Joe Lieberman, who was a former U.S. Senator from Connecticut and came close to becoming the vice president with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election, has died, according to a statement from his family.
Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday at the age of 82 due to complications from a fall, as stated in the announcement.
The former Democrat, who became an independent, was not hesitant to diverge from the party's stance.
Lieberman's independent behavior, including his criticism of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in the 2008 contest, irked many Democrats, although his support for various rights and environmental causes occasionally earned him praise from liberals.
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat, described Lieberman as a unique figure who fought for what he believed in and for his beloved state.
In recent years, Lieberman played a key role in leading No Labels, a moderate third-party movement that aims to present presidential and vice presidential candidates. Some Democratic-aligned groups oppose this effort, fearing it may assist the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in winning the presidency.
Lieberman came very close to winning the vice presidency in the contentious 2000 election, which was ultimately decided in George W. Bush's favor by a 537-vote margin in Florida after a lengthy recount, legal battles, and a Supreme Court ruling.
He was the first national Democrat to publicly denounce President Bill Clinton for his affair with a White House intern.
Lieberman ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 but withdrew after performing poorly in the early primaries. Four years later, he nearly became McCain's running mate as an independent due to their close friendship and shared hawkish positions on military and national security matters.
McCain was strongly considering Lieberman for the 2008 GOP ticket, but ultimately chose Sarah Palin at the last minute following strong backlash from conservatives over Lieberman's liberal record, according to Steve Schmidt, who managed McCain’s campaign.
In 1998, Lieberman caused controversy by publicly rebuking his longtime friend Clinton for his behavior during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. However, he later voted against Clinton's impeachment.
Lieberman defended his party switches as a matter of conscience, stating that he always prioritized the interests of Connecticut voters. Critics accused him of pursuing narrow self-interest and political expediency.
When Joe Lieberman announced his retirement from the Senate in 2013, he admitted that he didn't always fit into typical political categories and believed that his main duty was to serve his constituents, state, and country, rather than his political party. He had a difficult relationship with Democrats.
In his final Senate speech, Lieberman encouraged Congress to look beyond party divisions and political conflict to overcome the deadlock in Washington.
Lieberman stated, "It requires reaching across the aisle and finding partners from the opposite party." He emphasized the urgent need for this in Washington.
Harry Reid, the former Senate Democratic leader, once mentioned that even though he didn't always agree with the independent-minded Lieberman, he admired him.
Harry Reid expressed, "Regardless of our differences, I have never doubted Joe Lieberman’s principles or his patriotism. And I respect his independent streak, as it stems from strong convictions."
Some Democrats privately criticized Lieberman for crossing party lines, considering it disloyal. He left his party and became an independent after losing the 2006 Senate primary in Connecticut.
Lieberman’s strong support for the Iraq War damaged his popularity across the state. Democrats rejected Lieberman and selected a political newcomer, Ned Lamont, who opposed the war, in the 2006 primary. However, Lieberman went on to win re-election as an independent.
Following Joe Lieberman's retirement, Lamont expressed his condolences and mentioned that they eventually became friends after a tough race.
“While the senator and I had our political differences, he was a man of integrity and conviction, so our debate about the Iraq War was serious,” Lamont said. “I believe we agreed to disagree from a position of principal.”
Stating his condolences, Lamont added, "When the race was over, we stayed in touch as friends in the best traditions of American democracy. He will be missed."
Despite opposition from Democratic leaders and friends, Lieberman successfully ran for re-election as an independent and received support from some Republican allies. He gained praise from the White House and help with fundraising from prominent Republicans, such as then-New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who later ran as an independent.
Lieberman emphasized his experience in the Senate and his influence in Congress as a major strength, emphasizing that he would vigorously advocate for the state’s defense jobs and its fair share of federal funding. This approach proved to be successful.
Lieberman won re-election for a fourth term, even though many Democratic allies and long-time friends, including former Sen. Chris Dodd, backed Lamont. Lieberman was open about feeling betrayed by old friends like Dodd, but they later reconciled.
Nick Balletto, a long-time friend and former chairman of the Connecticut Democratic Party, acknowledged that many ordinary Democrats were unhappy with Lieberman but recognized the former senator's dedication to public service and the state.
“He was the most genuine, honest, straightforward, politician you’d probably ever meet. What you saw is what you got,” said Balletto. “His issues were the issues of the people.”
After winning re-election in 2006, Lieberman chose to join the Democrats in the Senate. They allowed him to lead a committee because they needed his vote to maintain control of the closely divided chamber. However, it didn't take long for Lieberman to start showing his independent side and upsetting his Democratic colleagues in the caucus.
Even though the Democrats allowed him to join their group as an independent, Lieberman strongly supported McCain in the 2008 presidential race.
Lieberman's speech at the 2008 GOP presidential convention, where he criticized Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, deeply upset many Democrats.
Lieberman portrayed Obama as a political figure who is all talk and little substance, with few notable achievements in the Senate despite being a skilled speaker.
“While Senator Obama has been in the Senate for 3 1/2 years, he has not worked across party lines to achieve anything significant, nor has he been willing to challenge powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party to accomplish something,” Lieberman stated at the convention.
“Speaking well is not a replacement for having a proven track record,” he stated.
Lieberman campaigned vigorously for McCain across the country, which many Democrats saw as a betrayal to Obama and his former party colleagues.
“Joe Lieberman has made completely irresponsible comments about Barack Obama,” House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said in a radio interview during the 2008 race.
After the election, there were rumors that Senate Democrats might remove Lieberman from his role as chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee as payback. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chair of the Judiciary Committee, was among those who said Lieberman should lose his chairmanship. Leahy criticized Lieberman’s attacks on Obama as “unacceptable.
However, at Obama’s request, Senate Democrats chose not to punish Lieberman for supporting McCain and the GOP ticket. Obama wanted to promote a bipartisan approach for his presidency, and letting Lieberman off the hook helped reinforce that message.
However, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent and strong liberal, called it a “disrespectful gesture” toward the millions of Americans who supported Obama.
Lieberman was known in the Senate for his strong views on foreign policy, his support for defense, and his strong backing of environmental causes.
Five weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, he became one of the first politicians to advocate for the removal of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and later voted in favor of the military invasion of Iraq. His vocal support for the war would later contribute to his loss in the 2006 Connecticut Democratic primary.
Lieberman typically sided with Democrats on most matters and had long been a supporter of abortion rights, a position that might have caused issues with conservatives if McCain had chosen him as his running mate in 2008.
He played a significant role in the legislation that established the Department of Homeland Security.
Lieberman grew up in Stamford, Connecticut, where his father managed a liquor store. He graduated from Yale University and Yale Law School in New Haven. Serving as Connecticut’s attorney general from 1983 to 1988, he was a strong advocate for consumer and environmental issues. Lieberman entered the Senate by defeating moderate Republican incumbent Lowell Weicker in 1988.
After he left the Senate in 2013, Lieberman joined a law firm in New York City. His funeral is scheduled for Friday at Congregation Agudath Sholom in his hometown of Stamford. A separate memorial service will be announced later.
Lieberman and his wife, Hadassah, have four children.
