Doesn’t Robert Novak have some axe to grind with the McCain VP selection process? I seem to recall he was fed some misinformation by the campaign a while back. Could still be mad about it.
That could be part of the motivation to report this improbable scenario. McCain is not going to select someone who is not a member of the Republican Party. The overture to Lieberman (remember all those signs in a past election about Lierman--where did that sentiment go?) is simply a politically savvy gesture to independents to vote for McCain.
I personally think Novak is pretty well connected to the inside scoop in both parties. I see this column as relaying a public message to McCain from the party.