WASHINGTON — Democrat turned independent Joe Lieberman skipped Senate Democrats’ weekly caucus luncheon Tuesday and will not attend them for a while after angering many Democrats by criticizing Sen. Barack Obama.
The Connecticut senator was Democrat Al Gore’s vice presidential running mate in 2000, but he endorsed Republican John McCain in this year’s contest. Lieberman said through a spokesman that he has an informal policy of skipping the lunches when presidential politics or the Iraq war will be discussed.
Senate Democrats have tolerated Lieberman’s political straddling because he holds their slim political majority in his hands, but after his GOP convention speech, there has been talk of taking away his committee chairmanship next year.
