11/9/08
All along, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman knew what he was doing. He knew consequences were likely, for himself and the state he serves, if he continued his actions.
The inevitable got under way last week as Lieberman, the former Democrat who ran as an independent and wholeheartedly supported the Republican presidential ticket, met with Senate leadership to begin determining his fate. He is unlikely to emerge unscathed.
As chairman of the powerful Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Lieberman has much to lose. The Democratic Party, of course, did quite well for itself last week, and no longer needs Lieberman's support to secure a majority.
He could lose his chairmanship, be denied seniority rights or be kicked out of the caucus altogether. Republicans have already said they would welcome him - as well they should, given their shrinking numbers.
It didn't have to be this way. Lieberman is a longtime friend of John McCain, and could have supported his candidacy while provoking nothing but a few grumbles. Instead, Lieberman invested every ounce of his political capital in the campaign, and even as signs clearly indicated his candidate was finished, continued to dig his own political grave.
He launched one attack after another at Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. Now, he must live with the consequences. Unfortunately for the state of Connecticut, the rest of us pay a price, too, in terms of diminished stature in the Senate and less chance of getting federal help when we need it.
State voters, whether they voted for him or not, have every right to be angry.
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