Jul 12, 2008 11:11 am US/Pacific
Liebermann Suggests Running Mate For Obama
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
Sen. Joe Lieberman hasn't been shy criticizing Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting Barack Obama, but Friday he praised one of Obama's potential running mates, Sen. Christopher Dodd.
Lieberman said his Connecticut colleague "deserves" consideration by Obama for the Democratic ticket.
"If it's true, I'm very happy to hear it because I think Chris Dodd deserves that consideration and he's earned it," Lieberman said during a teleconference call with Connecticut reporters. "I don't mean just in the last year, but throughout his whole career."
Lieberman is a Democrat-turned-independent who has angered many Democrats with his strong support for presumed Republican presidential nominee John McCain. Lieberman also has been mentioned as a possible running mate for the Arizona senator.
When asked about Dodd as a potential vice presidential pick, Lieberman said his support for McCain put him in "somewhat of an awkward position" politically.
"This is ultimately Senator Obama's decision, but Chris would do well in any campaign or office he held," said Lieberman, who was Democrat Al Gore's running mate in 2000.
Obama's vice presidential search team has requested information from Dodd as part of its search for a possible running mate. Dodd dropped his 2008 presidential bid after a poor showing in the leadoff Iowa caucuses in early January.
Lieberman won re-election to the Senate in 2006 as an independent, but still caucuses with Senate Democrats.
The 2006 race bruised the longtime friendship between Dodd and Lieberman.
After losing the Democratic primary in Connecticut to political newcomer Ned Lamont largely because of his support for the Iraq war, Lieberman bucked party leaders and ran as an independent in the general election to hang onto his seat.
The move angered Democrats who questioned the senator's party loyalty. Leading Democrats, including Lieberman's longtime friend Dodd, abandoned him after the primary defeat and supported Lamont.
Lieberman has said his feelings were hurt by Dodd, who campaigned for Lamont in the general election and filmed a campaign commercial with him. Since then, Lieberman and Dodd have said they were working to repair their ruptured relationship. The two senators and their staffs work together on Capitol Hill, particularly on Connecticut-related issues.
Some prominent Connecticut Democrats, meanwhile, said Dodd would be a good choice for Obama.
Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, an Obama supporter, said Dodd should be at the top of Obama's running mate choices.
"I hope Senator Obama chooses Chris Dodd because he brings a wealth of foreign policy experience and decades of experience in the Senate and in Congress and he's very well respected," said Bysiewicz.
Recently, Dodd, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, has struggled with allegations that he got cut-rate mortgages from a leading offender in the subprime mortgage meltdown. But state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who said he would be interested in running for Dodd's Senate seat should it become vacant, said the mortgage should not be an issue.
"I think that there needs to be a clearing of the air, simply setting the facts out," he said. At the end of the day, he did nothing wrong, so far as we know right now, it should not be a factor in any decision about whether he's a vice presidential candidate."
(© 2008 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
