He Really Wanted Joe Lieberman

Generally speaking, a U.S. presidential candidate has the luxury of selecting his or her running mate ... except for maybe Republican candidate Senator John McCain.

Tradition not withstanding, there was no way McCain was going to get approval for putting his good-buddy Senator Joe Lieberman on the Republican ticket. Why, you ask? Because Lieberman was the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 2000, and is now officially listed as an "Independent Democrat" and is part of the Democratic Senate caucus in the 110th Congress.

However, the Republican party didn't mind giving him a keynote address in prime time in support of McCain, even though at the podium on national television he called himself "a Democrat." Why, you ask? Because he paints McCain as a man who crosses the isle in support of issues which put country before party. Lieberman paints McCain as a "maverick," appealing to independent voters who identify with neither the Democrats nor the Republicans.

"Being a Democrat or a Republican is important, but it is no way near as important as being an American," Lieberman told a cheering audience in St. Paul. He described McCain as a man who has spent his entire career in service to the United States ... a man "who will bring our country together, and lead our country forward."

Lieberman, who ran with Al Gore in the contested 2000 election, did everything McCain needed from him. He described how McCain had worked with Democrats in several ways, including forming the 9/11 Commission, structuring ethics reform, and laid the blueprint for campaign finance reform. 

In supporting McCain, Lieberman also took jabs at Democratic candidate Senator Barack Obama, claiming during his time in the U.S. Senate, Obama "has not reached across party lines to accomplish anything of significance."

The most important questions to ponder about Lieberman's endorsement of McCain, are what's in this for Lieberman, and what will this cost him? 

Surely the Democrats will retaliate and punish Lieberman. Presently he chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. After the election, that chairmanship may be yanked, as might his privilege to caucus with the Democrats.  

After the election when the Democrats decide Lieberman is no longer needed -- or wanted -- look for him to fill a cabinet position within a possible McCain White House.  

" ... or so this news junkie thinks!"