Independent Lieberman upends political world

Conn. senator wooed, criticized

McCain backer Joseph Lieberman will address the GOP convention. (MARY ALTAFFER/AP FILE PHOTO)

WASHINGTON - Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut independent, sits in a position of extraordinary power in the presidential campaign, simultaneously courted and detested by members of both political parties.

Democrats court him because he holds the balance of power in the US Senate. A registered Democrat, Lieberman won reelection as an independent and would shift control of the Senate to Republicans if he declared himself a member of the GOP. But many Democrats are appalled that their 2000 vice presidential candidate is now a visible and vocal supporter of Republican John McCain, and that his name is even being bandied about as a possible running mate.

Yesterday, Democratic anger escalated after the GOP announced that Lieberman will deliver a major address to its convention. At the "Lieberman Must Go" website, 52,000 people have signed a petition seeking his ouster from the Democratic caucus, and many leave comments that call him a turncoat - or worse.

Republicans curry favor with Lieberman because they like the idea of a self-described "Independent Democrat" urging other independent-minded voters - a bloc that McCain probably needs to win in November - to support the Arizona senator.

But many Republicans dislike Lieberman's positions on many issues, including his support of abortion rights. Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, while calling Lieberman a "fine guy," warned this week that the Republican Party would be torn apart if Lieberman became McCain's running mate.

Lieberman, who is on a fact-finding trip to the war-torn former Soviet republic of Georgia, could not be reached for comment yesterday. He told the Associated Press: "I'm going to the Republican convention not to attack the Democratic candidate, but to explain to the American people why I support John McCain. Senator McCain asked me to do it, and I strongly support him."

The speaking role in St. Paul on Sept. 1 marks the latest step in a highly unconventional political journey for Lieberman, who, if the Florida vote had gone the other way in the 2000 presidential election, could be in his eighth year as vice president, perhaps preparing to accept the Democratic nomination as president.

After his turn as Al Gore's running mate in 2000, Lieberman broke with his party, mostly over his continued support for the Iraq war. That maverick streak is a large part of his appeal and affinity with McCain, for whom he has campaigned often.

Chris Lehane, a former Gore aide, said yesterday that many Democrats are appalled at Lieberman's support for McCain and his willingness to criticize Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, recalling that Lieberman often rejected the role of attack dog in the 2000 campaign.

"What he refused to do on behalf of the Democratic ticket," Lieberman is "now willing to do on behalf of the Republican Party," said Lehane, who now works as a Democratic consultant.

While Lieberman promotes McCain's experience in foreign affairs, he also questions Obama's readiness to be president. In comments quoted on McCain's website, Lieberman accuses Obama of having made up his mind about the Iraq war before his July visit.

"It's just not what we want in a president," Lieberman said. "He's going to Iraq, but he's already decided his position. He's not going to listen to [General David] Petraeus. He's not going to listen to our troops. . . . I think that's not the kind of leadership we need in the Oval Office."

Lieberman called Senate majority leader Harry Reid Tuesday night to inform him that he would be speaking at the GOP convention, Reid spokesman Jim Manley said. Reid told Lieberman that he has "strong concerns about McCain's qualifications to be president," Manley said.

Nonetheless, Lieberman plans to continue to caucus with the Democrats, which would ensure that Reid continues as majority leader. The Senate is evenly divided, 49 to 49 between Democrats and Republicans, with independents Lieberman and Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist from Vermont who votes with Democrats, holding the balance of power. "Senator Lieberman has always been there for Senator Reid, even on close votes, except for Iraq," Manley said.

Republicans invited another Democrat, former senator Zell Miller of Georgia, to their convention four years ago, and he used the stage to criticize the Democratic ticket as weak on defense.

Lieberman's estrangement from Democrats grew after his 2006 reelection campaign, when he was defeated by an antiwar primary challenger, Ned Lamont, who received the support of most of the party establishment. Lieberman then ran as an independent in the fall and won.

The focus on Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew who was the first of his faith to be on a major-party ticket, comes as Republicans have had increasing success among Jewish voters, some of whom remain skeptical of Obama. President Bush won 19 percent of the Jewish vote in 2000 and 25 percent in 2004.

Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, said Republicans hope to win an even greater percentage of the Jewish vote this year, which he said could help determine the outcome of the race in such big swing states as Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He cited Jewish concerns about the security of Israel at a time when "we face a very real threat in global terror, threats from radical Islam, nuclear Iran."

Lieberman has cited such concerns in explaining why he supports McCain. Brooks said that Lieberman represents "the coalition of Republicans and Independents and conservative Democrats that ultimately will elect John McCain in the fall."

However, Steve Rabinowitz, a board member of the National Jewish Democratic Council, said most Jews will continue to vote Democratic, regardless of Lieberman's position. "There was phenomenal excitement when Gore picked Lieberman in 2000," he said. "It was an extraordinary moment in American Jewish history, but now that is ancient history."

Michael Kranish can be reached at kranish@globe.com.