A Day On The Road

Editor's note: JN Staff Writer
Harry Kirsbaum spent a full 24
hours on the campaign trail
with Sen. Joe Lieberman, the
Democratic vice-presidential
candidate. Here's his insider's
report.

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_Joseph Lieberman makes a point
during a fund-raiser at Boca
Grove Country Club in Boca
Raton, Fla.

The Jewish vice-

presidential

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candidate's

ar

As time passed, the coun-
try once again began to
concentrate on the presi-
dential candidates. The vice-
presidential debate earlier
this month brought
Lieberman into focus again.
He and his counterpart,
Republican Dick Cheney,
raised the bar for their run-
ning mates with their issue-
driven, non-smirking, non-
combative discourse. But
the spotlight soon shifted
back to the presidential can-
didates as another round of
debates approached.
Lately, with the break-
down of the Mideast peace
process and the recurring
violence in Israel, voter
attention has been drawn
back to Lieberman.
Will his Jewishness —
played down . by his staff in
recent weeks — affect his
judgment in the Mideast?
Should voters expect him
to side with Israel, no mat-
ter what?

n a dreary October
morning, factory
workers are lining the
aisles, smiling and
hoping to get a handshake from
a man who can't wait to meet
them.
"I haven't seen the people
here this excited since last year,
when we got profit sharing,"
said a woman worker to no one
in particular. She's wearing a
Gore-Lieberman 2000 T-shirt,
as are many in the plant.
Followed by a large entourage
of staff members, union leaders
and Secret Service agents, Sen.
Joseph Lieberman, the first
Jewish vice-presidential candi-
date on a major party ticket,
makes his entrance. He removes
his suit coat, rolls up his sleeves
and slowly makes his way
Raising Dollars
around a prearranged path in
The
candidate begins what
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the Visteon Automotive Systems
his staff names the
plant in Romulus, Mich.
"Lieberman Rolls Through
If not for the Secret Service
Motor
City"
tour after a late flight from
scription plan to senior citizens, and
that has added jobs, reduced the crime
helping him along, it seems Lieberman
Washington,
D.C., on Sunday, Oct. 15.
raising more money from contributors
rate and taken people off welfare.
might still be meeting and greeting every
He
waited
until
the second day of
who are predominately Jewish.
He tells the crowd that factories
union member who marched in
Sukkot
ended
before
he and his wife,
like theirs show "that the new
Detroit's Labor Day parade on
Hadassah,
flew
into
Willow
Run
Focus
On
Lieberman
economy has gone well
Sept. 4. He seems to relish the
Airport.
They
attended
a
Democratic
beyond California's Silicon
When Vice President Al Gore selected
political opportunity he has
fund-raiser in Southfield on Sunday,
Valley, where it supposedly
Lieberman as his running mate in
been given, and acts as com-
where he drew warm applause from the
started,
and
it's
come
right
August,
the
senator
became
"the
great
fortable around these factory
mostly Jewish crowd.
here to the heartland of
Jewish hope" among Jews, so proud of
workers as he is with the
According to Farmington Hill's
Michigan,
to
the
heart
of
our
his
nomination.
wealthy business people at a
Hannan
Lis, one of the nearly 400 who
economy, which is the auto-
$5,000-a-plate fund-raiser.
attended,
Lieberman's religion is beside
motive industry."
Lieberman doesn't quite
MI 7
the
point.
America's relationship with
The race is very close, he
have rock-star qualities, but
the
only
true
democracy in the Mideast
At
e
tells them, and Michigan is
some people do seem to get
H ARRY
is
already
very
strong, and there have
tig
very important.
star-struck in his presence.
KI RS BAUM
been
Jews
in
high
U.S. government
"If
we
can
win
it
here,
we'll
One woman worker can only
Staff Writer
positions
for
a
long
time. "Yes, it's differ-
win
it
everywhere."
He'll
say
Sen.
Joseph
Lieberman's
squeal in delight when he
ent
[having
a
Jew
on
the national-tick-
the same thing about Florida
stops to ask her a question.
grueling campaign
et],
but
not
by
that
much,"
said Lis,
later this day.
After donning his umpteenth union
schedule
doesn't
who
has
dual
citizenship
with
Israel
After a few more-handshakes, the
jacket, this one with his name embroi-
and
plans
to
vote
in
his
first
U.S.
elec-
wear down his dedication
candidate is off and flying to Florida,
dered on it, Lieberman launches into a
tion
in
November.
He
said
he
doesn't
where he'll spend the rest of the day and
short speech tailored to the workers. He
to this historic election.
think that, if elected, Lieberman will
night delineating the Democrats' pre-
talks earnestly of a thriving economy

campaign trail

is a constant

stream of

handshakes,

speeches fund-
.
raisers and

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2 :2 Vi

10/20
2000

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