Joe Lieberman, Quo Vadis?

CQ Politics speculates on which side of the aisle the Connecticut senator will site when the Senate reconvenes. What is clear is that Lieberman, post his strong speech Wednesday night at the republican Convention in support of his friend, John McCain will be embraced by the Democrats like a Typhoid Mary.

Lieberman, torn between his affection for John McCain an his bitterness at the Democratic establishment, has definitely made himself a man without a party.

Unless McCain wins in November and then appoints Lieberman to a significant position in his administration or to the Supreme Court, Lieberman has put himself into a lose-lose situation. If he stays a nominal Democrat,and the Dems increase their hold over the Senate as it now appears likely, the Democratic leadership will strip him of all powers that accrue to someone with his seniority. If he moves over to the republican side, he once again finds himself sitting with the minority party, another losing hand.

Joe Lieberman has positioned himself in such a way that he has no winning options. All he can do is pray for a McCain win to rescue some aspect of his political life.