March 30, 2008
Posted: 11:15 AM ET
Lieberman and McCain recently went on a legislative factfinding trip to the Middle East including a visit to the Western Wall in Israel.
Lieberman and McCain recently went on a legislative factfinding trip to the Middle East including a visit to the Western Wall in Israel.

(CNN) — Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Connecticut, compared presumptive Republican nominee John McCain to a surprising figure on Sunday — Democratic icon John F. Kennedy.

“I'm a Democrat who came to the party in the era of President John F. Kennedy,” Lieberman told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week. ”It's a strange turn of the road when I find among the candidates running this year that the one, in my opinion, closest to the Kennedy legacy, the John F. Kennedy legacy, is John S. McCain.”

The Democrat-turned Independent endorsed McCain in early February, surprising many in the Democratic party. Lieberman, who ran with Al Gore on the Democratic presidential ticket eight years ago, insisted that his views have remained consistent while the Democratic Party changed.

“The Democratic Party today was not the party it was in 2000. It's been effectively taken over by a small group on the left of the party that is protectionist, isolationist and basically… very, very hyperpartisan. So it pains me,” he said.

A staunch supporter of the Iraq war, Lieberman recently traveled to Baghdad with McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina. Though he commended Hillary Clinton for her vote on declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist group, he slammed both Democratic presidential candidates on their foreign policy positions.

“The Democratic candidates have spent most of their time attacking the war in Iraq… they've honestly not done anything substantial to advance our cause in Afghanistan or against Al Qaeda.”

–CNN's Peter Lanier

Filed under: Joe Lieberman • John McCain


DrFill   March 30th, 2008 3:30 pm ET

Way to remind people why they didn't vote for you, Joe.
DrFill

Bilbo983   March 30th, 2008 3:35 pm ET

Lieberman needs his head examined! He must be hetting senile to even imagine that Senator McCain is closest to the Kennedy legacy, the John F. Kennedy legacy! What an insult to JFK's name. JFK was NEVER a flip-flopper like Senator McCain. JFK didn't keep slipping his tongue like John McCain. JFK was a natural in uniting the people of America; Senator McCain merely plays the Pied Piper out of deceit. JDK was never a fake!

Julia in CT   March 30th, 2008 3:35 pm ET

Joe Liberman is a disgrace to my State. Talk about buyers' remorse. What happened to you Joe? You sold out and sold us out in the process. Can I have my votes back, please?

Texan on a Mission of truth!   March 30th, 2008 3:38 pm ET

Pleas shut up Liberman. McCain liken to JFK. OH MY GOD! To you OBAMA you had better clean up your act and start trying to mend fences with Hillary right now. iI you should be so lucky to win the nomination you will need her to defeat McCain. With out her, SIMPLY, YOU LOSE. HILLARY 08

Just Ask Caroline   March 30th, 2008 3:39 pm ET

I think I'd rather believe Caroline that Joe.

Obama 08

Tex   March 30th, 2008 3:41 pm ET

What a joke! Has Lieberman totally lost it and is just sucking up to be McCain's VP?

That is an insult to the memory of President John F. Kennedy!

dafew   March 30th, 2008 3:42 pm ET

Leiberman has lost his mind……. I once thought he was a man of character now I think he is off his rocker. It is no wonder he did not get the Democratic Party Nomination for his senate seat.

Renee Osterwalder/Expat Winterthur Switzerland   March 30th, 2008 3:44 pm ET

Lieberman has some reality issues! And I feel that he is still drinking some bitter "haterade" because he feels he was treated unfairly by the Dem. Party.

marek   March 30th, 2008 3:45 pm ET

Sen. Joseph Lieberman is loosing his mind, this is what you get
if you hang with Sen. McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Joe   March 30th, 2008 3:45 pm ET

Ummm yes I can see a tiny resemblance. Maybe in the eyes. Certainly not in knowing nothing about the economy or in not being able to discern between between Al Queada and Muqtaba.

Bayou Joe   March 30th, 2008 3:45 pm ET

Amen to That. JFK and McCain share one thing in common. They love and respect my country. Have no allegiance to foreign entities and know that this country is about capitalism not socialism. That is why Latin Americans that came here to escape Socialists regimes
in Mexico, Cuba, El Salavador and Honduras, Chile, etc. and are now voting and their children who listened to their parents, will go for McCain in November.

Mark   March 30th, 2008 3:46 pm ET

Iraq has nothing to do with Afghanistan or Al Qaeda. When was the last time we have been aggressive in helping Afghanistan or fighting AL Qaeda. All McCain has to say on the subject is "War with Iran, continued presence in Iraq, War in Iran".

Ronald   March 30th, 2008 3:47 pm ET

Looks like McCain has found his ruining mate!

Jane   March 30th, 2008 3:51 pm ET

Somebody (see: Connecticut) PLEASE vote this ignorant fool out of office.

Brian   March 30th, 2008 3:52 pm ET

Kennedy-McCain is the most ludicrous comparison I've ever heard. Lieberman's SAT scores must have been atrocious.

The democratic party has become a wider, more moderate and more inclusive party since 2000… Joe Lieberman is just miffed that the people of Connecticut tried to oust him during a democratic uprising in the last election.

Talk about a politician who doesn't stand for anything except his own survival… Lieberman is a sad endorsement for McCain.

DonnieJ   March 30th, 2008 3:53 pm ET

Thinking back on all of the past presidents, I also can't think of a more apt comparison for McCain than JFK. The youth of the candidate, the hope he inspired, the promise of a new course for the country, name is "John" - that's McCain hands down.

Wake up, Joe.

Tommy in St. Louis   March 30th, 2008 3:53 pm ET

This must be some kind of joke. April Fool's Day isn't until the day after tomorrow, you know!

Conservative   March 30th, 2008 3:56 pm ET

JFK wanted government secrecy to end, McCain wants it to increase. JFK would of protected our borders, McCain wants them wide open. JFK wanted to get rid of the Federal reserve, McCain doesn't even know what it is.

Norm   March 30th, 2008 3:58 pm ET

Bad news for the Democrats

Gnosticman   March 30th, 2008 3:59 pm ET

Lieberman has got to be the least trustworthy politician whose last name is not Bush.

RETIRED PROFESSIONAL W/WOMAN OF 63   March 30th, 2008 3:59 pm ET

Please, Lieberman, Let's not insult Pres. John F. Kennedy with
camparing McCain to Kennedy. What an insult for our late, great,
Pres. John F. Kennedy. McCain could not hold a candle to Kennedy.
Lieberman, the trader for a trip abroad, can never convince American
of Anything.

Let People be People   March 30th, 2008 4:04 pm ET

Lieberman is entitled to his opinion but I am interested in what comparisons he's talking about. Was the democratic party in 2000 the same as it was when Kennedy was president? What's his view on us entering in a war on false pretenses? I wish this presidential vice-president wannabe would return to the way he was in 2004 when he ran with Kerry. He seems to be opportunistic.

Michael Guinn- Ventura, CA   March 30th, 2008 4:07 pm ET

He CAN'T BE SERIOUS! He needs to go ahead and move his Independent status to the GOP and get it over with.
What a disappointment!

Trang, Fremont, CA   March 30th, 2008 4:13 pm ET

I don't live during Kennedy's time, although I am aware of that many people have a fond memory of him. Why make the comparison? McCain is McCain, Obama is Obama, and Hillary is Hillary - each one is unique … and I bet some people will say … I know Kennedy and McCain is no Kennedy as a reaction to this comment.

James in Kamiah   March 30th, 2008 4:15 pm ET

HOW DARE HE?!
That's like Likening George W. Bush to George Washington! Tell him to take that back! Them's fightin words. The liar.

Grif   March 30th, 2008 4:19 pm ET

No! I would say John is more "Dwight Eisenhower " Myself…

1890 - 1969….

FEDUP   March 30th, 2008 4:24 pm ET

The man responsible for holding meetings on Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was too busy running for president to do anything else, including voting on the Iran issue. If he voted that would have meant taking a stand, which is not his MO. Obama would rather, Monday Morning Quarterback on the issues. His whole campaign has been on not voting on an issue he couldn't even vote on. He no doubt would have been absent if he could have voted, since he has missed 40% of the votes anyway. With his record as a State Senator is any indication, he would have missed that vote too, had he been able to vote.

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