Political dignitaries, family and friends are gathering Friday to honor the late Joe Lieberman at a funeral service in Stamford, Connecticut, the hometown of the four-term U.S. senator who grew up as the son of a liquor store owner and came within hundreds of votes of becoming the first Jewish vice president in 2000. Lieberman died Wednesday in New York City from complications from a fall, according to his family. He was 82.
Quick Read
- Honoring Joe Lieberman: A funeral service for Joe Lieberman, the four-term U.S. senator and 2000 vice-presidential candidate, will take place in Stamford, Connecticut, commemorating his life and legacy.
- Passing and Legacy: Lieberman passed away at 82 due to complications from a fall. He grew up in Stamford as the son of a liquor store owner and became a prominent political figure, nearly achieving the milestone of becoming the first Jewish vice president.
- Funeral Service Details: The service is scheduled at Congregation Agudath Sholom, a significant place in Lieberman’s early religious life and upbringing.
- Distinguished Attendees: Notable figures including former Vice President Al Gore, former Senator Chris Dodd, current Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, and Governor Ned Lamont are expected to attend. A public memorial will be planned for a later date.
- Political Journey: Known for his pragmatic and independent approach, Lieberman, a Democrat who later ran as an independent, was recognized for his moderate stance on various issues, alongside a firm position on military and national security.
- Tributes and Remembrance: President Joe Biden, alongside other political peers, praised Lieberman for his principled and steadfast nature, highlighting his dedication to public service and his faith.
- 2000 Presidential Election: Lieberman’s vice-presidential candidacy in 2000 marked a significant moment in American political history, coming close to the vice presidency in a highly contested election.
- Post-Senate Career: In recent years, Lieberman was involved with No Labels, a centrist third-party movement aiming to introduce candidates for the upcoming presidential election.
- Family: Lieberman is survived by his wife, Hadassah, and their four children, leaving behind a legacy of public service and dedication to his values and beliefs.
The Associated Press has the story:
Form. US Sen. Joe Lieberman, VP candidate to be remembered at hometown funeral service
Newslooks- STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) —
Political dignitaries, family and friends are gathering Friday to honor the late Joe Lieberman at a funeral service in Stamford, Connecticut, the hometown of the four-term U.S. senator who grew up as the son of a liquor store owner and came within hundreds of votes of becoming the first Jewish vice president in 2000.
Lieberman died Wednesday in New York City from complications from a fall, according to his family. He was 82.
Services will be held at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford. For Lieberman, a self-described observant Jew who followed the rules of the Jewish Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, the congregation played a key role early on in his life.
He once recalled how the congregation’s former synagogue building was “a place that gave me the first sense of religion; a very special uplift,” according to a posting on the congregation’s website.
“I feel very lucky — my adherence to the Jewish tradition is really an asset,” he said. “Religious Catholics and Protestants find a bond of common value with my beliefs and stand. It is this that makes me so proud of being an American.”
Former Vice President Al Gore, who tapped Lieberman as his 1980 presidential running mate, was expected to attend the services Friday morning along with top Connecticut Democrats including former Sen. Chris Dodd, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Gov. Ned Lamont, Lieberman’s one-time rival for the Senate seat. A second public memorial is expected to be held at a future date.
Lieberman, a former state Senate leader and attorney general, was known for his pragmatic, independent streak. A moderate Democrat who ended up running as an independent to win a fourth term in the Senate, Lieberman came close to becoming Republican John McCain’s running mate in 2008. However, conservatives balked at the idea of tapping Lieberman, who was known for supporting gay rights, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental causes while taking a hawkish stand on military and national security matters.
President Joe Biden on Thursday called Lieberman a friend, someone who was “principled, steadfast and unafraid to stand up for what he thought was right.”
“Joe believed in a shared purpose of serving something bigger than ourselves,” Biden, who served 20 years in the Senate with Lieberman, said in his statement. “He lived the values of his faith as he worked to repair the wounds of the world.”
Lieberman came tantalizingly close to winning the vice presidency in the contentious 2000 presidential contest that was decided by a 537-vote margin victory for George W. Bush over Gore in Florida after a drawn-out recount, legal challenges and a Supreme Court decision. He was the first Jewish candidate on a major party’s presidential ticket.
Over the last decade, Lieberman helped lead No Labels, a centrist third-party movement that has said it will offer as-yet-unnamed candidates for president and vice president this year. Some groups aligned with Democrats oppose the effort, fearing it will help presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump win the White House.
Lieberman and his wife, Hadassah, have four children.
