On March 27th, Joe Lieberman – former United States Senator, Vice Presidential candidate, and one of the few really decent people in politics from either party – passed away. The reported cause was injuries sustained from an accident of some kind in his Bronx apartment.
I have waited for days to see the tributes, the laments over what a great loss this is for our country. But I’m still waiting. Which is unconscionable.
There are, however exceptions. In one of them – an excellent article by Jake Tapper, Stephen Collinson and Jack Forrest at CNN – Lieberman is shown to be a true bipartisan, who had no problem putting the interests of our country above partisan politics.
How many major (or even minor politicians on either side of the aisle can you find who do that now?
So, yes, Joe Lieberman is a great loss. But one which, in this polarized climate, has been treated almost anonymously. Why? Most likely because…:
-…Republicans looked the other way because he was a Democrat…
-…Democrats looked the other way because his moderation and willingness to cross the aisle when he thought it necessary made him a pariah…
-…And most mainstream media looked the other way because (reread what was said about Democrats – all too often, there is no difference between the two).
But not here.
This country needs more people like Joe Lieberman. He will be missed terribly.
May he rest in peace.
