Senator Joseph Lieberman made up his mind not to seek reelection around Thanksgiving but delayed a public announcement for a number of reason, according to an aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Lieberman wanted to wait until Congress had repealed the controversial Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy regarding gays and lesbians serving in the military. That vote occurred right before the holiday break; then came the swearing in of new members. This week, with the Senate still on break, Lieberman felt the time was right. (And so apparently, did Kent Conrad of North Dakota.)
Lieberman and his staff spent much of the day calling supporters and longtime friends. He also intended to reach out to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama.
As he weighed his political future, Lieberman came to the conclusion that he faced a tough fight but a winnable one, his aide said. "He's faced tough fights in the past and he's never shied away from them,'' the aide said. "He's fully confident he would have won reelection had he sought it."