Lieberman Throws Support Behind McCain
EmailABC News’ Ron Claiborne and Bret Hovell Report: Sen. Joe Lieberman leapt across party lines Monday to endorse Sen. John McCain’s bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
"I know it’s unusual for a Democrat to be endorsing a Republican," Lieberman conceded, speaking alongside McCain at a Hillsborough, N.H. American Legion post.
"Political parties are important in our country. But they’re not more important than what’s best for our country, they’re not more important than friendship," Lieberman said.
Lieberman, who was his party’s nominee for vice president in 2000, lost in the 2006 Democratic Sentate primary in Connecticut in large part because of his support for the surge in Iraq. He came back to win as an independent, and caucuses as a Democrat, allowing Democrats control of the chamber by the slimmest of margins.
Lieberman spoke about national security and climate change, two issues that he and McCain have worked together on in the Senate.
"John McCain is not only the strongest on security of all of the candidates running for the presidency, but he’s the real change candidate in this race," Lieberman said.
Speaking with reporters after the event, McCain talked about the uniqueness of Lieberman’s endorsement.
"I think it’s courageous when anyone crosses party lines to support a candidate from another party," McCain said. "The easiest thing for Joe to do would have just sat on the sidelines in this campaign."
McCain had said during the event that people were calling out for such bipartisanship.
"At town hall meeting after town hall meeting people stand up and say ‘why can’t you all work together? Why can’t Republican and Democrat work together for the good of this country?’ I think that his endorsement shows that I can and we can," McCain said before introducing Lieberman.
McCain frequently speaks of Lieberman on the stump, often calling him "my favorite Democrat" when talking about Lieberman’s support of the surge in Iraq. The two senators have been allies on the issue, and recently traveled together to Iraq over the Thanksgiving holiday.
The endorsement could help McCain win over critical New Hampshire independents, who carried him to victory there in 2000 over then-Governor George W. Bush.
Lieberman’s endorsement also caps a weekend of positive news for the McCain campaign, which is gaining traction in the early primary state of New Hampshire.
Over the weekend, McCain’s candidacy was endorsed by The Boston Globe and The Des Moines Register, and has been previously endorsed by the New Hampshire Union-Leader.
ABC News’ Jake Tapper and David Chalian contributed to this report.
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McCain pulls a Hat trick.Looks like he
got the Big MO !!!
Posted by: T. Jones | December 16, 2007, 5:41 pm 5:41 pm
I wonder if this means that McCain will pull a Lieberman if he doesn’t get the Republican nomination and runs as an Independent; with Lieberman? Not so far fetched if Huckabee gets the nomination. Lieberman lost the nomination of the Democrats but won the general election to retain his Senate seat.
Posted by: lorax_mbell | December 16, 2007, 6:49 pm 6:49 pm
Now for the facts…………….The Des Moines Register is a liberal political/newspaper.
Their endorsement of McCain is very strange.
McCain skipped the Ames poll in August.
AND
McCain isn’t even campaigning in Iowa…………………………..yet the liberal Des Moines endorses him?
Here’s why.
They’re hoping that they along with the corrupt liberal Boston Globe can give John a boost in New Hampshire where Mitt Romney leads by about 14%.
Our corrupt liberal wolfpack press is scare to death of Mitt Romney which is why Americans are seeing the wolfpack promoting Slick Huck and now, watch, as they promote McCain starting now.
Mitt Romney is “the” reason the Des Moines Register endorsed a guy who doesn’t even care to campaign in their state…
Really sad indeed.
Posted by: Allen Ridge | December 16, 2007, 7:27 pm 7:27 pm
Lieberman and McCain are warmongers who want to continue this illegal war in IRAQ. They can’t wait to bomb IRAN.
The reason we invaded IRAQ was supposely due to WMD’s and regime change, thus, there is no longer any reason we should be there. Of course, anyone with brain knows the real reason, oil, and they plan on staying there forever.
Now, after billions of dollars, you mean to tell me that we can’t find “Osama bin Laden”. Could it be because the CIA previously supported and funded him to fight the Russians?
Posted by: Greg | December 16, 2007, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm
Who cares…NO Republican is going to win in 2008 after the Bush mess.. And then this old guy will go back to Arizona and finally fade into history..Where he should have gone years ago..Maybe take up sky diving in the Grand Canyon..
Posted by: Joe MUrphy | December 17, 2007, 2:42 am 2:42 am
McCain is too old—–period. Beside that, he support illegals here and that ain’t gonna cut it!
Posted by: rockychance | December 17, 2007, 6:49 am 6:49 am
this will really help McCann, this is like pumping water into the titanic, just make it go down faster, oh well, give him a week or two, and he can retire to arizona.
Posted by: 43beenthere43 | December 17, 2007, 7:14 am 7:14 am
Lieberman and McCain are both rabid Iraq War hawks, so this is just a deal between thieves. Let them have at it. It has all the relevance of Tweedle-Dee endorsing Tweedle Dum. Maybe after the 2008 election, Mccain can go home and join the chipmunks and pack his cheeks and Lieberman can go home to home state of the illustrious Bush family and push his policies. His support of the Iraq war has done Israel no good, but stirred up more trouble for it. They and Bush ought to be put out to pasture somewhere where they can never do any harm in public office again.
Posted by: JL | December 17, 2007, 8:05 am 8:05 am
Well, that’s certainly no surprise. If you want another poorly planned war to torpedo our economy, vote for McCain or Giuliani. Lieberman and McCain are so deeply entrenched in AIPAC’s pockets they don’t dare stray from the Israeli war-monger agenda. They had been bought and paid for long ago. Do some research, people! Pick a candidate (and there are a small few) that will represent YOU and other Americans, not a foreign nation as do McCain and Lieberman!
Posted by: Mike R. | December 17, 2007, 8:24 am 8:24 am
McCain and Leiberman are bought and paid for by the Israeli Government, but so is Hillary Clinton!
Posted by: steve | December 17, 2007, 8:54 am 8:54 am
Joe picks McCain? Maybe I have to give McCain one more look…
Posted by: TexBork | December 17, 2007, 10:21 am 10:21 am
In response to Allen Ridge-The Des Moines paper obviously picked McCain over Romney because unlike Romney, McCain doesn`t color his hair and change his core beliefs with his socks. Maybe the fact that when McCain was called to serve in Viet Nam, he went, rather than pull a Romney and avoid the draft by going on a religious pilgrimage. Romney and his ilk apparently do not care that their freedom to be Mormons was paid for with the blood of servicemen of no particular religious faith.
Posted by: Luke | December 17, 2007, 10:48 am 10:48 am
Lieberman’s endorsement will be, hopefully, the final kiss of death to AMNESTY-JOHN’s pathetic campaign.
This is so simple, even a DickNBush supporter could understand it: McCain is, and has been, politically dead for two reasons:
1. mindless support for the endless neocon wars
2. equally mindless support for AMNESTY for illegals.
Nothing he does – even mooning Dubya – will make the slightest difference to this, the finale of McCain’s career in politics.
Good riddance!
Posted by: ALEX H. | December 17, 2007, 12:53 pm 12:53 pm
I think John McCain is by far the best candidate the Republicans have, and if they want to have a chance of winning they had better choose him. This is a guy with experience, guts, smarts, and character. He stands out from the rest of the GOP motley crew.
Posted by: Tom Sillers | December 17, 2007, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
Lieberman is NOT a Democrat … although McCain is a good choice … and the best of the GOP field.
Posted by: Jackson | December 17, 2007, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
Liebermn? Who cares? Just another fossil who died a while back but hasn’t realized it yet. He and John McCain should be sent to a nursing home in Iraq (but not in the Green Zone), before they do anymore damage to this country. Spending their twilight years there will allow them to see how much good Bush/Cheney’s war has done for the Iraqi people.
Posted by: Jim N | December 17, 2007, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
Wonder what Lieberman’s support for John McCain can do now? McCain will have the Republican nomination and even though Obama doesn’t like Farrakahn supporting him, he continues to speak out for him. It will be a sore subject if Obama doesn’t put Farrakhan in his place. If he gets the Democratic nomination and Lieberman still stands up with McCain, how will that be viewed by supporters of Israel, people against an immediate pullout from Iraq and people who dislike Farrahkan and doubt Obama? It will appear that McCain is reaching across the aisle more effectively.
Posted by: Sandy | March 14, 2008, 8:54 am 8:54 am