Okay, I am a day late…brain farts are dangerous…..

Senator Joe Lieberman, who angered many Democrats by publicly and enthusiastically backing Republican John McCain for president, kept his committee chairmanship yesterday after Senate Democrats declared that punishment was less important than unity.

They voted 42 to 13 by secret ballot that Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, should not be stripped of his chairmanship of the Homeland Security panel, but they condemned statements he made during the campaign criticizing President-elect Barack Obama.

Other senators, however, wanted there to be consequences and argued that party loyalty was a requirement for leadership. Independent Bernie Sanders and Democrat Pat Leahy, Vermont’s two senators, spoke against allowing Lieberman to keep the Homeland Security and Government Affairs post, the Associated Press reported. And two members of Connecticut’s Democratic state central committee said they’ll still ask it Dec. 17 to consider censuring Lieberman and asking him to resign from the party, the AP said.

Reid said he still doesn’t understand why Lieberman did what he did, but also realizes that his vote has been crucial to pushing through important legislation. While Lieberman broke with Democrats over the Iraq war and was reelected in 2006 as an independent after losing the primary to an antiwar candidate, he has been caucusing with them on most other issues, in some cases providing the 51st and majority vote. During the campaign, however, he became one of McCain’s most visible cheerleaders, and even spoke at the Republican National Convention.

If I were Lieberman I would learn to play nice or he may be sitting ALL hearings.