Huffington Post reports that Joe Lieberman played a pivotal role in getting Republican Senators on board the stimulus package:
While national attention has been heaped on Collins and Nelson, the hidden story of the stimulus negotiations is the role played by Lieberman - a man only weeks removed from a vote that could have cast him out of the Democratic caucus.
The successful passage of the stimulus began with Obama's decision to pardon Lieberman for the sin of campaigning for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) during the presidential election.
Lieberman initially stayed at the edge of negotiations, but as they dragged on, he inserted himself more forcefully, leveraging the close relationships he has with Republicans - after all, they asked him to join them - to peel away a few crucial votes.
"He does have a solid relationship" with Republicans, said Nelson. "He's been here quite a long time, so he and Senator Specter have been here together the longest of the group."
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