The death of Joseph Lieberman’s quest to become the United States’ first Jewish president had something of the atmosphere of a shiva: memories of good times on the campaign trail intermixed with hugs and disappointment at the campaign’s demise.
“I have decided tonight to end my quest for president of the United States of America,” the Connecticut senator said Tuesday night to a smattering of boos. “Am I disappointed, naturally. But am I proud of what we stood for in this campaign, you bet I am.”
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark won the Oklahoma primary by little more than 1,000 votes over Edwards.
Lieberman ended his candidacy in similar fashion to how it began a little more than a year ago, and to how he became a national figure as the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2000 — by speaking glowingly on the importance of his faith.
“Tomorrow, when I wake, the first words I will say are the first words I say every morning,” Lieberman said. “I will thank God for blessing me with another day of life, and I will pledge myself in the traditional words to serve the Lord during the day with as much gladness and purpose as I possibly can, to improve the world around me.”
He once again referred to God’s blessing Wednesday, when he officially announced his withdrawal at a news conference in his home state of Connecticut.
One of the loudest ovations at this hotel in Arlington, Va. was for Marcia Lieberman, the senator’s 89-year-old mother, who arrived on stage shortly before the candidate.
She and the rest of Lieberman’s family maintained smiles throughout the event, but the disappointment was obvious.
“The numbers are the numbers,” Barry Schochet, a Washington lawyer, said as he waited for Lieberman to enter. “The early momentum just took hold for Kerry.”
“I don’t understand how his message didn’t get out,” said Ellen Epstein, a businesswoman from Chevy Chase, Md. “Joe represented the center.”
Jewish supporters were angry that the Jewish community didn’t offer Lieberman its whole-hearted support.
“It’s very, very disappointing, the way the Jewish community as a community supported Joe Lieberman,” said Al Guttman, a Lieberman backer from Sarasota, Fla. “I don’t think the Jewish community has reached a comfort level in this country as much as all the other ethnic groups that have preceded it.”
According to exit polls, Lieberman did not capture the Jewish vote in either Delaware or Arizona. In Delaware, he garnered 29 percent of the Jewish vote, behind Kerry’s 40 percent. In Arizona, Kerry got 43 percent and Lieberman received 23 percent.
One Jewish supporter, who would not give his name, said he believed the community had missed an opportunity.
“Every Jewish kid between 18 and 25 should have been in New Hampshire last week,” the man said. “They should have been campaigning for him in the primary.”
“He never flinched from his beliefs,” Engel said. “He showed it’s possible for a Jewish candidate to run.”
Lieberman pledged to continue his work in the Senate — and, to the end, he stood firm in the belief that his message would resonate with the American public.
“I offered a mainstream voice, and I still believe that is the right choice and the winning choice for our party and our country,” he said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
