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October 31, 2003/Cheshvan 5 5764, Vol. 56, No. 6
Kerry camp apologizes for Sabbath flap
RON KAMPEAS
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - Fierce jockeying for support in Arizona's early Democratic primary already has scored a win - for Sen. Joseph Lieberman's right to observe the Sabbath.
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's campaign cut ties Oct. 29 with Ben Miranda, an Arizona state representative who brought up Lieberman's Sabbath observance in his efforts to get other state legislators to switch their endorsements from the Connecticut senator to Kerry.
"We have expressed our deepest regrets to Sen. Lieberman, a friend of Sen. Kerry's for many years, and made it clear that, of course, Sen. Kerry deplores and will not tolerate the injection of religion into this race in any manner whatsoever," the campaign said in a statement.
Unlike earlier contests in Iowa and New Hampshire, where there already are clear leaders, four candidates are jockeying for the lead in Arizona's Feb. 3 primary.
Polls show the contest in Arizona up for grabs between Gen. Wesley Clark, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Lieberman and Kerry.
Lieberman has stopped campaigning in Iowa to devote his attention to Feb. 3 races in Arizona and six other states. Arizona is the first primary in a large state with a substantial Hispanic population - Democrats are calling Feb. 3 "Hispanic Tuesday" - and a win there could propel a second-tier candidate like Lieberman, who trails Dean and Clark in other races, to the front lines.
Candidates are working hard to get endorsements from popular local politicians.
Rep. Ben Miranda, who represents a heavily Hispanic district in Phoenix, recently switched his endorsement from Lieberman to Kerry. He acknowledged to JTA that he had mentioned Lieberman's Sabbath observance in meetings with other state representatives.
However, he denied a quote attributed to him by state representatives, who told The Arizona Republic that Miranda complained Lieb-erman was a weak candidate because he "can't campaign three days a week."
Miranda insists he did not make it a central issue - only mentioning that it was a concern in Lieberman's own camp - and said he regrets the episode.
Kerry distanced himself from Miranda hours after the story appeared.
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