Reid: Lieberman ‘Has Always Been Straight Forward With Me’

Here’s a tale that could only have happened in this era when rampant A.D.D. has shrunk the news cycle to four minutes.

Earlier this week, reports emerged indicating that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), frustrated that Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) had decided to oppose a Democratic proposal to expand Medicare coverage to younger folks, later told The New York Times Magazine that Lieberman “double-crossed” him. (The story won’t be published until Jan. 24, but a preview containing the quote ran in The Times on Tuesday.)

This isn’t a big story, but in the homecoming-queen world of Washington, where personalities are considered more intriguing than legislating, it caught fire nonetheless. To such an extent that Reid just issued a short statement in an attempt to clear the air.

“Senator Lieberman and I have a very open and honest working relationship,” Reid said. “On issues ranging from foreign policy to health care, even when we disagree, he has always been straight forward with me.”

OK. Fences mended. Now make it stop.