Learning from Joe Lieberman to repair American breach

This March 17th will be “Yahrzeit” from Senator Joe LiebermanUnexpected death in 2024, a time in the Jewish tradition when family members recite the bereaved kadrish prayers and bright candles in memory of their loved one.

Those of us who knew Joe Lieberman continue to mourn the passage and miss his smile and decency. When we gathered on memorial services and early projections “centered”, a new documentary that chronicles his life, we always express the desire that there were more leaders like him in today’s difficult political environment. (“Focused” will be in the cinema racks across the country on March 18 and 19)

And the longing for comicness was emphasized by a partisan atmosphere in the President’s House of Representatives Donald TrumpRecent address of the joint session of the Congress. We could discuss which party or its leaders are more guilty of pollution of public square these days, but that would win the purpose of advocating better behavior on both sides. Political division (a worrying “American Bay”) leaves us inch of downtime, and only the legs of chaos.

While Joe Lieberman can no longer speak on behalf of policies in politics, he left us an abundance of examples:

My father was Sen. Joe Lieberman. His last words are what we have to hear now

When he gave a democratic response to the last radio address of President Ronald Reagan in 1989, Lieberman did not abuse the opportunity to resolve political results. “Your love for this country and your ardent commitment to freedom has inspired us all,” said the new democratic senator of the Republican President.

In 1991, instead of joining most Democrats to oppose the use of force after the invasion of Saddam Hussein to Kuwait, Lieberman became the main democratic suite of the resolution that approved the first (and successful) bay war.

Working over a passage with senators like John McCain, Lieberman advocated the commission of the 11th of September to investigate the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 and Arlen Spectre for the creation of the Ministry of Internal Security.

He often joined Republican Senar Bob Dole by persuading both presidents George HW Bush and Bill Clinton Take on a more active role in defense of Bosnia than Serbian aggression.

Here’s what I wish you all to remember with my dear friend Sen Joe Lieberman

And Lieberman collaborated with the leaders on both sides In order to speak against indisputable content in video games, music and television programs, which helped lead to the creation of a evaluation system that give parents more power to discern what is best for their children.

Throughout his life, Lieberman’s advocacy of harmony and good has found an expression in his ardent support for civil and human rights, from a trip to Mississippi as a student who advocates the voting rights to his leadership in the end of discrimination “Don’t ask, do not accept” the policy in the military and his commitment to clean environment (two efforts) Cross-Party.

Many public expressions of cordiality towards people of any or no political party have been aligned with his behavior privately. As employees who worked with him more than 45 years ago, through many crises and controversy (rarely about our own creation), we can testify to his humor, equality and goodwill. We never heard him raise his voice, even in the most vulnerable and turbulent circumstances.

However, Joe Lieberman’s quiet behavior should not be wrong about Milquetoast career. During the aforementioned work, and many others, he was friendly but honest; decent, but decisively.

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Thanks to the good extent to his faith in God and the ardent religious beliefs, he had a powerful moral compass, which almost always pointed him in the right direction for the well -being of society. If it has fallen on rare occasions, it has never been from base motifs or weak principles. He was, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, a “repair of the violation”, not the source of the division.

Just as almost lifelong believers in Joe Lieberman leadership, we cannot help it, but we feel that America and the world would have been better if he and Al Gore succeeded in the 2000 elections. But even after that huge – and extremely disappointing – failure in his life, Lieberman showed the same kind of grace and optimism that characterized his entire life:

“America is a great country,” he said on the Senate floor the day after the Vice -President above acknowledged the choice on George W. Bush. “I think that each of us should be grateful this morning that we do our differences in America here not with civil wars, but with humorous elections.”

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“It’s time for us all to gather in support of these United States and the common values ​​that have long held us,” he continued. “Psalm 30 provides us that crying can keep us at night, but in the morning, shouting joy.”

Our sadness for losing Joe Lieberman He stayed through the long night of his absence from our lives and politics – never again than on this Yahrzeit of his passing – but they encourage us to find his exciting words and example of Sterling to find hope for again for shouts of joy.

Click here to read more than Jim Kennedy

Jim Kennedy is a former spokesman for Joe Lieberman, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Clinton Foundation, Sony Pictures, Sony Corporation of America and News Corp. Publishes occasional columns on To underestimate.