"You are a liberal Congressman with a liberal voting record," Mr. Pressler declared.

After graduation, he became the assistant director for the re-election campaign of Father Robert Drinan, a liberal Democratic Congressman from suburban Boston.

Mr. Leland, a liberal Congressman from Houston, toured the campsite today, looking with some amusement at the aging clunkers in the convoy.

"He's a liberal Congressman in a liberal district," he said.

When addressing liberal government programs, however, being a liberal Congressman means never having to say you're sorry.

"We see where the public is," said one liberal Democratic Congressman.

Some of Mr. Mitchell's popularity seemed to rub off on the 41-year-old liberal Congressman, who was elected twice to the House with large majorities.

"This is an obviously political hatchet job commissioned by a liberal Democratic Congressman and written by a junior professor," Mr. Clegg said.

Some of Mr. Mitchell's popularity seemed likely to rub off on the 41-year-old liberal Congressman.

Good for Barney Frank, the unquestionably liberal Congressman from Massachusetts, for reminding other liberals that they're not pariahs.