Joe Lieberman, the ex-US Senator and former Vice-Presidential candidate, passed away following an injury from a fall last night. His age was 82. The official announcement from the family: “Joseph I. Lieberman, a former United States Senator, passed away this afternoon on March 27, 2024, in New York City as a result of complications arising from a fall.” He was 82 years of age. His cherished spouse, Hadassah, and relatives were present by his side when he departed.
Senator Lieberman’s unwavering devotion to God, his family, and America persisted throughout his lifetime of dedicated service in the pursuit of the common good. The funeral of Senator Lieberman is scheduled to take place on Friday, March 29, 2024, at Congregation Agudath Sholom in his hometown of Stamford, CT. A supplementary commemorative ceremony will be disclosed at a subsequent time.
During the middle of his 24-year tenure in the Senate, Lieberman was selected as Al Gore’s vice presidential candidate for the 2000 presidential election. The ticket narrowly lost one of the most closely contested elections in American history. “According to the authors of ‘Jews in American Politics,’ there had never been a Jewish person who aspired to such a high-ranking position.” “The nomination has fundamentally altered the perception of the potential for Jewish candidates in political office, permanently,” they stated.
After four years, he attempted to secure the Democratic candidacy for president but was unsuccessful. Lieberman has a reputation for being a strong advocate for aggressive foreign policies. He played a key role in the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, which was founded as a response to the terrorist events on September 11, 2001. His inclination to associate himself with two Republican colleagues, Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, especially in matters of American military strategy in Iraq, resulted in him losing his party’s Senate nomination in 2006. However, he managed to secure reelection as an independent candidate.
McCain contemplated selecting Lieberman as his vice presidential candidate for the 2008 GOP presidential campaign, but he was convinced by Republicans who were concerned that it would create division within the party. McCain expressed unwavering faith, admiration, and effective collaboration with Joe in his book “The Restless Wave.” “I maintain my belief that a McCain-Lieberman ticket, despite potential opposition within the party, would have been perceived by the majority of Americans as a sincere attempt to unite the country and bring about positive change.”
Before and following 2008, Lieberman would frequently accompany Graham and McCain on international journeys, to uncover and highlight instances of injustice and despotic rulers across the world. In September 2018, Lieberman recounted a journey with McCain toward the end of his life. Lieberman described McCain as saying, “Joey, you, Lindsey, and I have traveled to destinations that are inaccessible to billionaires.” In 2023, Lieberman resurfaced as the prominent representative of No Labels, a political movement aimed at providing Americans with an alternative choice in elections. This choice is intended to promote politeness and foster harmony in the political process.
Joseph Isadore Lieberman was born on February 24, 1942, in Stamford, Connecticut. He is the son of a proprietor of a liquor store. Having received his education at Yale, he gained professional experience by working as a summer intern for Sen. Abraham Ribicoff and the Democratic National Committee. In 1967, three years after graduating from Yale Law School, he was elected to the Connecticut State Senate. Lieberman held the position for ten years and thereafter served as the state’s attorney general for six years (1983-88). According to “Jews in American Politics,” he pursued different individuals who were considered to be morally or socially undesirable, such as environmental polluters, negligent parents, and public utility companies.
In 1988, he contested against Sen. Lowell Weicker, a progressive Republican known for his independent thinking, and gained advantages, not for the final time, due to his alignment with the Republican Party on certain issues. William F. Buckley Jr., a well-known conservative columnist and TV broadcaster who strongly disliked Weicker, endorsed him. Lieberman emerged victorious with a margin of just over 10,000 votes. “The individuals who cast their votes in my favor were expressing their gratitude, Lowell, for your 18 years of service, but they believe it is now appropriate for a fresh face to take over,” he stated on the night of the election.
While there were previous Jewish figures in the Senate, Lieberman stood out as distinct and exceptional. Being an Orthodox Jew, he observed the Sabbath, refraining from engaging in any business activities starting from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. “Religion is an intimately personal and influential aspect of our lives,” stated Hadassah Lieberman, his second wife, in a 1988 profile of him published in the Chicago Tribune. During Friday nights and Saturdays, he refrains from engaging in any political activities.
“That is a factor that promotes balance and stability.” Lieberman later authored a book titled “The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath,” which praised the benefits of taking a break from worldly worries for one day each week. The newcomer swiftly established a reputation for being quite independent. The Almanac of American Politics praised Joseph Lieberman for his significant influence during his first term, which exceeded his level of seniority, committee position, and political power. This influence was attributed to his respected independence of thought, courteous demeanor, and unwavering commitment to causes he supports.
In August 2000, he was selected as Al Gore’s vice presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket. Lieberman’s role in assisting Gore was perceived as providing a counterpoint to the scandals that occurred during President Bill Clinton’s tenure. Lieberman had previously expressed disapproval of Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky controversy, which ultimately resulted in Clinton’s impeachment. The Wall Street Journal noted that Lieberman is the Democrats’ closest counterpart to an anti-Clinton figure.
Democrats had expectations that Lieberman may enhance Jewish support for Gore in Florida. The chosen emphasis proved to be exceedingly fitting, as the two factions, having almost evenly distributed the remaining electoral votes of the nation, engaged in a protracted legal dispute following the conclusion of the election, namely on Florida’s pivotal 25 votes. In the end, Republicans George W. Bush and Dick Cheney became the occupants of the White House, while Lieberman regained his position in the Senate with increased prominence.
In response to the 9/11 events, Lieberman proposed legislation to establish a Department of Homeland Security. Bush first expressed opposition to it, but later presented his own version that extensively included elements from Lieberman’s proposal. “I believe that it will provide us with immediate assistance,” Lieberman stated upon the signing of the measure in November 2002. He fervently endorsed Bush’s additional endeavors to counter terrorism, which encompassed the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Following Gore’s decision not to seek re-election, Lieberman initiated a campaign for the presidency. Although he was not the initial prominent Jewish contender for presidency, as Pennsylvania Governor Milton Shapp had previously made an awkward attempt at securing the Democratic nomination in 1976, he appeared to be the first with a realistic chance of winning. “I will not hesitate to express my disagreement with my friends and acknowledge the correctness of my opponents,” he stated upon joining the conflict on January 13, 2003.
Lieberman’s 2004 attempt to become president was unsuccessful. He placed fifth by a significant margin, trailing behind fellow New England Democrats John Kerry (who eventually became the nominee) and Howard Dean, in New Hampshire. Additionally, he never garnered more than 11 percent of the vote in any state. His bid for office concluded in early February.
One factor that impeded his progress in the 2004 primary was his proximity to Republicans, specifically his endorsement of the progressively unpopular Iraq War. In the subsequent Connecticut election, Ned Lamont, a businessman, defeated him in the Democratic Senate primary in August 2006 by a margin of 10,000 votes. Unfazed, Lieberman persevered as an independent. “If the citizens of Connecticut are kind enough to reelect me to Washington as an independent Democrat, I assure them that I will persist in advocating for progressive novel concepts and bolstering national security,” he stated.
In November, Lieberman decisively triumphed over Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger, who experienced a significant lack of support from prominent figures within the GOP, such as Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich, who instead favored Lieberman. “Did we ever falter in our convictions or in our mission?” inquired a victorious Lieberman to his followers on the night of the election.
Despite his ongoing affiliation with the Democratic party in the Senate, he made the decision in 2008 to support McCain as the presidential candidate instead of the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama. During his speech at the Republican National Convention, he expressed the following statement: “I am present here tonight because John McCain’s entire life serves as evidence to a significant truth: While being a Democrat or a Republican holds importance, it pales in comparison to the significance of being an American.”
Lieberman ceased working in 2012. One of his final notable positions was opposing the inclusion of a public option in the Affordable Care Act, a key legislation of President Obama. This attitude resulted in Democratic strategist Paul Begala labeling him as “Traitor Joe” in a state of resentment. In Sen. Sherrod Brown’s book “Desk 88,” it is stated that Lieberman was responsible for obstructing a provision in the Obamacare plan that would have allowed anyone aged 55 and older to purchase Medicare.
In addition, he spearheaded initiatives alongside Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) to eliminate limitations on homosexuals serving in the United States military. “We rectified an injustice,” Lieberman stated following a Senate vote of 65-31 in December 2010. In 2011, he proposed a strategy to reduce the deficit, but received little support from both political parties. Following his departure from the Senate, Lieberman became a member of the American Enterprise Institute, which is a conservative think organization. “At the time, he expressed the importance of urgently establishing a bipartisan, and even non-political, agreement for American dominance in global diplomacy, economy, and military affairs,” he stated.
Lieberman’s endorsement of President Donald Trump on several matters stemmed from his pro-Israel stance and his disapproval of the Iran nuclear deal, despite his previous support for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. When President Trump need a new director for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2017, the name of Lieberman was brought up as a potential candidate.
In May 2018, he accompanied Trump to a ceremony commemorating the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. “I express my gratitude to President Trump for his decision,” he stated. Subsequently, he delivered a eulogy for McCain, expressing admiration for his unwavering commitment to American principles, bidding him farewell with the words “Godspeed, dear friend.” “May celestial beings serenade you to your everlasting abode,” he ended.
Lieberman consistently maintained strong support for Israel. In a recent publication, he penned a critical article in the Wall Street Journal, lambasting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s statement that Israel should replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as its leader. “Although Mr. Schumer’s statement certainly pleased American critics of Israel,” he wrote, “for the Israelis it was devoid of significance, unnecessary, and disrespectful.”
