Lieberman’s name raised for Bush posts, but he seems content in Senate

washington | A year ago, being a moderate didn't help Sen. Joseph Lieberman.

Trying to win the New Hampshire primaries and gain steam in his bid for the Democratic nomination for president, Lieberman was defending his support for the U.S. war in Iraq to Democratic voters angry about the conflict.

Fast forward to the present day, however, and the Connecticut senator's centrist approach has made him an important player in the Senate, and possibly in the Bush administration.

As the White House searches for a new secretary for the Homeland Security Department, many eyes are turning to Lieberman. He received ringing endorsements this week from several of his Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, where Lieberman is the top Democrat.

President Bush "said he wanted to reach across the aisle, and this would be a great way to do it," Collins said earlier this week. "There's no doubt that Joe would provide strong leadership, and he's exceptionally well-qualified for the post. I think he'd be terrific."

Lieberman also has been mentioned as a candidate to be the first national intelligence czar or U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Several media reports suggested the White House is courting the Jewish lawmaker. Lieberman's spokesman, Matt Gobush, said he wasn't aware of any discussions with the Bush administration in the past few days.

"He's not seeking a position in the administration, nor has he been offered one," Gobush said, noting that Lieberman already has started efforts to run for Senate re-election in 2006.

Even if he doesn't join Bush's team, Lieberman may get the kind of public exposure as a senator that he was seeking a year ago as a presidential candidate. As one of only a handful of moderate Democrats in next year's Senate, Lieberman may play a leading role as a bridge to the Republican majority, and he could be courted by both sides on key issues.

"Without people like John Breaux, who has retired, and without much of a southern wing left, there aren't a lot of people who can act as bridges and negotiators," said Stuart Rothenberg, an independent political analyst. "It's possible Sen. Lieberman can adopt that role."