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December 17, 2004/Tevet 5 5765, Vol. 57, No.16
Lieberman touted for Bush administration
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - A year ago, being a moderate didn't help Sen. Joseph Lieberman.
Trying to win the New Hampshire primaries and gain steam in his bid for the Democratic nomination for president, Lieberman was defending his support for the U.S. war in Iraq to Democratic voters angry about the conflict.
Fast forward to the present day, however, and the Connecticut senator's centrist approach has made him an important player in the Senate, and possibly in the Bush administration.
As the White House searches for a new secretary for the Homeland Security Department, many eyes are turning to Lieberman. He received ringing endorsements this week from several of his Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chair of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, where Lieberman is the top Democrat.
President Bush "said he wanted to reach across the aisle, and this would be a great way to do it," Collins said Dec. 13. "There's no doubt that Joe would provide strong leadership, and he's exceptionally well-qualified for the post. I think he'd be terrific."
Lieberman authored the legislation that created the Homeland Security Department and was a key proponent of the intelligence overhaul that passed Congress last week.
Lieberman also has been mentioned as a candidate to be the first national intelligence czar or U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Several media reports suggested the White House is courting the Jewish lawmaker. Lieberman spent Chanukah with his family, and his spokesman, Matt Gobush, said he wasn't aware of any discussions with the Bush administration in the past few days.
"He's not seeking a position in the administration, nor has he been offered one," Gobush said, noting Lieberman has started efforts to run for Senate re-election in 2006.
Analysts say it's unlikely Lieberman will leave the Senate. For starters, his replacement would be selected by Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, a Republican.
And some believe Lieberman still harbors animosity over the 2000 election, in which Gore and he won the popular vote, while the Florida results - which proved divisive - remained unclear for weeks.
Instead, Lieberman likely will become a senior statesman in the Senate, liberated from the political correctness imposed on national political candidates and able to speak his mind at all times.
"It was natural that he was going to evolve into this role," Gerstein said. "When he speaks on something, people listen."
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