Independent Democrat

That's what Sen. Joe Lieberman is running as now that he lost the Democratic primary. I have to feel sorry for him — it surely is pretty bad going from being the VP nominee of your party to losing the primary for your seat that you've held for 18 years in just six year. Ouch!

Nevertheless, I wonder if there is room for the Joe Liebermans of politics in the country we live in. Social conservatives such as myself would not vote for him because of his pro-choice position on abortion. Conversely, Democrats despise him for his support of the Iraqi war and his generally friendly attitude toward more conservative politicians. His seemingly genuine adherence to nearly-Orthodox Judaism has made him unusual among the powerbrokers of the Democratic party, and probably hurt as much as it helped.

It'll be interesting to see if a Lieberman unencumbered by a particular party is able to win, and if he is, whether he moves right at all.