Verbatim: Lieberman Uses Historic Moment To Ask Dems To Vote For McCain

IBD Editorials ^ | September 3, 2008 | Sen. Joe Lieberman

[Kaslin]

Following is the speech that Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrats' candidate for vice president in 2000, prepared for delivery to the Republican Convention on Tuesday night.

Thank you for that warm welcome. I am honored to be here.

We meet tonight in the wake of a terrible storm that has hit the Gulf Coast but that hurts all of us, because we are all members of our larger American family.

At times like this, we set aside all that divides us, and we come together to help our fellow citizens in need. What matters is certainly not whether we are Democrats or Republicans, but that we are all Americans.

The truth is, it shouldn't take a hurricane to bring us together like this. Every day, across our country, millions of our fellow citizens are facing huge problems.

They are worried about their homes, their jobs, and their businesses; they are worried about the outrageous cost of gas and of health insurance; and they are worried about the threats from our enemies abroad.

But when they look to Washington, all too often they do not see their leaders coming together to tackle these problems.

Instead they see Democrats and Republicans fighting each other, rather than fighting for the American people.

Our founding fathers foresaw the danger of this kind of senseless partisanship. George Washington himself — in his Farewell Address to our country — warned that the "spirit of party" is "the worst enemy" of our democracy and "enfeebles" our government's ability to do its job.

George Washington was absolutely right. The sad truth is — today we are living through his worst nightmare, in the capital city that bears his name.

[EagleUSA]

What goes around, comes around. The libs of the DNC hosed Lieberman in 2004. Threw him under the bus. Now they are getting what they deserve....nevertheless, he had better put a good security system in his house and update his life insurance — the goons of the left are not much different than the Mafia.

[Harry Wurzbach]

I thought it was a very good speech. And quite more significant than Jim Leach speaking at the Dem convention.

[Harry Wurzbach]

I thought it was a very good speech. And quite more significant than Jim Leach speaking at the Dem convention.

[j_tull]

It was actually 2006, but Sped Lamont was the darling of CT’s rabid anti-war moonbats, and they got him. I voted for Joe in that general election, because there was complete absence of a Republican nominee. It wouldn't surprise me a bit to see our alleged (R) governor, (M. Jodi Rell) speaking for Hitlerly at the DNC in 2012.

I thought Joe did a nice job last night, knowing it was the end of his ability to caucus with the demonrats. I like a principled man, even when I disagree with him on some points.

[ImpBill]

Like you, I have always respected Mr. Lieberman, even though I agree with scant few of is beliefs. I too the time today to call his office and ask his staffer to thank him for having the courage to say the things he did. I was especially impressed that he is the first major politician I have heard quoting George Washington's Farewell Address admonitions to not place our allegiances in political parties.

I had always hoped I would hear that statement come from a conservative, but glad none the less that someone is finally talking about it.

Both major political parties have a death grip on "our" political process and the Republic is paying the price in ways that are only beginning to show how detrimental party politics can and will yet become.