LIEBERMAN'S TURN TO THREAD THE NEEDLE

Joe Lieberman attempted to carve out a position on Iraq somewhere between his Democratic rivals and Bush by arguing that the invasion was a "just war" but that Bush's post-war policies are failing. According to Dan Balz in the Washington Post, Lieberman said, "By its actions, the Bush administration threatens to give a bad name to a just war. But by their words, some in my party are sending out a message that they don't know a just war when they see it, and, more broadly, they're not prepared to use our military strength to protect our security and the cause of freedom."

Lieberman's position strikes us as very similar to the one Edwards tried out back in April, way back when Democrats didn't want to be seen as criticizing Bush.