Night of the Long Knives

With the overwhelming rejection the GOP and McCain saw at the polls Tuesday, it was little surprise today that blood could be seen seeping out beneath the closed doors of the Republican Caucus. House Minority Whip Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) announced that he would not seek another go at the position, enabling his deputy, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) to toss his hat into the ring. The electoral defeat was Blunt's second in as many years and may well reflect the expiration date on his very Rovian brand of intransigence

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) moved quickly this morning to deflect a frontal assault, releasing a letter making clear his intention to retain the post in the eleventy-first Congress. This seems to have staunched the bleeding for the moment, but the Republican base is piping hot and looking for someone (other than Palin) to blame.

In other news of vengeance, today may indeed be the day when the rank duplicity of Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) finally, finally comes home to roost. After being summoned this afternoon to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) office, Lieberman left looking grim, telling reporters he was going home to think "about what Senator Reid and I discussed, and what my options are at this point."

Word on the street is that Reid offered the chair of a Senate Sub-Committee, so long as Lieberman relinquish his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. Lieberman, in hot water over his vocal support of John McCain's Presidential Campaign, allegedly refused the offer he wasn't supposed to refuse, threatening to bolt from the Senate Democratic Caucus unless he retained his chairmanship.

For their part, the Republican Caucus has made it known that they would welcome Lieberman with open arms, and with three senate races still up in the air, it's uncertain whether Reid will hold firm or back down. But if history is any indicator, Lieberman has little to worry about.