Profiles in Courage: Joe Lieberman

Joe Lieberman is a United States senator from Connecticut; He has served 4 terms in the senate. Lieberman was also a VP nominee with Al Gore in the 2004 election, but Gore and Lieberman failed to win. Joe Lieberman is a courageous elected official because of his refusal to back down from what he believes even in the face of great adversity, even from his own party. Lieberman has been described as a very Liberal politician but differs from Liberals and Democrats on many key points. In 2002 Lieberman supported the use of armed force in Iraq to this day he has not wavered on this support. Lieberman was elect to the states senate for the first time in 1988 he was elected as a member of the Democratic Party. But his support for the war in Iraq outraged many of his own Democratic and Liberal supporters; in 2006 he lost the democratic senate nomination to Ned Lamont. But he still stood firm in his belief that the war in Iraq was justified, and was re-elected under the ballot of Connecticut for Lieberman defeating Lamont. Lieberman’s political courage can be shown in many ways one quote can show this “It is time for Democrats who distrust President Bush to acknowledge that he will be Commander-in-Chief for three more critical years, and that in matters of war we undermine Presidential credibility at our nation’s peril. It is time for Republicans in the White House and Congress who distrust Democrats to acknowledge that greater Democratic involvement and support in the war in Iraq is critical to rebuilding the support of the American people that is essential to our success in that war. It is time for Americans and we their leaders to start working together again on the war on terrorism. To encourage that new American partnership, I propose that the President and the leadership of Congress establish a bipartisan Victory in Iraq Working Group, composed of members of both parties in Congress and high ranking national security officials of the Bush Administration.” Quotes like these show that Lieberman was and is willing to reach across party lines for the safety and security of the American people. And yet many people still continued to attack him some examples of this are “Joe Lieberman ideological turncoat” by Joe Conason. Lieberman also continued to vote down bills and amendments that would weaken the cause in Iraq or leave the solders in Iraq without proper equipment. He also teamed up with fellow senator John McCain in an effort now known as “The Surge” which supporters say may have saved Iraq from an endless civil war. Throughout all this he still continued to lose favor within the Democratic Party. He is now no longer a member of the Democratic Party he is listed in the senate as a “Independent Democrat”. However he had this to say “I’m a loyal Democrat, but I have loyalties that are greater than those to my party, and that’s my loyalty to my state and my country.” This shows courage because it shows that Lieberman will not just go along with what his party says or does he will stand up for what he believes in. Lieberman is also a supporter of the North American Free trade agreement (NAFTA) saying that it creates new jobs for the American people. Once again going against his own party. Lieberman also proposed the department of homeland security which was passed into law in 2002 he was a ranking chairman in the department and passed many bills that kept the American people safe. Lieberman has taken heat for a incident involving president Bush at the 2005 state of the union address which would become known as “the kiss”, at the end of his speech president Bush walked over to Lieberman hugged him, leaned over to him and said “thank you for being a patriotic American”. But this just became more ammo for Lieberman’s opposition saying the event symbolized that Lieberman and Bush were the same. Lieberman has taken much criticism from Democrats, Liberals and prior to 2002 many Republicans and Conservatives; however he has never backed down in what he believes in despite being kicked out of his own party. He works for the good of the American people which makes him a courageous leader.