Lieberman support for McCain ruffles Dems

WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- Former Democratic Party vice presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, Ind-Conn., may soon not be so welcome at party gatherings in Washington.

Lieberman's active support for presumptive Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has thus far been tolerated. But if Democrats expand their Senate majority in the November elections, Lieberman could lose his committee assignments, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

"Sure, it's somewhat awkward," Lieberman said to the Times. "What I did was unconventional. I understand that. I'm a Democrat -- an independent Democrat, but still a registered Democrat -- supporting a Republican."

But some Democrats may be seeing Lieberman, who ran with Al Gore at the top of the Democrats' ticket in 2000, more as a Republican.

"It hurts," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said of Lieberman's support of McCain.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., told the Times, "Clearly, we wish he was with Senator Obama."

Obama last week took Lieberman to a corner of the Senate chamber to talk privately on the same day that Lieberman joined Republicans in criticizing the Democratic presidential nominee's foreign policy positions. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. D-Nev., said last week that he had talked with Lieberman about his stance, the Times reported.

"But I'm not about to threaten anybody at this stage," Reid told the Times.