Dems Gripe About Lieberman, but Can't Do Anything About It...Yet

The news that Joe Lieberman will be speaking at the GOP Convention is not sitting well with the Democrats:

Sure, Democrats are furious with Joe Lieberman's decision to salute John McCain from the podium of the Republican National Convention -- but his tie-breaking role in the Senate means they can't exact revenge anytime soon.

"If you've been in Washington too long like he has the world gets turned upside down -- your opinions become firm but your principles become flexible," said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the architect of the 2006 Democratic takeback of the House, speaking of Lieberman.

Endorsing McCain was one thing, Emanuel said, but accepting a hero's welcome in the belly of the GOP beast is "something different."

"Hey, I'm all for having friendships regardless of party labels, but I'm also for my principles," he added. "And Joe has fundamental differences with McCain on the environment, a woman's right to choose... What you can't do anymore is just roll your eyes and say, 'Oh, that's just Joe.' Lieberman knows what he's doing and there are consequences."

Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Lieberman "can speak to whatever group he wants but that doesn't change the fact that John McCain is a flawed candidate."

In private, members of the Democratic caucus talk openly, and with relish, about making Lieberman pay -- but his Senate colleagues have been far more reluctant to cry for his scalp in public.

Democrats on the outside stopped just short of slapping the traitor tag on Lieberman, who was forced to run as an independent after being bested in the 2006 Democratic primary by anti-war candidate Ned Lamont.

"Ned Lamont was right," quipped Howard Wolfson, Hillary Clinton's former communications director and top strategist.

"Joe will be very happy in the Republican party where the dominant ethic is selfishness -- he's just like Barry Bonds when it comes to selfishness," said former Bill Clinton adviser Paul Begala. "If you're hanging off the edge of a cliff by a rope, you don't want to look up and see Joe Lieberman... I'm sure he'll be just as loyal to the Republicans as he was to us."

Yeah, that's us - selfish, as opposed to the Dems who are more than generous...with other people's money.

This is not the first current or recent Dem to speak at the GOP convention. In 2004 Dem Senator Zell Miller was warmly welcomed by the delegates for his support of President Bush. Miller was a very different character than Lieberman, though, because Miller was a very conservative Democrat. He agreed with Bush on far more issues than he disagreed with him. Lieberman is pretty much a one-trick pony - he's great on the war, but disagrees with Republicans on everything else. He'd probably make a great Secretary of Defense or State, but please, John, don't pick him for VP.