Lieberman Talks About McCain, Hamas, and the Democrats

Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman made history in 2000 when, as Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore's running mate, he became the first person of the Jewish faith on a national ticket. Four years later, Lieberman's own run for the White House ended quickly. And by 2006, rejected by home state Democrats angered by his support for the Iraq war, Lieberman ran as an Independent—or an "Independent Democrat," as he says—and won his fourth term in the Senate.

Senator Joe Lieberman

(Fred Beckham/AP)

Today, Lieberman, who continues to caucus with Senate Democrats, is still making news and riling his former party. In December, he endorsed Republican John McCain for president. Lieberman has been a frequent campaigning partner with a man whom he calls a dear friend and who shares his deep commitment to the war in Iraq and a hard-line foreign policy. During an interview Thursday in his Senate office, Lieberman told U.S. News that he has no regrets about breaking from the Democrats and said he never contemplated endorsing any of the Dems who joined the race for president this year.

Lieberman also staunchly defended as "legitimate" McCain's efforts to make a campaign issue out of a Hamas spokesman's statement that a Barack Obama presidency would be welcomed. And he characterized as "apt" President Bush's assertion yesterday in Israel, during a speech marking that country's 60th anniversary, that holding discussions with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would be tantamount to appeasing a leader like Hitler. The analogy was widely interpreted as a swipe at Democratic front-runner Obama, who has said only that he would be willing to talk with the nation's enemies.

Lieberman appeared energized, though he dismissed any talk about his future if McCain wins the White House (there have been whispers of a cabinet position). He says he won't change his independent status and plans to run again for Senate "unless you hear me say I'm not."

Excerpts:

Your endorsement of Sen. McCain is viewed, obviously, as a big break from the Democratic Party. Why Sen. McCain?
It is a break. What I did I understand is unusual—not unusual for regular people—it's unusual for elected officials. There's no question that I felt the liberation to do this post-2006 because I got elected as an independent and I feel very fortunate to be back as a senator. I love this work. This is an important election, tremendous challenges from the world, big problems here at home. So who do I think is the best to do this job? My original answer to the question who was I going to support is I'd wait and see who the two parties nominated, then support who I thought was the best regardless of party. John called me right after Thanksgiving and in classic McCain style, said, "Joe, buddy, it's not that I want to get you in any more trouble than you're already in, but I think you'd really help me if you endorse me." I know him very well, we're very close friends, we've worked on a lot of things together—national security, climate change, ethics reform. I have great trust in him, and I'm very moved particularly by his constant willingness to do two things: Take on the status quo andwork across party lines. I called him back, and I said I decided if I wait until there's two nominees, I may not have the choice of supporting the person who I really think is best.

Do you find the two Democratic candidates deficient in some way?
I don't know if I'd put it that way. Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama have taken positions, particularly on foreign policy and on international economic policy—they've become very anti-trade, that I think they're just not right or good for our country. They're kind of competing with each other to see who can get us to retreat from Iraq the fastest.

You're not convinced by Sen. Obama's promises to work across the aisle?
I like both of them. I have great admiration for Sen. Clinton and Obama. But Sen. Obama talks about change, but honestly, at least in his 3½ years here since I've known him, he hasn't really brought about much change to speak of. He hasn't really worked across party lines. So he could say it, but John has brought about change.

In West Virginia in particular, the issue of race was exploited in the Democratic primary, as it had been at times earlier in the primary season. As the first person of Jewish faith to run on a national ticket and with the associated worries about discrimination, how do you feel about the race card being played?
McCain will never tilt toward racial feelings. One of the things I admire about John, [is that], in my opinion, he's totally unbiased. I certainly didn't want anybody to vote against me because of my religion, and I didn't want anybody to vote for me because of my religion either. I feel that will be the case here. Sen. Obama's a very smart person and very able, and this should be a contest of ideas, records, visions for the future.