McCain backer Lieberman may keep committee chair

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Joe Lieberman appears likely to hold onto his prized chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee despite lingering hard feelings over his vocal support for GOP nominee John McCain during this year's presidential campaign.

The Connecticut independent's grasp on his chairmanship has gotten stronger since President-elect Barack Obama signaled to Democratic leaders that he's not interested in punishing Lieberman for boosting McCain and criticizing Obama during the long campaign.

Lieberman faces a secret vote by his colleagues Tuesday.

According to Democratic aides who demanded anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, it appears Lieberman will receive a lesser sanction, such as losing a subcommittee chairmanship on the Environment and Public Works Committee. That move would come as other top Democratic chairmen may lose subcommittee gavels anyway, to bring them in line with long-standing Democratic caucus rules limiting the number of such lesser chairmanships.

But while he appears likely to emerge without harsh sanction, Lieberman's presentation in the closed-door session with Democrats and their reaction could affect the outcome.

Anger toward Lieberman seems to have softened since Election Day and there's strengthening sentiment that taking away his Homeland Security chairmanship might drive him from the Democratic caucus and send the wrong signals as Obama takes office on a pledge to unite the country. Lieberman has indicated it would be unacceptable for him to lose his chairmanship.

Lieberman, who was Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore's running mate in 2000, 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.

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. Reid met with Lieberman last week and was initially inclined to strip him of the Homeland Security Committee chairmanship, according to a Senate Democratic aide.

"I was concerned and was upset about what happened earlier this year," Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said on "Fox News Sunday." ''But you know what? We turn the page."

On the other side are senators who feel that one of the requirements to be installed in a leadership position is party loyalty.

"To reward Senator Lieberman with a major committee chairmanship would be a slap in the face of millions of Americans who worked tirelessly for Barack Obama and who want to see real change in our country," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said in a statement Friday. "Appointing someone to a major post who led the opposition to everything we are fighting for is not 'change we can believe in.'"

Reid has been working to find a compromise with Democratic supporters of Lieberman, including Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Dodd and Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., have said it would be a mistake if any punishment by the party causes Lieberman to bolt to the Republican side.