Sen. Joe Lieberman lived up to his repu tation for principled, independent stands yesterday – breaking ranks with Democrats to endorse Republican Sen. John McCain for president.
Though he and McCain have worked together on many issues over the years, Lieberman’s unusual move clearly is based on one overriding issue: the war on “Islamist terrorism,” as Lieberman put it – a matter on which the two senators have been among the most stalwart.
Both, to be specific, have understood the importance of America’s campaign in Iraq and have staunchly backed its goals (if not always every aspect of its execution) – despite intense political flak.
“When others wavered,” said Lieberman, “when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the courage and the common sense to stand against the tide of public opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning.”
Actually, the same could be said about the senator from Connecticut, who risked his re-election last year on his continued support (the lone Democrat to do so) for the US mission in Iraq – because he believed it was the right thing to do.
Lieberman, of course, has been an Independent Democrat, with heavy emphasis on “independent,” since losing the Democratic primary to far-left anti-war candidate Ned Lamont, only to win the general election on a third-party line.
But it’s still remarkable for someone who once served as his party’s vice-presidential nominee to cross the political aisle on a presidential endorsement.
That speaks volumes about Lieberman as well as McCain.
Both men have shown themselves willing, when necessary, to put aside what the Connecticut senator yesterday rightly termed “the reflexive partisanship that is poisoning our politics.”
Lieberman, of course, has largely remained true to the principles on which he was first elected to the Senate in 1988. It’s the Democratic Party that’s hurtled leftward, especially on foreign affairs.
Not surprisingly, his endorsement of McCain already has many Dems gnashing their teeth. But, as he put it yesterday, “no one should let party lines be a barrier to choosing the person we believe is best qualified to lead our nation forward.”
As for McCain, who’s been struggling to jumpstart his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, it turned out to be a pretty good weekend. Before winning Lieberman’s backing, he picked up a couple of critical newspaper endorsements in the run-up to the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.
It’s still far too early for this page to be endorsing a presidential candidate. But Lieberman’s blessing of McCain certainly accrues to the Arizona senator’s credit.
More important, though, it speaks volumes about the man who made that endorsement – one of the few people left in Washington who consistently puts the national interest ahead of his own political needs.