A Lot of Nerve — For a Guy Who’s Hedging His Bets

by A.B. Stoddard - 09/03/08 4:10 PM ET

Joe Lieberman has a lot of nerve. I think it’s fine he made friends with John McCain many years ago and now comes to a Republican convention to praise and support him. I am a sucker for nonpartisanship and bipartisanship, and I always appreciate courageous acts of principle.

But Lieberman’s move when he lost his primary to run as an independent was our first indication that stronger than his moral compass is his desire to stay in the spotlight. He could have run as an Independent but ran as a Democrat, and when the party rejected him he decided he wasn’t a Democrat but still wanted to be senator anyway. Now, after coming so close to being chosen as a vice presidential candidate again — this time eight years and another party later — Lieberman has joined the GOP in all but name. He wants secretary of State so badly he can smell it.

Why else would Lieberman — who said just recently, “I would not go to speak to attack Barack Obama,” — not only pointedly criticize Obama but compliment Sarah Palin and talk up the power of the ticket? He holds a leadership position among Democrats as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee but last night campaigned like a Republican against Obama, saying, “Eloquence is no substitute for a record — not in these tough times. In the Senate he has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party.”

Lieberman knows he is up for a great job in a McCain administration, and he was auditioning last night. But if Obama wins, don’t worry — Lieberman has been hedging his bets. In hopes of keeping his chairmanship he sent the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee $100,000 a few months ago. His grand total of donations to the committee in this election cycle is $230,000.

Democrats are already steamed. I have a feeling if Obama wins that money won’t add up to a down payment, and Lieberman will lose the spotlight once and for all.

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