LIEBERMAN SPANKED BY POWER - MAD DEMOCRATS

The New York Times: The political status of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut was indefinite on Thursday after he met with Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic majority leader, to discuss Mr. Lieberman’s support of Senator John McCain, the Republican candidate for president.
Mr. Lieberman, a one-time Democrat who became an independent, could be stripped of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Although neither he nor Mr. Reid addressed that issue after their meeting, the Associated Press reported later that an aide to Mr. Reid said the majority leader was considering having Lieberman removed.
“I’m thinking about what my options are,” Mr. Lieberman said.Mr. Reid issued a statement notably lacking in warmth in which he called the meeting “the first of what I expect to be several conversations.”
“No decisions have been made,” Mr. Reid said. “While I understand that Senator Lieberman has voted with Democrats a majority of the time, his comments and actions have raised serious concerns among many in our caucus. I expect there to be additional discussions in the days to come, and Senator Lieberman and I will speak to our caucus in two weeks to discuss further steps.”
Connecticut Democrats are scheduled to meet on Dec. 17 to decide whether the state party should censure Mr. Lieberman, the A.P. said.
Mr. Lieberman and the Senate’s other independent, Bernard Sanders of Vermont, vote with the Democratic caucus on most occasions and have given the Democrats what amounts to a 51-to-49 majority. With three races still undecided, the new Senate is certain to have gained at least six more Democrats, so Mr. Lieberman’s vote will not be as important to the Democrats’ hold on control.
Mr. Lieberman has ridden a remarkable roller-coaster, politically speaking. As Vice President Al Gore’s running mate in 2000, he came close to being elected vice president on the Democratic ticket. But he lost the Connecticut Democratic primary in 2006, in large part because of his support for the war in Iraq. Then, with some of his former Democratic colleagues probably wishing he would fade away peacefully, Mr. Lieberman won re-election as an independent.
Mr. Lieberman’s split with his former party seemed all but complete with his support this year for Mr. McCain, and the speculation that Mr. McCain seriously considered naming him as his running mate.