Joe Lieberman, the first Jewish vice-presidential nominee of a major party, has passed away at the age of 82. His political career reached its peak when he was chosen as the running mate for Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore in 2000. Lieberman was a mainstream Democrat on many issues but was known for his independent streak. He will be remembered as one of the last major bipartisan statesmen in Washington before the era of extreme polarization.
Lieberman’s political evolution began to accelerate after the September 11, 2001 attacks, as his hawkish foreign policy views put him at odds with the Democratic Party. He supported the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, a position that further distanced him from the party’s core base voters. Despite losing the Democratic primary for his Senate seat in 2006, Lieberman ran as an independent and won the election, returning to the Senate.
In 2008, Lieberman caused more controversy by appearing at the Republican National Convention in support of his friend, Arizona Sen. John McCain. He criticized Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama as inexperienced, causing further backlash from his party. Some Democrats viewed his actions as treachery and a betrayal. However, McCain later admitted that he wished he had chosen Lieberman as his vice-presidential nominee instead of Sarah Palin.
Lieberman’s move to the right was a surprising political reinvention, but it may have been foreshadowed by his condemnation of President Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky in 1998. Despite alienating some Democrats, Lieberman’s speech was instrumental in Al Gore’s decision to choose him as his running mate. His proud observance of his Orthodox Jewish faith and willingness to make exceptions for important votes, such as walking five miles to the US Capitol in 2009, added to his legacy.
In his later years, Lieberman continued to anger Democrats by founding the No Labels Group, which considered an independent presidential ticket that could potentially impact the votes for Democratic candidates. His dedication to bipartisan efforts and his criticism of partisan politics in Washington were central themes of his farewell speech to the Senate in 2012. Lieberman’s legacy as a political figure who straddled party lines and remained true to his principles will be remembered in Washington for years to come.
