The Lieberman card

Why did the Democrats cave in to an administration with a 30 percent approval rating? Why didn't they just point out that anytime Bush wanted to fund the troops all he had to do was rescind his veto? So Bush is the one refusing to fund the troops, not Congress.

The Democrats, as usual, are running scared. But this time there might actually be a reason: Joe Lieberman. This man--who already proved he doesn't support the Democratic party when he ran essentially as a Republican, against the Democrats' chosen candidate--now has the power to destroy the Democrats' control of the Senate, simply by changing parties.

In essence, Joe Lieberman is the most powerful man in the Senate, and you can bet he gets his way. You can bet that he spends a lot of time talking with the administration. You can bet that after his stinging primary defeat, he relishes his new power to punish the Democrats and will use it, if necessary, to quash Democratic plans to thwart Mr. Bush.

What kind of deal has Lieberman made with Senate Democrats? What kind of deal have Senate Democrats made with the House? The whole thing reeks of blackmail.