Dems: We Have To Let Lieberman Screw Us Over

Joe Lieberman is having a not-so-secret affair on his political spouse of the past four decades. The Connecticut Senator -- now an Independent, but until 2006 a staunch Democrat, married to the party -- is not just campaigning for presumptive Republican nominee John McCain; he is, to even the most objective eye, in a deep state of rapture.

You'd think hell hath no fury like a party scorned, but Democrats aren't kicking Lieberman out of the party -- yet. Lieberman has a decent claim of abandonment: after a 2006 Democratic primary challenge over his unyielding support for the war in Iraq, Lieberman won his fourth Senate term as an Independent who caucuses with Democrats. Without his good will there would be no Democratic majority in the Senate, no control of the legislative calendar, no subpoenas and investigations and no committee chairmanships. (Lieberman himself chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.) Harry Reid owes his title to Joe Lieberman. Dumping him is not an option.

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