Posted on 1/26/2004, 3:03:21 AM by KQQL
US Senator Joseph Lieberman complained to CNN on Friday after the cable news channel's anchor, Bill Hemmer, asked the Democratic presidential candidate how he felt "as a Jew" about the security fence.
A source close to the Lieberman campaign said the senator "was offended" by Hemmer's questioning of him "as a Jew." Hemmer called the Lieberman campaign and apologized, a CNN spokeswoman said.
The question was posed during CNN's America Morning show, which Hemmer co-hosts. "Senator, as a Jew, do you believe the construction of the security wall in Israel is the right path to peace?" Hemmer asked Lieberman.
Lieberman replied: "I am running for president, Bill, as an American who happens to be Jewish. So the question I believe is inappropriate. I'm going to give you my answer as an American."
Lieberman said the US should respect Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism and said he thinks "the wall will help." He also described it as "temporary," and said the US has "a right as [Israel's] ally to talk to them about where that wall goes."
Referring to Hemmer's original question, Lieberman added: "But I want to repeat, it's the American way not to judge candidates by their faith, but by their policies. That's the way we do it in this country and that's the way I know the American people will judge me."
The source said: "The campaign did call to complain. Bill Hemmer called back personally to apologize, did so profusely and honorably, said he did not intend to say anything discriminatory. The Lieberman campaign considers the issue closed."
A CNN spokeswoman, Christa Robinson, confirmed that Hemmer called Lieberman to apologize. But Robinson said describing Hemmer as apologizing "profusely... is definitely an overstatement... He did not apologize for asking the question. He apologized saying, 'If he took the question personally, I regret it,' " she said.
Hemmer left the message for Lieberman with a campaign staffer since the senator was unavailable.
When he ran for vice president alongside Al Gore in 2000, Lieberman's Judaism was a novelty. Early on, writers and reporters sometimes mused about whether his religion might affect his ability to be objective on the Middle East peace process.
Some wondered whether his Shabbat observance would interfere with his presidential duties. But soon after his selection in August of that year, questions about his Judaism dissipated and have been infrequent during this presidential campaign.
Lieberman has rarely, if ever, been asked questions this time around about foreign policy based on his religion, campaign insiders said.
If anyone highlights Lieberman's Judaism, it is Lieberman himself. He regularly stresses his faith in God and observance of his religion, a characteristic that resonates with American voters, especially devout Christians, pundits say. Lieberman is in fifth place among New Hampshire voters ahead of Tuesday's primary there, according to a poll taken January 22-24 by American Research Group.
Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the surprise victor in the January 19 Iowa caucuses, is in first place with 38 percent, followed by Gen. Wesley Clark (17%), former Vermont governor Howard Dean (16%), North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (15%), and Lieberman (5%).
A CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll has Lieberman faring better, in third place with 12% of the vote behind Kerry (38%) and Dean (25%). Clark and Edwards have 10% and 9% respectively.
Even if he does poorly in New Hampshire, where he has resided since late December, Lieberman hopes to salvage his bid for the presidency by winning some of the February 3 primaries where he has invested resources, including Delaware, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Analysts, however, say victories in those states would be unlikely if Lieberman does not do well in New Hampshire, since the senator's backers would likely shift to a leading candidate.
That is not an apology.
At any rate, he should have handled the situation a bit better.
Pork chops at half-price?
He wasn't offended to be called Jewish, he was offended that the question implied that his being a Jew had some significant bearing on his answer. And he's correct, it was an inappropriate way to pose the question. There's no need to label everybody that way.
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