Lieberman, Collins Throw Out Seating Chart

I guess Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut is serious about this "Independent Democrat" thing. According to a press release from his office, Lieberman and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the chairman and ranking member, respectively of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, have taken "their commitment to non-partisanship to an alternate plane." They're boldly breaking with the tradition of having panel members sit on opposite sides of the dais for hearings. Now it'll be Democrat-Republican, Democrat-Republican on both sides of the aisle. "We want the American people to see us sitting side by side as our committee members work together make our nation more secure and our government more efficient,” the two senators said. They give freshman Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., credit for coming up with the idea.