Let’s set the stage here. From HuffPo “Lieberman Tells Reid To His Face: I’ll Vote Against Current Health Care Bill:”

Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) informed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in a face-to-face meeting on Sunday that he will vote against a health care bill that includes a public option or a provision that would expand Medicare, a Democratic Senate aide tells the Huffington Post.

…

The pledge by Lieberman to oppose the bill represents a potentially huge setback for reform proponents, many of who saw the latest round of policy compromises as the last true chance to corral the needed votes. That said, leadership has several fallback options (none of them promising) should Lieberman follow through on the threat.

The first is to convince the senator to support Democrats in breaking a Republican filibuster before casting a vote against the bill. This would allow for the legislation to pass with Lieberman still registering his opposition. Lieberman, however, has said he considers the procedural vote to cut off debate to be of the same significance as a vote on the bill itself.

Emphasis mine. Just wanted you to see that part.

Now remember a guy named Alito? Black robes, hangs around with 8 other people who wear the same thing? Supreme Court Justice? Good.

As it turns out, Lieberman – in what I feel was one of the most important and telling votes of his career, violated that principle stated up there that I bolded. During Alito’s confirmation hearing, he voted to end debate and then voted against Alito’s confirmation (along with 19 other Democrats). He ALSO voted for the military commissions bill (unfortunately there was no filibuster in place for him to make a “principled stand” about in front of a TV camera on that piece of legislative crap). And they say Schumer is a media hound? Feh.

Senator Lieberman has one operating principle: Lieberman for Lieberman.