down and rebuild the Midtown bus terminal. Once the project wraps, the space will be converted into a new park.
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 3:44 p.m. ET
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
The broker accidentally sent them a text that said "Ugh, they're Black," according to the suit.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
News
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
The broker accidentally sent them a text that said "Ugh, they're Black," according to the suit.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NJ early voting begins Saturday. Here's everything you need to know.
By
Mike Hayes
Countdown clocks are coming to an NYC bus stop near you
By
Stephen Nessen
Are NJ schools unconstitutionally segregated? It's back to the courts to decide.
By
Colleen O'Dea
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .