Holy Joe Lieberman

The independent Democratic Senator is not very independent when it comes to who is funding this political campaign.

In the general election, in which Lieberman ran as an "independent Democrat," his take from Republicans soared 80 percent. He collected more money from Republicans than from Democrats. And of major donors - giving $200 and more - Republicans exceeded Democrats.

Officially, the White House stayed out of Lieberman's 2006 race, and Lieberman, who today caucuses with Senate Democrats, did not actively seek its support. But the signs from the White House were unmistakable.

"A lot of people would call and ask, `What's our position?"' Charles R. Black Jr. said last week. The former Bush adviser, who remains close to the president, said, "And I'd say, `There's no official position, but if I were you, I'd help Joe Lieberman.'"

There were other signals. On primary day, White House political guru Karl Rove called the senator. "He's a personal friend," Rove said later. "I called him. It was a personal call."

Karl Rove let it be known that Senator Lieberman was the de-facto Republican candidate for Senate by placing this phone call on primary day. After the phone call the Republican money poured in for Senator Lieberman for the general election versus the Democratic candidate Ned Lamont.

Their money was well spent in this case, Senator Lieberman continues to give the Republican Party bipartisan cover for their failed Iraq polices in the newly Democratic controlled Senate.