Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced at a press conference just before noon that Sen. Joe Lieberman, a self-described Independent Democrat, will keep his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Senate Democrats met this morning to decide his fate.

"We had a historic caucus in the Old Senate Chamber," Reid said. "And it's very clear that the vast majority of the Democratic Caucus wants to keep Senator Lieberman as chairman of his committee [Homeland Security], and as a member of the Armed Services Committee. And that was done. It's all over with. Joe Lieberman is a Democrat; he's a member of this caucus."

Asked how he would respond to liberals across the country who were upset with Lieberman's actions on the campaign trail with John McCain, Reid said: "I would defy anyone to be more angry as I was. But I also believe that if you look at the problems we face as a nation, is this a time we walk out of here saying, 'Boy did we get even?'"

"There is a period of time in Joe Lieberman's political career that I will never understand or approve," Reid said. "But I also recognize that he's been in public office for four decades."

"We could not have had a Democratic majority for the last two years but for Joe Lieberman. We could not have passed the historic budgets that were led by Chairman Conrad but for Senator Lieberman. So, we feel that what happened today has put this behind us."

Lieberman stepped to the microphone following Reid. "I particularly look forward to continuing my work as chairman," Lieberman said, "and to work as I have in the past with the new president, Barack Obama and his administration, to keep the American people secure here at home, and to protect our freedom from enemies abroad. This is the beginning of a new chapter, and I know my friends in the Democratic caucus were moved not only by the kind words that Senator Reid said about my longtime record, but by the appeal from President-elect Obama himself that the nation now unite to confront our very serious problems."