AP - Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, a moderate often at odds with GOP conservatives, disclosed Wednesday that the leader of Senate Democrats sounded him out about switching parties in the aftermath of President Bush's re-election.

At a news conference Tuesday shortly after his election as party leader, Reid twice refused to answer questions asking about his relationship with Chafee.

Why? Can't Harry Reid tell reporters, "Well, we'd certainly love to have Lincoln Chafee on our side of the aisle. He's always been the kind of pragmatic, moderate legislator that increasingly has no voice in the Republican party and leadership, and we'd love to welcome him into our caucus for his ideas. His voting record is closer to ours than to the Republican leadership, and that's what his home state of Rhode Island wants. We're happy to talk to anyone interested in advancing good legislation that's got no chance with extremist Republicans."

Does he think he's the majority leader-in-exile?