Actually, you've only provided 1/2 of Google's reasoning.  The other
part is that they wanted handsets to be "open", so that users can run
any apps they want on them, not just the ones that carriers want them
to run.  Case in point - Verizon locks down their phones in such a
manner that apparently one has to pay to download ringtones instead of
being able to transfer MP3s directly via bluetooth (disclaimer: I'm
still back in the early 2000's cell phone application-wise, so I may
have no idea what I am talking about).

Verizon is still trying to do an end-run around open-standards, and
Limo's giving Verizon seats on its board is viewed by many as caving
to Verizon's quest to remain locked down.  See some of the initial
posts to http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/16/047232&from=rss
for examples.

So in essence, this is kinda a move against Google's efforts by
Verizon..