Gore’s Counterweight

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) will be making American political history when presumptive Democratic nominee Al Gore names him the first Jewish member of a national ticket. What impact the vice presidential nominee will have on Gore’s prospects for succeeding Bill Clinton will depend in large part on the kind of campaign the Gore-Lieberman team runs over the next three months.

From the outset Gore should be commended for taking some risk in choosing an Orthodox Jew as his running mate. It’s been 40 years since John F. Kennedy overcame religious bias to become the first Roman Catholic president; we hope that tolerance in America has progressed to the point that Lieberman’s religion will not be a factor in political debate. He is a man of unquestioned honesty and integrity, judging by the comments of his Senate colleagues, Republicans as well as Democrats.

The Connecticut senator demonstrated his independent spirit on Sept. 3, 1998, when he took the floor of the upper chamber to condemn the “disgraceful behavior” of President Clinton in the Monica Lewinsky affair. He was the first senator of either party to do so. “Such behavior is not just inappropriate,” Lieberman said. “It is immoral.” Lieberman also was outspokenly critical of White House fund-raising abuses during the 1996 reelection campaign.

Political analysts quickly interpreted the selection as an effort by Gore to declare his independence from Clinton and the president’s ethical problems. That may work to an extent, just as Republican George W. Bush’s choice of Dick Cheney balances Bush’s lack of experience and depth in politics and government. Lieberman is a moderate out of the same New Democratic mold as Clinton and as such may be able to blunt Bush’s effort to attract independent voters. He certainly will be able to hold his own in debate with Cheney as the campaign wears on.

The old rule of thumb, that a presidential ticket must be balanced geographically or shaped to pull in a key state, seems to have gone by the board. Bush is certain to win Cheney’s Wyoming and Gore has to be favored to carry Connecticut. The race for the rest is on.

Lieberman and Cheney are candidates of substance, capable of serving as chief executive in the event of presidential death or incapacitation. Both Bush and Gore made solid choices. Anything else the running mates bring to the campaigns is a bonus.