The Hill News

One of the most liberal members of the House praised a senator who is often the target of liberals for leading the push to repeal the military's ban on openly gay service members.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) described Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman's (Conn.) leadership as "noteworthy" during the debate over repealing the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Ohio congressman explained that Liberman's actions should discourage people from judging lawmakers too quickly.

{mosads}"If I learned anything from this last vote, it's to have compassion for my fellow members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who took positions on both sides of the issue," he said on MSNBC Monday night. "And we have to be careful in judging each other based on a single vote...On "don`t ask, don`t tell," it is noteworthy that Senator Lieberman led the way in the Senate."

Though they are not an endorsement, Kucinich's comments could boost Lieberman's appeal among li! berals should he run for reelection in 2012.

Lieberman also rankled liberals for holding out his vote until the last minute on the healthcare reform bill earlier this year but he has recently won accolades from some influential liberal blogs for his efforts to nix "Don't ask, don't tell," a sign that some Democrats in blue Connecticut could be more forgiving to the senator in two years. 

Lieberman, the Democrats vice presidential nominee in 2000, has been criticized by liberals since before his 2006 run for reelection over his support for the Iraq War. The veteran senator was able to win reelection as an Independent after losing his Democratic primary, but some political observers have said the move doomed his prospects of reelection.

The Connecticut senator recently sat down with the incoming chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Patty Murray (Wash.), but has made it known he will likely seek reelection as an Independent in 2012, if he runs at all. 

Lieberman and Kucinich ran against each other during the 2004 Democratic presidential primary, but each dropped out during the primary campaign.

"I think we always -- we have to be very careful about labels in Washington. Just when you think you have someone labeled, something will come up that will cause you to think again. I think what`s called for is an overall assessment based on somebody`s career, not ! just a single vote," Kucinich said. "Although -- although some of us, you know, a single vote can make our career, there`s no question about it."