Joe Lieberman to endorse John McCain

[Joe Republic]

I see no problem here.  The man can endorse whoever he wants.

[Joe Republic]

Dodd also even endorsed Lieberman in 2004. Nice payback traitor.

Didn't Dodd endorse Lamont in 2004?

No, Dodd endorsed Lieberman's presidential bid in 2004, and then endorsed Lamont over Lieberman in 2006.

So of course, Lieberman should feel no guilt for stabbing Dodd in the back now, since his own back still has Dodd's knife in it.

[Joe Republic]

Not too surprised. I can't see why Lieberman should feel obliged to support a party that already kicked him out?

No one "kicked him out". We have something called a democracy, where the voters decide who they want representing them. They chose another candidate over Lieberman in the 2006 election. The election was fair and square.

It certainly was, but it was also not particularly important either.  Losing the support of his party was an inconvenience of course, because it made things just a little harder for him, but ultimately the party banner that anybody of his political seniority runs under shouldn't matter a great deal.  The general election results proved this, more or less.

Lieberman now owes the Democratic party absolutely nothing.  In fact, the party owes him a great deal, for permitting them to form a majority in the current Senate.

[Joe Republic]

It certainly was, but it was also not particularly important either.  Losing the support of his party was an inconvenience of course, because it made things just a little harder for him, but ultimately the party banner that anybody of his political seniority runs under shouldn't matter a great deal.  The general election results proved this, more or less.

Lieberman now owes the Democratic party absolutely nothing.  In fact, the party owes him a great deal, for permitting them to form a majority in the current Senate.

I would've respected Joe if he had just chosen to run as an independent from the beginning, but he didn't. He wanted to have it both ways. He loses the primary, and still finds a way to get on the ballot in the general. Only a true egomaniac would do that.

And it's also infuriating that Lieberman blatantly lied throughout the duration of his general election campaign.

I wouldn't say he "wanted to have it both ways" exactly, but I understand what you mean.  What he wanted was to win re-election, and although I condemn his tactics once the general campaign was under way, his method of ensuring that he kept himself on the November ballot was sensible and intelligent.  He and I probably share the same view that party primaries are merely a way for the respective bases to make themselves feel important, but don't actually need to matter once the general election rolls around.

I still find it amusing that the Democratic party rank-and-file are so hateful towards him when they owe him so much at the moment.