I think you may be reading way to much into this. I certainly didn't read Obama's comment as one of leaving Joe in his Chairmanship.

As to the pursuit of high crimes against the present administration. I wouldn't hold your breath. There is only so much room on the plate and the plate is rather full before Obama even takes office. Also with so much needing attention where both sides are going to have work together, starting hearing is going to create an instantaneous us against them mentality.

While it irks me no end that some of the Bushies may walk away clean. I don't think most people voted for him so he would hang Bush, Cheney, et al.

Obama punted it to the Senate and his words allow him to take the high road later. If (when, hopefully) Lieberman is voted out by his colleagues, he'll take his toys and go home, despite his cries for fairness and national interest over partisanship. He'll be a thorn in the side of the Obama Administration and his former Senate Democrat friends, out of spite really, but officially because that's what he thinks qualifies him as an "independent". And Obama can rightly call him out on it since Obama "said" he wanted to let bygones be bygones and not hold a grudge. Lieberman is a world class d-bag.