By Andrew L. Jaffee

Some Senate Democrats are seeking to punish Joe Lieberman for being the independent, honest man he is. So Lieberman supported John McCain, an old friend. This is a crime? Lieberman “was re-elected in 2006 as an independent after losing his state’s Democratic primary. He remains a registered Democrat and aligns with the party inside the Senate.” It was his own state’s Democrats who tried to drum him out of the party. Some Democratic extremists recently wanted to strip Lieberman of his “chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee,” but it looks like Barack Obama wants to keep his promise of uniting the country:

… Anger toward Lieberman seems to have softened since Election Day and there’s strengthening sentiment that taking away his chairmanship might drive him from the Democratic caucus and send the wrong signals as Obama takes office on a pledge to unite the country. …

Obama has reportedly told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada it would hurt the message of unity that he wants for his new administration if Lieberman leaves the Democratic caucus. …

This is one “change I can believe in” from Obama, and I applaud his effort to rebuild unity.