By Sharon Samber
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
August 21, 2000
WASHINGTON—Though much has been made of Democratic vice presidential
nominee
Joseph Lieberman’s personal faith and his openness about his religion,
Lieberman keeps trying to make the distinction between the personal and the
political.
“I hope people understand the difference between separation of church
and state and an individual’s right, including a public individual’s
right, to express matters of faith,” he said.
Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew, took a few minutes out to talk with reporters from
the Jewish media on Aug. 17, the final day of the Democratic National Convention.
The campaign kicked things off in Wisconsin early Friday as Democratic presidential
candidate Al Gore, Lieberman and their families began a riverboat journey down
the Mississippi River.
As the first Jew on a national ticket, and as a candidate who initially made
his faith a central part of his message, Lieberman has had his Judaism placed
under a microscope.
Some have been critical of his willingness to speak freely about God.
“I understand the curiosity, interest and even confusion,” he said.
“So far, people have been very respectful and very interested and I appreciate
both.”
Asked if he thought his openness of his faith made people uncomfortable he
simply said, “I hope it doesn’t.”
When Lieberman stood with Gore for the first time as his running mate in Nashville,
many took note of the numerous references to God and religion in Lieberman’s
speech. Lieberman explained that he felt “profound personal gratitude”
at that moment, and he was just expressing his feelings.
“Those words of thanks to God just came out of me,” he said.
He did say, however, that there are points at which his faith is personal and
has “nothing to do with my public responsibility.”
Other issues have dogged Lieberman of late as well. The new nominee came under
some fire last week as the Congressional Black Caucus demanded clarification
of some of Lieberman’s more conservative positions, such as those on affirmative
action and school vouchers.
Lieberman touted his steadfast support for affirmative action at the convention.
In his acceptance speech said he was in favor of President Clinton’s “mend
it, don’t end it” approach to affirmative action.
The pressure from the black caucus came amid suggestions that tensions between
the Jewish and black communities were flaring up.
Last week, an editorial in the Amsterdam News, a major black newspaper in New
York, suggested Gore bought the Jewish vote by selecting Lieberman as his running
mate. When asked to comment on the editorial, Lieberman said he had not encountered
that kind of sentiment so far on the campaign trail.
At rallies and meetings across the country Lieberman said he received an “extraordinarily
warm and positive response” from blacks.
Lieberman echoed what civil rights leader Jesse Jackson said about the opportunity
now to “make vibrant” the ties between the Jewish and black communities.
The Connecticut senator predicted that the Gore-Lieberman ticket would receive
overwhelming support from the black community.
Lieberman has also had to clarify his position supporting school vouchers because
his position on the issue differs from Gore’s and that of many Democrats.
Lieberman still supports demonstration programs for vouchers that are means-tested
and aimed at poor children. He said his focus is on improving public schools,
but he wants to “help parents whose kids are trapped in failing schools.”
“I’m not changing my position, and I don’t regret my position,”
Lieberman said.
But he reiterated that if elected as vice president he would support Gore’s
stance on this issue and others where they differ.
Although the conversation with the media was short, and he sounded someone
weary from the events of the past few days, Lieberman managed to show some of
his sense of humor.
When told by a local paper that his selection had helped boost their circulation,
Lieberman chuckled and said, “Anything I can do to help the economy.”
