Burying the hatchet with Lieberman
Senate Democrats have decided not to get even with Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut for breaking with his party to back Republican John McCain for president. The Democratic caucus reportedly voted 42-13 for a deal that lets Lieberman keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, as well as leadership of an Armed Services subcommittee — though he will give up his position on the Environment and Public Works Committee. Some Democrats and liberal activists wanted Lieberman drummed out of the party for supporting McCain. But tactical considerations surely intervened. Democrats have 58 votes in the Senate (counting Lieberman and fellow independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who both vote with the party to organize the chamber), putting them close to the 60 votes that can prevent filibusters. It made little sense to alienate Lieberman, making legislative work that much harder. With Lieberman showing contrition at a closed-door meeting with his colleagues, Democrats decided to look to the future instead of the past. The truce should hold until the next big vote on Iraq or the war on terror — the key issues prompting Lieberman to back McCain over Obama.
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