Guess who's the most popular belle at the Democratic ball in DC? None other than Joe Lieberman, who had to run as an independent after party activists defeated him in the primaries with neophyte Ned Lamont. After having to endorse Lieberman's opponent, and in some cases campaigning against their long-time colleague, Democrats now line up to shake his hand ... or kiss it:

“It was all very warm, lots of hugs, high-fives, that kind of stuff,” said Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon marveled, “One senator after another kept coming up and shaking his hand.”

And Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas noted, “I gave him a hug and a kiss.”

Mr. Lieberman received a standing ovation at a caucus luncheon after Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, who is poised to become the majority leader, declared, “We’re all family.”

I'm tempted to ask where exactly Lincoln kissed Lieberman, but at least symbolically, every Senate Democrat has their lips pursed and aimed directly at his nether regions. Why? Lieberman himself gave them reason this past weekend on Meet The Press when he told Tim Russert that he would stick with the Democrats ... for now.

The Independent from Connecticut holds the Democratic majority in his hands, and they're praying he has a short memory. Hillary Clinton actively campaigned for Lamont, even if it appeared less than enthusiastic at times. He could help derail her presidential ambitions by making her politically irrelevant for the next session. His home-state colleague, Christopher Dodd, could find himself without a committee chair if Lieberman thinks too hard about Dodd's appearances on Lamont's behalf.

His son keeps the long memory at hand. Matthew Lieberman warned his father's former friends who "left him by the side of the road" that a reckoning might occur in the future. So far, Lieberman seems unready to lower the boom on the Democrats, and perhaps his elevation to Pope might forestall it. One has to suspect that at some time, Lieberman will find a way to deliver just a little payback, just enough to make it sting for the Democrats.

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» Drunk with power already? from Public Secrets: from the files of the Irishspy
Man, this didn't take long. The new Congress hasn't even convened and the Democrats are already facing scandal and shooting themselves in the foot. Let's have a look, shall we? First, Speaker-in-waiting Nancy Pelosi has endorsed the candidacy of Rep. [Read More]

Tracked on November 15, 2006 6:34 PM