It is hard to imagine how Mr. Lieberman could have emerged better from last week's election. He was re-elected comfortably, and the Democratic Party he still belongs to is now in the majority, assuring him the chairmanship of the powerful Homeland Security Committee.
Yet that majority is slim enough, 51 to 49, to turn Mr. Lieberman into arguably the Senate's most influential member. If he defects, the Senate would effectively be under Republican control because Vice President Dick Cheney would cast tie-breaking votes.
He stirred more anxiety Sunday, when in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," he refused to rule out becoming a Republican (while adding, "I hope I don't get to that point").
Mr. Lieberman restated that it was possible he could join Senate Republicans, but he added, "I'm not going to threaten on every issue to leave the caucus."
Yep, the Democrats are going to have to kiss his ass 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for at least the next 2 years. Every few months, he'll issue these cryptic, passively threatening statements about defecting, and the Democratic caucus will cheerfully ask, "Is that gun loaded, Joe? Could you at least uncock it for a second? Let's talk, buddy..."
All this means, of course, is that the Democrats really need to beef up that Senate Majority, so that a moderate Republican—sorry, "Independent"—like Joe, doesn't control the balance of power.
There's good news on that front. In 2008, the Democrats will have to defend 12 Senate seats. The Republicans will have to defend 21. The GOP will have to defend seats in such swingish-states as Oregon, New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota, and Colorado.
If, in 2008, the Dems can increase their majority by even just one senator, it would sure take some wind out of Joe's sailing voyage to the right.
