Joe Lieberman

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American politician, chosen by Al Gore on 8/07/2000 as a running mate for the Presidential race. Lieberman graduated from Yale in 1964 and earned his degree from Yale Law School in 1967. He was voted into the Connecticut state senate in 1970, where he served for a decade; he was state attorney general, 1983-88; U.S. Senate 1988 to present. Lieberman learned his sense of propriety growing up in Stamford, CT, the eldest of three kids born to a liquor-store owner and a housewife who taught their kids to value and honor work. The first Jew (devout and practicing) on a national ticket, a cultural conservative, he steps up to deliver firm opinions; one of the few Democrats who denounced Clinton's behavior as revolting and excoriating Hollywood purveyors of "trash." Lieberman supports abortion rights but voted against late-term abortions. He backs campaign finance limits and voted to allow lawsuits by women, minorities and the disabled against discrimination. He has backed anti-crime legislation and favors the death penalty. Lieberman voted for the use of force in Desert Storm. He has supported gay rights but voted against same-sex marriages, and has voted to expand the definition of hate crimes. He has backed a waiting period for gun sales and a ban on semiautomatic assault-type weapons. He has sought bipartisan agreement on plans to increase rights for consumer in health plans. He and his wife, Hadassah, (born March 1948) have one daughter, Hana (now 12); she has a son from a previous marriage. Lieberman has two children from a previous marriage, Matt, now 33 and Rebecca, 31 (in 2000). He and Betty amicably divorced in 1981 and he remarried two years later. The Democratic Convention started in Los Angeles on 8/14/2000, 1:32:38 PM PDT. Lieberman accepted his nomination on 8/17 at 5:40 PM PDT. Lieberman is the author of five books: "The Power Broker, 1966), a biography of the late Democratic Party chairman, John M. Bailey; "The Scorpion and the Tarantula," 1970, a study of early efforts to control nuclear proliferation; "The Legacy," 1981, a history of Connecticut politics from 1930-1980, "Child Support in America," 1986, a guidebook on methods to increase the collection of child support from delinquent fathers, and his latest book, "In Praise of Public Life," 2000. He was armed the running mate of Al Gore in the presidential contest of 2000. Elections were held on November 7, leading to one of the most dramatic and confusing contests ever witnessed. When the issue of uncounted ballots finally went to the Supreme Court, the conclusion was upheld on December 12 that Bush was the winner by a number of several hundred votes. On 12/13/2000, Al Gore made a gracious and stirring speech of concession to George W. Bush. On January 13, 2003 Lieberman entered the 2004 Presidential race for the Democratic nomination but, disappointed at his poor showing in all Democratic primaries, the Senator from Connecticut dropped out on February 3, 2004. Returning to his Senate post, he voted for the Iraq War and sided with President George Bush on some of the Republican administration's policies. His decision cost him at the polls. The Senator lost his bid to win the Connecticut Democratic Primary on August 8, 2006. In an attempt to keep his Senate seat, he ran in the general election on November 7, 2006 as an Independent and won the election. Link to Wikipedia biography Link to Astrodienst discussion forum