By Munir K. Nasser
Washington, DC
Controversy has erupted in the United States following Vice President Al Gore’s choice of a Jewish Senator to be his running mate in the upcoming presidential elections.
Gore made his decision to select Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman on Sunday after narrowing his candidate list to five. Lieberman, an orthodox Jew, has been an outspoken critic of President Bill Clinton’s personal conduct during the Monica Lewinsky affair.
According to analysts, the choice of a moderate Democrat and self-styled moral crusader vice presidential candidate signals an effort by Gore to win over independent and wavering Republican voters, and distance himself from controversies surrounding President Clinton.
Lieberman, 58, a former state attorney general, is completing his second term in the Senate, where he has developed a reputation as a centrist, New Democrat.
During the Monica Lewinsky scandal, he gave a biting speech on the Senate floor critical of President Clinton's conduct, although he later voted against removing Clinton from office in the Senate impeachment trial.
His selection is seen in part as an effort by Gore to shield himself against criticism by Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush over Clinton's personal conduct in office.
The controversy over Lieberman’s selection erupted last weekend when the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Ed Rendell, who is Jewish, said publicly what many analysts say privately when he suggested the United States is not ready for a Jewish vice president.
Rendell’s remarks sparked debate over the nomination of the first Jewish vice president in the history of the US. Lieberman’s selection was instantly analyzed in the press on religious terms, raising questions “whether the country is ready for a Jew on the national ticket and a second lady named Hadassah.”
Some analysts believe that Lieberman’s selection may trigger anti-Semitic feelings in the country at a time when Gore is counting on strong Jewish support in his bid to win the White House. National polls show that Gore is behind George W. Bush by as much as 19 points.
Republican Representative Pete King expressed concern about Lieberman’s selection when he told the press: "But this just creates unnecessary problems for the country, as well as for Gore. The way Rendell said it was almost inflammatory."
Analysts believe that this move may hurt Gore in the elections. They point to the fact that when the issue involves a Jew, it becomes more sensitive now because of the recent furor over whether Hillary Clinton once blasted a Jewish aide with derogatory remarks. Many Jewish leaders came to her defense in that flap, but it hurt her with rank-and-file Jews.
The New York Post criticized Rendell for his remarks on Lieberman. “If Rendell had kept his mouth shut,” the Post wrote, “the Gore camp could have brushed off questions about Lieberman's religion by questioning the motives of those asking the questions. But what could have looked like a bold choice for Gore would now risk looking like a choice dominated by religious questions.”
The New York Post said that many analysts privately agree with Rendell that the nation isn't ready to elect a Jew. “As the Anti-Defamation League regularly documents, anti-Semitism is alive and well,” wrote the Post.
Rendell, who is not involved in the selection process of the Vice President, said that just as Gore must decide whether potential candidates are too young or too old, Lieberman's religion has to be considered. "Of course, it's a factor," Rendell said. "It [religion] was a factor when Jack Kennedy ran" as the first Catholic presidential candidate in 1960.
Rendell also said he thought most Americans would accept a Jewish vice president - and Lieberman would be “the perfect choice.”
Other Jewish leaders agreed with this assessment. Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said, "I think America is ready to have a Jewish vice president. I think that most Americans judge people by their positions, and Lieberman's record ... is quite remarkable."
Many analysts believe Lieberman’s religion may cause him problems in office because he is a strictly observing Jew. He and his wife, Hadassah, observe the Jewish Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, and are prohibited from working during that period. He said, however, that he will vote on legislation and participate in important meetings on the Sabbath, but will not take part in the election campaign -- Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
