WASHINGTON – Call it a change of heart or a realization that Senator Joe needs Democrats to keep his job in 2012. Sen. Joe Lieberman has changed his tune on President Barack Obama.
During the presidential election, he campaigned for Republican Sen. John McCain in and attacked Obama as naive, untested and unwilling to take on powerful special interests, Lieberman now showers praise on the popular new Democratic president.
"He's shown real leadership," Lieberman told The Associated Press in an interview. "Bottom line: I think Barack Obama, president of the United States, is off to a very good start."
Lieberman, an independent, faces re-election in 2012 in a state where Obama is popular.
He is now eager to mend fences with Democrats still fuming over his criticism of Obama during the general election campaign.
Lieberman has applauded Obama's national security team. He gushed over Obama's "inspirational and unifying" inaugural. Lieberman even played a key role helping Obama win Senate passage of the economic stimulus plan.
As if to underscore the point, Lieberman has even clashed on the Senate floor with his pal McCain over Obama's massive stimulus plan.
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"I don't think of Joe as the independent, I really think of Joe as a Democrat," said Lieberman's home state colleague, Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd.
The McCain/Lieberman love-fest ran deep. McCain had even considered making Lieberman, who nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in 2000, his running mate.
"Do I think it is more principle or politics?" said Quinnipiac University Poll director Doug Schwartz of Lieberman's moves. "It is a tough question."
Lieberman's campaigning for McCain hurt him with Connecticut voters, particularly Democrats, Schwartz said.
Things are not going to be easy for Lieberman.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is mentioned as a possible 2012 Senate Democratic candidate. He would beat Lieberman by 28 points in a hypothetical matchup, a recent Quinnipiac poll showed.
Lieberman scoffed at any suggestion his embrace of Obama is more about political expediency than principle.
"I haven't changed ... I've always had a voting record that is more with the Democrats than with the Republicans," he said.
Lieberman said he understands why he struck a nerve with Obama's backers.
"We were in the middle of a campaign and we just plain disagreed ... When I said those things not only did I believe them, but I believe looking at the records of the two people then, they were right," Lieberman said.
Lieberman said he never meant to suggest that Obama did not put his country first and said he wishes he had spoken more clearly.
After the election, at Obama's urging, Senate Democrats decided not to punish Lieberman. They voted to let him keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Obama was eager to strike a bipartisan tone for his presidency.
Democrats need Lieberman's support in a chamber where it takes 60 of the 100 senators to overcome the threat of Republican filibustering. They feared punishing Lieberman could drive him to the Republicans. Lieberman remains a registered Democrat and caucuses with Senate Democrats.
Lieberman was re-elected in 2006 as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to wealthy businessman Ned Lamont, an anti-war candidate.
