SO LIEBERMAN'S A RINO? NAHHH, I DOUBT IT.

You probably know that, in addition to saying he'll filibuster a health-care bill with a public option, Joe Lieberman -- clearly begging for attention -- has now told an ABC reporter that he may not try to get Connecticut's Democratic Senate nomination in 2012, and will probably support some Republicans for Congress in 2010.

Here's what he said:

"There's a hard core of partisan, passionate, hardcore Republicans," Lieberman said. "There's a hard core of partisan Democrats on the other side. And in between is the larger group, which is people who really want to see the right thing done, or want something good done for this country and them -- and that means, sometimes, the better choice is somebody who's not a Democrat."

Really, Joe? Is that how you feel? Too many people are just too gosh-darn partisan, including folks in your favorite party, the GOP?

Well, man up and do something about it. Why don't you endorse Dede Scozzafava in NY-23? If this is all about principle, about centrism, about defying political polarization, why don't you endorse a Republican who doesn't vote in lockstep with her party, and is being punished for it by angry hardcore partisans?

Oh, yeah, I forgot: backing Scozzafava wouldn't hurt Democrats, would it?

The better she does, the worse the wingnut-approved Doug Hoffman does, and the more likely it is that the Democrat would win in that district. And backing Scozzafava wouldn't sit well with all your pals in Fox Nation, would it? (And, increasingly, within the GOP establishment.) So you'd never stick up for her and for centrism in her district, would you, Mr. Last Honest, Principled Man?

On the other hand, I imagine you'll travel to Florida to try to persuade all those lifelong-Democrat retirees from the New York metro area to vote for Charlie Crist for Senate -- though you probably won't back him until after the primary against wingnut-approved Marco Rubio (again, wouldn't want to offend the folks in Foxworld!).

Yeah, I bet it'll be all about principle for you -- the principle of twisting the knife after stabbing Democrats in the back.