Former U.S. senator and Democratic Party vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman passed away on Wednesday, according to a statement released by his family.
He died in New York City after suffering complications from a fall, his family said.
He was 82.
The family said in a statement: “His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him when he passed. Senator Lieberman’s love of God, his family and America endured throughout his life of service in the public interest.”
Lieberman made history as the Democratic Party’s vice presidential nominee in the 2000 election. He was the first Jewish candidate to contest on a major party ticket in the United States.
But Lieberman and Al Gore were unsuccessful in their bid for the White House, losing to former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney
According to NBC News, Bush said he was “saddened” by the loss of Lieberman, referring to him as “one of the most decent people he met during his time in Washington.
“As Laura and I pray for Hadassah and the Lieberman family, we also pray that Joe’s example of decency guides our Nation’s leaders now and into the future,” Bush said.
Lieberman’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 was unsuccessful, partly due to criticism over his stance on the Iraq War, which he supported, according to a report on Reuters.
Lieberman, known for his centrist approach, began his tenure in the U.S. Senate after winning the 1988 election.
Despite facing a setback in the state’s Democratic primary in 2006, he managed to maintain his Senate seat by securing victory in the general election as an independent candidate.
Lieberman made headlines by endorsing Republican Senator John McCain for president during a speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
However, he later threw his support behind Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020 in their respective presidential campaigns.
He retired from the Senate in 2013.
Gore said in a statement that Lieberman was a man of deep integrity who dedicated his life to serving his country.
“He was a truly gifted leader, whose affable personality and strong will made him a force to be reckoned with. That’s why it came as no surprise to any of us who knew him when he’d start singing his favorite song: Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way.’ And doing things Joe’s way meant always putting his country and the values of equality and fairness first,” Gore added.
A funeral service is scheduled for Friday, March 29, at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford, CT, his hometown.
