The Democrats are nothing if not forgiving. They've voted to allow Joe Lieberman, the errant Senator who maligned Obama while traveling McCain, back into the nest. Despite this, Lieberman's face retained that seemingly permanent disgruntled expression as if he'd just swallowed something raw that was meant to be cooked. Had there been background music, it should have been, "Don't Cry Joe, let him go, let him go, let him go."

Hillary, who attacked Obama during what felt like the early decades of this campaign, has been invited to be his Secretary of State, and is reportedly considering whether or not to be under another man or retain her independence as Senator. She does admit being flattered by the offer, a bit less enthusiastic than many of us would show in a similar situation.

Despite having been a Hillary advocate, Ed Rendell is being considered for Secretary of energy or transportation. There's been no report at any demonstration of gratitude.

Eric Holder, Jr., who's been tapped to serve as attorney general, may be plagued by a forgiveness incident in his history, his failure to oppose Bill Clinton's last-minute pardon of the former husband of Denise Rich, the woman who'd contributed generously to Clinton's presidential library, a turn of events that caused her husband to be known as "fugitive financier Marc Rich."

I'm amazed by the ability to forgive. A parent describes it as a healing experience to visit an inmate who'd killed a son. A child finds it therapeutic to forgive a negligent or abusive parent. There was a movie about the woman who was blinded when her boyfriend hired a hitman to throw lye at her and later married him.

What might we conclude? Forgiving is the flavor du jour. Pardoning? Not so much.