I am not someone who is going to make a lot of fuss over the Lieberman thing, but Dean's argument that kicking Lieberman out of his Homeland Security Chairmanship is inconsistent with the President-Elect's nonpartisan tone is crap. 

First, Obama's message of nonpartisanship was not one of appeasement.  The one thing that sold me on his candidacy was how he argued against the Clinton era triangulation approach to public policy.  Instead, Obama's message, if you listened carefully, was one of tone and not policy.  That is to say, we disagree with Republicans, but we will still treat them with respect and we don't call them traitors and question their loyalty to the Republic. 

Secondly, Joe Lieberman is a Republican in this policy area.  This isn't about revenge, and it isn't about Democrats growing a spine.  This is about handing over control of an important committee to a Republican and forsaking the will of the people.  Americans gave Democrats a big victory Nov. 4 and this is a smack in their face.