Joe Lieberman, former senator and Al Gore's vice presidential nominee, dies at 82

Joe Lieberman passed away at age 82. During his extensive political career, he served as a senator for over two decades and was the Democratic nominee for vice president in the 2000 election, accompanying Al Gore. In turn, he was considered one of the fathers of the Department of Homeland Security, spent his last years promoting the group No Labels and was the first American Jew to join the presidential ticket of a major party.

His family shared the news on Wednesday afternoon, who revealed the cause of his death. As reported, it was "due to complications from a fall. He was 82 years old. His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him as he passed," they reported. The former senator's funeral is expected to take place next Friday.

Who was Joe Lieberman?

Lieberman was born into a Jewish family in Stamford, Connecticut on February 24, 1942. He attended Yale University and graduated with an economics and political science degree. He then studied law at that same institution. After a brief legal practice, Lieberman leaped into the political arena in 1970 when he was elected to the state Senate.

A few terms later, added to a term and a half as attorney general, he surprised the 1988 midterm elections. He defeated Republican incumbent Lowell Weicker and made it to the United States Senate, where he served for 24 years.

Already in Washington, D.C., he was chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees. He was critical to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, introduced the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 and worked to reduce violence in video games. Lieberman also removed the public option from the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.

He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in the 2000 presidential election, supporting Al Gore's candidacy. The formula was 538 votes away from reaching the White House.

Regarding his management as a legislator, he was considered one of the most moderate and conservative Democrats in the Senate, to such an extent that he ended his term with another label. It turns out that a more progressive challenger beat him in the 2006 primary. Far from silently saying goodbye to his seat, he decided to run as an independent. Without the financial support and infrastructure of the Democratic Party, he won the general elections by more than 50% of the votes.

His name was very relevant in the 2008 presidential elections, where John McCain was very close to choosing him as his running mate, this time for the Republican Party. Lieberman even gave a speech at the Republican National Convention supporting his friend and colleague's candidacy.

At the end of his fourth term, he said goodbye to public life in January 2013.

In his later years, he led the political group No Labels, which promotes independent and centrist politics. They will present a formula in the 2024 elections.

Joe Liberman with Medium Voice

Voz Media spoke with Lieberman in August 2023, when the former senator spoke about No Labels, of the modern Democratic Party, and analyzed Joe Biden's management. He was encouraged to name the biggest threat to the United States in the XXI century.