CARLSON: Now the CROSSFIRE quote of the day. He lost the last time, but that hasn't dulled Joe Lieberman's appetite for higher office. Senator Lieberman would like to run for president. Only problem. He's promised not to run if Al Gore seeks the nomination. Will Gore seek it? Here is Senator Lieberman's take as told to "The New York Times." It's our quote of the day. "It's a very big personal decision for him, so he's got to make it. I don't have an opinion on it," which I say, busted. You're lying. Mr. Rectitude telling a lie. This is like catching the head of PETA having lunch at the Palm. This is a big deal. Joe Lieberman lying in public to "The New York Times"?

CARVILLE: Well, first of all -- he didn't lose. He won.

CARLSON: I know he did.

CARVILLE: I understand.

CARLSON: Is he vice president now?

CARVILLE: Secondly, the important thing is, when you run for national office, I say it's like sex. It's just an itch that don't go away with one scratch.

CARLSON: I agree with that.

CARVILLE: OK?

CARVILLE: And he may very well. And I agree with you. I think...

CARLSON: Well, then why not just say, I want to scratch. I'm not going to lie about it. Here I am scratching a little bit?

CARVILLE: You know, I think -- it's not like Bush saying he's going to do something about Social Security and then walking away from it. I mean, let's put it in the kind of realm of things. Bush tells really big lies, not little lies!

CARLSON: Speaking of hypocrisy...

CARVILLE: Like saying he's a big environmentalist president (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CARLSON: James, you disagree with what he said he was going to do.

CARVILLE: I think, no...

CARLSON: You disagree with...

CARVILLE: No, ne not only -- not only do I disagree with it, he didn't tell the truth.

CARLSON: Speaking of hypocrisy.

CARVILLE: No hypocrisy? Tell a trillion dollar lie. Let me finish.

CARLSON: How do we get on to Bush's environmental record?

(CROSS TALK) CARVILLE: But continuing what I was saying, he's in a kind of political thing. And your guy pilfers away $2 trillion out of Social Security trust fund and you decide to keep him in there. And you're acting like there's something terrible about this.

CARLSON: I've heard this argument before. None of the other guys do it. They do it worse. They're bad, too.

CARVILLE: You're right. Joe Lieberman would like to run for president. Absolutely.

CARLSON: I hope he does. Good luck, Joe.