Lieberman's faith a concern - U.S. Democratic head Updated 9:31 PM ET August 5, 2000

By Thomas Ferraro

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. (Reuters) - Sen. Joseph Lieberman would "almost be a slam dunk" as Al Gore's choice for vice-presidential running mate if he were Episcopalian rather than Jewish, Ed Rendell, chairman of the National Democratic Committee, said Saturday.

"Joe Lieberman would be a bold and courageous choice," Rendell said, calling the Connecticut Democrat "maybe the finest person in politics" but also acknowledging concerns about a possible backlash against his faith.

"I don't think anyone can calculate the effect of having a Jew on the ticket,"[emphasis mine,Unk] Rendell told reporters as Gore attended a fund-raiser in East Hampton, New York. "If Joe Lieberman was Episcopalian, I think he'd almost be a slam dunk," Rendell added.

Gore intends to name his choice Tuesday. Lieberman is on the short-list, along with Sens. John Kerry of Massachusetts, John Edwards of North Carolina and Evan Bayh of Indiana, House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri, and New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen.

Shaheen and Gephardt have said they are not interested. But only Shaheen has said she would not accept the No. 2 slot if it was offered.

Gore has also said there is a seventh possible contender, identified only as a "wild card."

WILL STAY NEUTRAL

Rendell joked that he was for the "wild card," though he added he did not know the identity of the person. He said that each of the six known candidates would be a boost but that he was remaining publicly neutral and would not endorse anyone.

At the same time, he threw out a couple of other names as potential contenders: Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, a veteran of Vietnam, where he won the Medal of Honor, and former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, whom Gore defeated for the Democratic presidential nomination earlier this year.

Rendell said Kerrey's war-hero status could be a boost to Gore, who also served in Vietnam as an Army journalist. Rendell said that if Gore picked Bradley, a former Rhodes Scholar and professional basketball player, that would also trigger excitement.

Asked what Bradley would bring to the ticket, Rendell said, "Intelligence, integrity and stature and (the states of) Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware."

Rendell said Gore might have picked Defense Secretary Bill Cohen as his running mate -- if Cohen had not said he intended to vote for fellow Republican George W. Bush for president.

"He'd be dynamite," Rendell said of the former Republican senator from Maine.

Of Lieberman, Rendell said, "Maybe that is what we ought to do is pick the finest person in politics -- I think it would be great."

Asked if Lieberman's faith was enough of a concern to rule him out, Rendell shrugged and said, "I'm not sure that the people who would vote against us because Joe is Jewish aren't going to vote against us anyway."

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WOW, I wonder what the backlash would be if a Republican said that?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), August 06, 2000

Answers

Although not a political maven, I consider myself to be fairly knowledgeable regarding issues and those who strive for high public office. Excuse my ignorance but I have never heard of Sen. Joseph Lieberman. Of course I would not vote for Al Gore under ANY circumstances but Senator Liebermans Jewish heritage should not be considered a negative, as much as his anon status west of Times Square. How many Roman Catholic Presidents can you count on two fingers?

-- Ra (tion@l.1), August 06, 2000.

Lieberman is a respected moderate Democrat. But he is a JEW!!! A JEW!!! So much for the Democrats being in favor of helping minorities! And this from the party that favors quotas, and pushes for laws that would force the rest of us to hire and rent to and associate with who THEY decree we should. I guess it is easy to tell others who they must hire, but when it comes down to brass tacks the Democrats show themselves as the cowards they are. Asshole hypocrits.

Of course I will retract my criticism if they nominate Lieberman, but don't hold your breath.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), August 06, 2000.

Nothing against Lieberman, but the Dems have an ideal candidate and they heven't figured it out. Sen Evan Bayh, IN is the son of former Sen Birch Bayh. He is handsome, smart, articulate, scandal-free and has a dynamite family (beautiful wife and two kids, twins). I predict he will be President in 2008. (after 8 years of Republicans). He needs more seasoning as a Senator but by then he'll be ready.

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), August 06, 2000.

The Democrats are imploding even as we speak. Rendell's comments aside, the Democratic base has long scoffed at a serious profession of faith.

As for Bayh, he is less "pro-choice" than the Gore handlers would like and Edwards was so scared of being asscoiated with the Democrats that when he ran against Faircloth in North Carolina, his TV ads were void of political la

-- Hiway (Hiway441@aol.com), August 06, 2000.

Let's not forget that the Democrats were the first party to name a female vice-presidential candidate, and we all know how well that turned out.

I don't think this says as much about the Democrats as it does about our fickle society that can't handle change.

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), August 06, 2000.

Ed Rendell is a sharp cookie. Candid here enough to loose his job.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), August 06, 2000.

Yep a world run by the dems would be a world un-safe for blacks, jews, hispanics, and other minorities. Scary indeed.

-- mama mia (good@the.kitchen), August 06, 2000.

"Let's not forget that the Democrats were the first party to name a female vice-presidential candidate, and we all know how well that turned out. "

This is incorrect. Trivia question: who was the first woman to get an electoral vote for vice president of the United States? Answer here.

-- ABC (a@b.c), August 06, 2000.

Deedah, I'm going to have to disagree with you absolutely and completely. I think Rendell as a spokesman was ethical, and I don't think he will be hurt at all.

First, let's talk about Jews and the Presidency. (I'm not Jewish, incidentally). If I could push a button and put anyone I wanted in that office, I'd pick Robert Rubin. Joe Lieberman would be a very strong candidate for my second choice.

But the goal of an election is to win, goddammit, and someone in Rendell's position has to worry if a sizeable number of votes will be lost because of some shit-head prejudice against Jews. That stinks, but it's the real world, and the real world is the one we happen to be living in.

So Rendell said that, and I don't think he will (or should) suffer anything for being honest.

-- Peter Errington (petere@ricochet.net), August 07, 2000.

My point exactly Peter,

It is OK for the Democrats to not "hire" a Jew because of what might suit them best, but they sure do pass a lot of laws that tell the rest of us who we need to "hire". Sorry if that blatant hypocrisy is not clear to you, but that's what it is.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), August 07, 2000.

Of course this could just be a smokescreen from Rendell, I think that Gore may be bold enough to pick Lieberman. Time will tell if I am right.

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), August 07, 2000.

Looks like you're right.

LINK

-- (hmm@hmm.hmm), August 07, 2000.

Monday morning quarterback, eh Unk? lol!

-- (iread@thenews.too), August 07, 2000.

I think the Dems should choose an Arab as VP

(PS how many people criticising Arabs are called "anti-semitic")

-- richard (richard.dale@onion.com), August 08, 2000.