I wonder how far this limb will bend...

The Wall Street Journal opinion page featured an article arguing that Sen. Lieberman is a bad veep choice for McCain. The link is here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121979692393374851.html?mod=djemEditorialPage

I know this debate will be moot within 72 hours, but to ensure future laughs at the expense of past follies, I will perpetuate this misbegotten notion one step further.

I disagree with Mr. Olsen's premise. I do not believe the McCain-Lieberman ticket represents a "war ticket." I don't suppose it necessary or even useful to have Mr. Lieberman on the ticket on the basis of foreign policy at all. Lincoln may have calculated he needed Johnson to preserve the union, but Mr. Olsen is quite right in saying that such an effort is uncalled for here.

Rather I take as my premise that the country is in a terribly foul mood. That Mr. Obama has energized people to an astonishing degree as a result of his incessant invocation of "Change," and that he is such a light-weight that in my opinion his presidency could be a disaster.

I further hold as self-evident that Mr. McCain respects and listens to Mr. Lieberman. He will be influenced by this counsel, with or without the latter in the West Wing. Also, Mr. McCain will almost certainly face if elected, a large Democratic majority in the Senate. Working with Democrats won't be an option, it will be of necessity.

Therefore, given Mr. McCain's demonstrated willingness (some might say eagerness) to work across the aisle, the numeric realities he will face in the next Congress, and the potential juggernaut of a re energized Mr. Obama: he might as well shake up the race through a bold, unusual step.

In my opinion, Mr. Lieberman uniquely lends himself to this role NOT because he is a hawk, but because he has demonstrated himself to be a man of unusual character and principle. This is true in risking his senate seat to support the war, but also in risking his political home to demonstrate incredible personal loyalty to Mr. McCain. If he can do this on the campaign trail, he can certainly be expected to do this in the White House.

The added "downside" conservatives might fear in having Mr. Lieberman officially inside the West Wing as opposed to unofficially inside do not outweigh the narrative of a novelty ticket that would empirically "change the way politics work in Washington," as opposed to some dream sequence conjured up in the loquacious prose of Mr. Obama.