For Lieberman, the 'I' Stands for 'Ignored'

Nothing personal, the Lamont Democrats insisted. "He's our friend," Durbin declared after lunch, at which he said colleagues gave Lieberman "a big ovation."

"He's a friend of mine," seconded Carl Levin (Mich.).

Lieberman told reporters that Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) approached him at lunch and said, "I'm not going to settle for a handshake; I want a big hug."

Hugs and ovations are nice. But Durbin, Levin and Lincoln aren't on Lieberman's list of supporters.

Republicans, perhaps hoping for a convert, were quick to offer succor; half a dozen approached with backslaps and condolences during Lieberman's eight minutes on the Senate floor. "What happened to him was a tragedy," Trent Lott (Miss.) said off the Senate floor. "I'd be happy to have him in our party."

Lieberman took a charitable view of his peers' disloyalty. "My colleagues were as warm and collegial as you would expect them to be," he told a pack of 20 reporters. "I understand the rules of the game."

Three Lieberman aides finally wrested the senator away from the reporters and into an elevator, only to find that the doors wouldn't shut. "Please!" the senator cried out.

While Democrats kept their distance from Lieberman, Lamont was in town basking in their affection. "I love all my new friends," he joked at a bacon-and-eggs breakfast downtown with reporters. The high-flying Democratic nominee was so exuberant that, when a questioner asked him to list his weaknesses, Lamont was stumped.

"I like to get things done," he offered. "I think I get along pretty well with people."

Lamont made clear that even in victory he wouldn't be magnanimous. When asked if he would vote to confirm Lieberman to replace Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon, Lamont said he would not. "That would be what we call in my world a lateral move," he said.

A couple of hours later, Lamont arrived at the Capitol for a meeting with Reid and Schumer. "They're on board 100 percent!" he exulted after the 20-minute session, at which he detected no residual support for Lieberman. "That's then and now is now," the candidate said.

Political researcher Zachary A. Goldfarb contributed to this report.