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Upon returning from the Democratic Convention in Denver we find a political landscape that has drastically changed. In the course of just one week Sen. Barack Obama picked Sen. Joseph Biden as his vice presidential nominee while Sen. John McCain picked Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate. These two picks say a great deal about the judgment of each presidential candidate and about their understanding of the American Jewish community. Biden, of course, was the more conventional pick - especially for the Jewish community. The senior senator from Delaware is one of the most well-known and respected...

Double Down 06 Sep 2008 04:32 pm Bill Kristol on Sarah Palin. All he writes about in this piece of propaganda is electoral strategy and the people he hates in the media. In a week, he hasn't said a word about Sarah Palin's foreign policy views. I know she's being safely indoctrinated by Joe Liebermanand AIPAC as we speak, but the fact that Kristol, like the rest of us, has not yet been able to point to a single view of hers on foreign policy in her entire life, is eloquent enough.

Thank you for that warm welcome. I am honored to be here. We meet tonight in the wake of a terrible storm that has hit the Gulf Coast but that hurts all of us, because we are all members of our larger American family. At times like this, we set aside all that divides us, and we come together to help our fellow citizens in need. What matters is certainly not whether we are Democrats or Republicans, but that we are all Americans. The truth is, it shouldn’t take a hurricane to bring us together like this. Every day, across...

Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn) met January 2006 with some Orthodox leaders at the home of Milton Balkany, a rabbi whose legal troubles led President Bush's campaign and a New York mayoral candidate to return contributions linked to him. A well-connected political fund-raiser once dubbed the "Brooklyn Bundler" by the good-government watchdog group Common Cause, Balkany has been at the center of controversies dating back some years, which have led to various accusations but no criminal convictions. In August 2003, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York charged Rabbi Balkany, president and director of the Bais Yaakov School...

08/17/2000 Jay Nordlinger National Review EXCERPT I'm a little weary of the Liebermans' routine. Wednesday night was Joe-'n'-Hadassah night in LA (Dems 2000 convention), and if the country is falling in love with them, it is a strange country indeed. Mrs. L. introduced her husband, and she did it in her now-familiar very treacly style. The Liebermans have seemed awfully pleased with themselves, and with life, this month. Hadassah can't quite put a damper on her excitement, and neither can Joltin' Joe. She gushed her thanks for the Democrats' "support, enthusiasm, and love," which have been "overwhelming" (as though we...

August 10, 2000 John Fund The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board EXCERPT Joe Lieberman was chosen to fill out the Democratic ticket in part for his integrity and character. That's why it's unfortunate to see some of Al Gore already rubbing off on him. Senator Lieberman has managed to balance a voting record that was in line with the White House's position 89% of the time last year with an independent streak on key issues, such as private Social Security accounts and education vouchers. But when the Washington Times asked a Lieberman adviser if he still backed those ideas it...

8/17/00New York Post By John Podhoretz EXCERPT Joe Lieberman, the vice-presidential nominee, who has spent 10 days fleeing from his own convictions, last night (giving his VP speech) fled from the eloquence of his speech on the Senate floor two years ago denouncing Bill Clinton's immorality. Hanging around Al Gore seems to have reduced Lieberman to baby-boomer solipsism: In this speech, as in so many of his speeches these last 10 days, he treated his elevation not as the assumption of a solemn responsibility but like he won the Lotto. Excuse me, but what does all this sentimental Oscar-acceptance-speech junk...

For all the political intrigue surrounding his speech Tuesday night at the Republican National Convention, eight years after he accepted the Democratic vice-presidential nomination by excoriating the GOP for all manner of imagined evils, Sen. Joseph Lieberman addressed the convention not to advance bipartisanship or to put "country first," but to rescue his floundering political career. Knowing him as we do made his address difficult to watch because we knew nothing was as it appeared. Contrary to the ravings of the far left, Sen. Lieberman is a reflexive Northeast liberal Democrat and always will be. From his earliest days as...

HARTFORD — Political observers in Connecticut say U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman sealed his political fate but aren't sure what destiny awaits the self-styled independent Democrat. There is a sense in his home state that Lieberman either winds up in the White House cabinet or marginalized in the Senate for the next four years. "I think his political future entirely rests on the outcome of the presidential election," said Ken Dautrich, a professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut. Lieberman endorsed Republican John McCain and assailed Democrat Barack Obama in a televised speech Tuesday to the Republican National Convention....

Following is the speech that Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrats' candidate for vice president in 2000, prepared for delivery to the Republican Convention on Tuesday night.Thank you for that warm welcome. I am honored to be here. We meet tonight in the wake of a terrible storm that has hit the Gulf Coast but that hurts all of us, because we are all members of our larger American family. At times like this, we set aside all that divides us, and we come together to help our fellow citizens in need. What matters is certainly not whether we are Democrats...

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - While pundits roundly panned Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) convention speech on Tuesday as ineffective, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) seems to think it had sharp enough barbs to merit a statement. Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2000, repeatedly impugned Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) message of change and post-partisanship during an address that keynoted the GOP's first full day of convention activities. "Both presidential candidates this year talk about changing the culture of Washington," Lieberman said. "But only one of them has actually done it. Only one leader has shown the courage and the...

Democrats attack Lieberman, saying he lied to delegates (CNN) -- Democrats accused fellow lawmaker Sen. Joe Lieberman of misleading the Republican National Convention when he addressed them in a speech Tuesday night. A senior Barack Obama campaign adviser said Lieberman flat-out lied when he told delegates that Obama never successfully reached across party lines. "Joe Lieberman ought to be ashamed of himself for some of the things he said tonight, not as a Democrat but as an American," adviser Robert Gibbs said on "Larry King Live." Lieberman, an independent senator from Connecticut who was the Democratic vice presidential candidate alongside...

Barack Obama can’t dress up his record with fancy speeches, Independent Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman told the Republican National Convention audience Tuesday night in a stinging address that signaled politics was back in play after a muted start to festivities the day before. Lieberman, the Democratic vice presidential nominee just eight years ago, leaped over the partisan fence to deliver the remarks. His very presence in St. Paul was a message to undecided voters that McCain’s appeal crosses party lines. He urged those voters directly to support his colleague in the Senate, casting him as a seasoned and principled candidate...

Gore’s 2000 running mate says Obama would be a fine leader — later Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee in 2000, urged Democrats to cross party lines Tuesday night and cast their votes for Sen. John McCain of Arizona, telling they they could “always count on him to be straight with you about where he stands and to stand for what he thinks is right regardless of politics.” Lieberman, who is now officially an independent but continues to caucus with the Democrats, was addressing delegates at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., but he...

Here is video of Sen. Joe Lieberman giving a very strong appeal for Democrats and Independents to vote for John McCain for President at the Republican National Convention. Lieberman laid out the case for McCain as a reformer and as the only choice for Commander-in-Chief. Lieberman also made a direct appeal to fellow Democrats to not put party first this year, but to put "Country First" by voting for McCain. . . . (see video at link)

When the Democrat Convention was on,my wife said, "Come sit with me and watch this. I'll watch the Republican with you when they are on.""Okay, I'll try", I replied. I sat on the couch with her, but within a minute I had to leave.<>"sorry honey, I just can't do it. I have to go upstairs and puke." She laughed,saying, At least you tried.....'.so I wondered if the DUmmies were torturing themselves by watching the RNC --- and they were. I am sympathetic ... I somehow can relate to the rage they might be feeling, yet I enjoy watching them wretch...

Joe is giving an honorable speech, now addressing Democrats and Independents watching.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans relegated President Bush to a brief, offsite cameo at their national convention Tuesday night and awarded one-time Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman a prime-time speaking slot as they courted millions of independent voters essential to John McCain's presidential hopes.

Here is video of Sen. Joe Lieberman this morning explaining to CNN's John Roberts why he is speaking to the Republican National Convention tonight, and why he is voting for John McCain to be President. . . . (see video at link)

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) -- The Republican National Convention, cut back Monday because of Hurricane Gustav's arrival on the U.S. Gulf Coast, will resume a full schedule Tuesday, convention officials said. Republicans are holding their convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, this week.

WASHINGTON — In the end, the choice of his running mate said more about Senator John McCain and his image of himself than it did about Sarah Palin, the little-known governor of Alaska whose selection has shaken up the presidential race. For weeks, advisers close to the campaign said, Mr. McCain had wanted to name as his running mate his good friend Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, the Democrat turned independent. But by the end of last weekend, the outrage from Christian conservatives over the possibility that Mr. McCain would fill out the Republican ticket with Mr. Lieberman, a...

As John McCain prepares to announce his running mate on Friday in Dayton, Ohio, speculation is centering on candidates ranging from a former head of the Winter Olympics to an independent senator as the Arizona lawmaker's choice to help him take on Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the historic fall election. With the Democrats' convention winding down in Denver, the focus is shifting to the Republicans, who are scheduled begin their nominating convention in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday. There's a chance the convention could be postponed, however, if Tropical Storm Gustav turns into a hurricane and strikes the...

I'll start: ~~~~ "Could it be Cantor? posted at 1:00 pm on August 28, 2008 by Ed Morrissey The Fayetteville Observer reads a few tea leaves in the veepstakes and suggests that Eric Cantor may become the dark-horse finalist for John McCain’s running-mate. Cantor has not yet appeared on the convention schedule, which would seem strange for such a dynamic member of the House GOP’s leadership. He also represents a Virginia district, which could prove crucial to holding the state for the Republicans in November: Rep. Robin Hayes is predicting that Sen. John McCain will pick Rep. Eric Cantor of...

John McCain is poised to announce his vice-presidential running mate, hoping to steal the thunder of his rival Barack Obama, whom Republicans are mocking as an 'emperor' speaking on Thursday night at an 'Obamopolis'. The Republican candidate was due to appear with his vice-presidential pick at a rally in Dayton, Ohio on Friday morning, his 72nd birthday. But Republican officials intimated that a name might even be leaked just before Mr Obama accepts the Democratic nomination before some 80,000 people at Denver's Invesco stadium on Thursday. Senior aides to Mr McCain said that three people were on his shortlist -...

Politico’s Mike Allen reported this morning that McCain has made his VP pick and will notify that person today in advance of tomorrow’s planned rollout rallies in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The short list is thought to include longtime veep frontrunners Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty along with a few, possibly token, mentions of possible female candidates like Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. But the hottest, and oddest, rumor in the days leading up to the announcement has stemmed from persistent leaks about how badly McCain himself wants to select the hawkish former Democrat Joe...

Republican strategist Karl Rove called Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) late last week and urged him to contact Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to withdraw his name from vice presidential consideration, according to three sources familiar with the conversation. Lieberman dismissed the request, these sources agreed. Lieberman “laughed at the suggestion and certainly did not call [McCain] on it,” said one source familiar with the details.

Republican strategist Karl Rove called Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) late last week and urged him to contact Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to withdraw his name from vice-presidential consideration, according to three sources familiar with the conversation. Lieberman dismissed the request, these sources agreed. Lieberman “laughed at the suggestion and certainly did not call [McCain] on it,” said one source familiar with the details. “Rove called Lieberman,” recounted a second source. “Lieberman told him he would NOT make that call.” Rove did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rove, President Bush’s former top campaign adviser and arguably the most...

John McCain is expected to reveal his vice-presidential choice on Friday at a rally in the critical battleground state of Ohio. Mr McCain is seeking to blunt Barack Obama’s hopes of a bounce in the polls after he accepts the Democratic nomination in Denver tomorrow night. The Republican nominee’s move comes after a week in which he and his Republican surrogates have had significant success in inserting themselves aggressively into what was meant to be Mr Obama’s week. Republican guerrilla tactics and attack advertisements have forced the Democrat’s campaign to respond in kind. Mr McCain will appear at a midday...

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Reports of strong support within John McCain's presidential campaign for Independent Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman as the Republican candidate for vice president are not a fairy tale. Influential McCain backers, plus McCain himself, would pick the pro-choice liberal from Connecticut if they thought they could get away with it. But they can't get away with it -- and this has been made clear to McCain by none other than Joe Lieberman himself.

Reports of strong support within John McCain's presidential campaign for Independent Democratic Sen. Joseph Lieberman as the Republican candidate for vice president are not a fairy tale. Influential McCain backers, plus McCain himself, would pick the pro-choice liberal from Connecticut if they thought they could get away with it. But they can't get away with it -- and this has been made clear to McCain by none other than Joe Lieberman himself. Lieberman surely doesn't know that much about Republican politics, but he has close Republican friends. One of them prevailed on Lieberman to tell McCain that a McCain-Lieberman ticket...

The wild rumor last week was that Republican Sen. John McCain has decided on tapping Independent-Democrat Sen. Joe Lieberman as his vice-presidential nominee. If so, that would mean that 3.5 out of four persons running for the top two political positions in our country are full-fledged Democrats. Most Republicans think McCain is half-Democrat, thus the .5 percentage point was added. Just when McCain was beginning to lead in the polls against Barack Obama, the rumor mill started that Lieberman was his favorite pick for the presidential ticket. Hasn’t Lieberman been there and done that? Isn’t the fact he was the...

But a dark horse lurks. I’ve been talking to more people about the veep thing, and the picture I get is this: McCain is sitting in front of a console with a switch with two positions: GAMBLE and PLAY IT SAFE. If he moves the switch to GAMBLE, he picks Lieberman… Still, Romney is an unquantifiable here. I mentioned yesterday that if McCain were to pick Ridge, “it will be because he likes him personally and believes Ridge can win Pennsylvania.” Now, it’s not clear to me that McCain will make the choice based on whether a veep could carry...

Although a U.S. European Command team is focused for now on the humanitarian crisis in Georgia, it may eventually review the nation’s military needs in light of its conflict with Russia, according to the group’s commander. Brig. Gen. Jon Miller, who is heading EUCOM’s Joint Assessment Team, said Wednesday that part of his mandate is "to be prepared" to evaluate the condition of Georgia’s military. "It’s a possibility, but it is not my mission right now," said Miller, adding humanitarian aid is a more immediate concern. Miller’s comments came after meetings Wednesday with a congressional delegation that included Sen. Joe...

(The Politico) Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had some harsh words for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Thursday, telling the Las Vegas Review Journal; "I can't stand John McCain. In the interview, Reid also defended Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, after the former Democratic vice presidential nominee accepted a speaking slot at next month's Republican convention in Minnesota. "He has a close personal relationship with John McCain. I don't fully understand why he does," Reid told the paper. "I told him last night, 'You know, Joe, I can't stand John McCain.' He said, 'I know you feel that way,' " Reid...

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., defended Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman on Wednesday after the former Democratic vice presidential nominee accepted a speaking slot at next month's Republican convention in Minnesota. "He has a close personal relationship with John McCain. I don't fully understand why he does," said Reid, who said Lieberman called Tuesday from "I told him last night, 'You know, Joe, I can't stand John McCain.' He said, 'I know you feel that way,' " Reid said. But Reid said he would continue to resist calls from the Democratic Party's base to strip Lieberman, now an independent, of...

This is an in-between day. It's as if people are holding their breaths, maybe planning a quick shopping trip to pick up last minute stuff before they head off to Denver where the Democratic National Convention will begin on the 25th. The invitations are in the mail. Mine hasn't arrived yet, so I guess I won't be going. And I won't be going to St. Paul either when the Republicans get together for their big hoohah. That one I'd actually like to go to. Not since Ronald Reagan changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican has there been the...

Patriotism: Joseph Lieberman will be called a Judas for speaking to the Republican Convention, but he was betrayed by his own party for refusing to support losing a war for political gain. It's only a matter of time before the long knives are unsheathed for Connecticut's "independent Democrat." Al Gore's 2000 running mate still caucuses with the Democrats, which lets the four-term senator maintain his seniority in committee assignments. Lieberman serves in the plum post of chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, where earlier this year he published a powerful and fascinating report on how terrorist groups such as...

Even though he was a Democrat, I've always liked Joe Lieberman. He "got it" on many issues near to my heart; the trashing of our culture, the importance of Israel as an ally, our role in a dangerous world. Lieberman sees many things clearly - even though his is a huge union booster and an advocate of top down solutions to social problems. Kicked out of the Democratic party for his apostasy on the Iraq War but still allowed to caucus with the Dems so that they could maintain their majority in the senate, Lieberman can see the writing on...

With social conservatives up in arms over the possibility that Senator McCain may tap a supporter of abortion rights, Senator Lieberman, as his running mate, one staunch McCain ally and abortion opponent says the Connecticut lawmaker is the perfect choice. Rep. Peter King, a Long Island Republican, said social conservatives are making a mistake by opposing Mr. Lieberman, arguing that the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee could help deliver Mr. McCain the election in November. While ardent abortion foes have said the "pro-life" principle is too important to give up for the sake of political pragmatism, Mr. King turned the...

St. Paul from Sept. 1-4. The overall convention theme is “Country First” with each day of the convention intended to “center on a touchstone theme that has defined John McCain’s life and will be central to his vision for leading our nation forward as president” with themes of service, reform, prosperity, and peace. Monday evening • Joe Lieberman • Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger • Vice President Cheney • First Lady Laura Bush • President Bush. Tuesday• Rudy Giuliani • Mike Huckabee • Fred Thompson • Sarah Palin • Jon Huntsman • Linda Lingle • Tom Ridge • Rosario Marin • Michael...

SAY IT AIN'T JOE Three Republican state party chairmen have confirmed that within the last 36 hours they received calls from senior McCain presidential campaign advisers asking for their feedback on a McCain-Sen. Joseph Lieberman Republican ticket. "It wasn't hypothetical. They wanted to know what our state's conservative base would do, how our convention delegation would react and if our state party bylaws would make it difficult to put a non-Republican on the ballot," says one state party chairman from a Southern state that has voted Republican in recent national elections. "I jokingly asked if this meant they were thinking...

Patriotism: Joseph Lieberman will be called a Judas for speaking to the Republican Convention, but he was betrayed by his own party for refusing to support losing a war for political gain.It's only a matter of time before the long knives are unsheathed for Connecticut's "independent Democrat." Al Gore's 2000 running mate still caucuses with the Democrats, which lets the four-term senator maintain his seniority in committee assignments. Lieberman serves in the plum post of chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, where earlier this year he published a powerful and fascinating report on how terrorist groups such as al-Qaida...

Just announced during interview... Lieberman expected to switch to Repub Party during his speech at Repub Convention... heads are exploding on the Left. This would give the Senate to the Repubs until January, 2009.

I just heard speculation on FOX that Lieberman might take the opportunity, while speaking at the Republican Convention, to change party affiliation. My question, would this not give the majority back to the Pubbies? What are the ramifications?

<p>Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democratic Party's vice presidential candidate in 2000 and now an independent who is one of John McCain's strongest supporters, will speak at the Republican National Convention, an official said.</p> <p>Lieberman will deliver a speech when Republicans gather in St. Paul, Minn., to nominate McCain for president, a party official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The official requested anonymity because a formal announcement had yet to be made.</p>

John McCain is seriously considering choosing a pro-abortion-rights running mate despite vocal resistance from conservatives, with former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) very much in the mix, close McCain advisers say. Under strong consideration: former Pennsylvania Republican Gov. Tom Ridge, and Lieberman, who was Al Gore’s running mate in 2000. Multiple GOP sources say that party officials in Washington and in the states have been contacted by the McCain campaign in the past two weeks and asked about the fallout from such a choice. One person familiar with the calls said the party was being instructed to...

There have been a lot of surveys asking who you would like to have for VP, but I think it's pretty remarkable that we have just about no idea who John Sidney is actually planning on choosing for his VP. I think that Johnny wakes up everyday and says to the person he confides in, "I want Joe to be VP." And his adviser says, "You can't do it. You just can't do it." And John says, "the hell with the base," but he doesn't really mean it, he just means, 'why can't they understand how much I love this...

With John McCain's vice presidential pick only a few weeks away and the race between him and Barack Obama far closer than either of them probably thought it would be at this point, the possibility of McCain choosing Joseph I. Lieberman as his running mate suddenly seems both credible and plausible in a way it didn't a few months ago. It appears, from the consistency of McCain's numbers in the polling data, that he has shored up the Republican base . . . . So McCain no longer has to close the sale with conservatives, which is a good thing...

WASHINGTON — - Sen. Joe Lieberman will travel to Georgia on a "fact-finding mission" in the midst of that country's new conflict with neighboring Russia. Lieberman, a member of the Senate armed services committee and chairman of the homeland security committee, will accompany a bipartisan group of senators, according to his office. The timing of the trip was still being worked out Thursday afternoon, but Lieberman's staff said the group will depart as soon as possible. "We are developing the itinerary right now and, for security reasons, cannot disclose anything yet," said Erika Masonhall, Lieberman's spokewoman. The congressional delegation will...

I've been trying to contact McCain's office. All phones are not answering or VM boxes are full. There are no discussion board links that I can find on his website and I am at a loss for how to get him a simple message.