March 28, 2024
Joe Lieberman passed away yesterday. The former U.S. Senator and one-time vice-presidential candidate is a fascinating, not to mention admirable, figure in modern politics. After all, eight years on from being the Democratic nominee for vice president, he was endorsing the Republican candidate for president. Not long after that, he became involved with the centrist No Labels organization as a founding chairman. (No Labels was originally intended to foster bipartisanship within Congress. Only recently has it sought to attain party status and ballot access, which Lieberman vocally supported).
The point of all this isn't that Lieberman is admirable for leaving his party or tacking to the center. It's that he followed his beliefs despite the inevitable political cost. And while it's de rigueur to say they don't make politicians like him anymore, the truth is they do. Maybe they aren't in great supply, but they're out there. Hopefully, their example, and Lieberman's memory, will inspire others.