Joe Lieberman, Super Patriot

Earlier today, SusanG touched on Joe Lieberman's performance on Meet the Press this morning.  I'd like to focus on one part of Lieberman's appearance:

LIEBERMAN: The fact is that this was not a major realignment election in my opinion. This was the voters in Connecticut and elsewhere saying we are disappointed with the the Republicans. We want to give the Democrats a chance. But I believe that the American people are considering both major political parties to be in a kind of probation because their understandably angry that Washington is dominated too much by partisan political games and not enough by problem solving and patriotism.

Patriotism? Not enough patriotism?  Pray tell, ol' Joe, which members of Congress were put on "probation" because they didn't wave their American flags with the sufficient level of frenzied enthusiasm? Which Democrats and which Republicans failed to demonstrate the sufficient level of "patriotism" necessary to win your personal stamp of approval?

Not enough patriotism on the Hill? Since 9/11, every member of Congress has wrapped themselves so tightly in the American flag that it has practically become their full-body tattoo. But no, there just hasn't been enough patriotism on the Hill for Joe Lieberman.

Lieberman was elected with a new party label, but he's still the same ol' Joe: the quintessential politician who is poorly mimicking the maverick "independent" by trashing friend and foe alike.  

Call me an "Independent Democrat", he says.  It's a label which gives squirmy Joe the perfect cover, permitting him to simultaneously lift his finger to wind while using his other hand to stab the Democratic Party in the back.  That party, though, contrary to Lieberman's suggestion, without question bleeds red, white, and blue.