Joe Lieberman, former U.S. senator from Connecticut, dies at 82
Joseph I. Lieberman, a former state senator from Connecticut who went on to serve as the state’s attorney general and later in the U.S. Senate until 2013 and came just a few electoral votes short of becoming the nation’s first Jewish vice president in 2000, has died at 82, Hearst Connecticut Media has learned.
There were few details on his death Wednesday night, except state Democrats had received the news from Lieberman’s home in New York.
“Former United States Senator Joseph I. Lieberman died this afternoon, March 27, 2024, in New York City due to complications from a fall,” the family said in a statement. “He was 82 years old. His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him as he passed. Senator Lieberman’s love of God, his family, and America endured throughout his life of service in the public interest.”
Lieberman served a lengthy career in public
service as a longtime Democrat before joining the Independent Party. More recently he helped establish the No Labels Party in attempt to give a third-party candidate a toe hold in the 2024 presidential race.
Born in Stamford, Lieberman’s father Henry owned a liquor store. A star student, Lieberman graduated from Yale University in 1964, where he was editor of the Yale Daily News.
A former six-year majority leader in the state Senate, the Stamford native was selected as Al Gore’s presidential running mate in 2000 and would have become the nation’s first Jewish vice president. While the Gore-Lieberman ticket won the popular vote that year, it lost in the Electoral College to Republican George W. Bush and Dick Cheney.
Lieberman also sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2004, dropping
out after a weak showing in early primaries. After switching to Independent, he was also considered as a running mate for Republican John McCain.
“Joe Lieberman was my friend for over 50 years,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. “On world and national stages, he helped to define and frame an era of history. He was a fierce advocate, a man of deep conscience and conviction, and a courageous
leader who sought to bridge gaps and bring people together. He was dedicated to family and faith, and he was a role model of public service. He never ceased listening to both friends and adversaries. He leaves an enduring legacy as a fighter for consumers, environmental values, civil rights, and other great causes of our time and he was tireless in working for Connecticut no matter how far or high he went.”