Joe Lieberman, Former US Senator and Vice-Presidential candidate, has died after a fall last night. He was 82.
Joe Lieberman Death: 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.
