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Former US Sen. Joe Lieberman remembered as 'mensch' who bridged political divides

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Former US Sen. Joe Lieberman remembered as 'mensch' who bridged political divides
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Former US Sen. Joe Lieberman remembered as 'mensch' who bridged political divides

2024-03-30 01:31 Last Updated At:01:40

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — Former Vice President Al Gore and other politician dignitaries remembered the late Joe Lieberman Friday as a “mensch” who both bridged partisan political divides and wasn't afraid to go against mainstream political currents, during a packed funeral service for the four-term U.S. senator.

Noting there is no English equivalent for the Yiddish term, Gore — who ran for president on a Democratic ticket with Lieberman in the disputed 2000 election — told mourners at a synagogue in Stamford, Connecticut, that they could find its meaning just by looking at his former running mate, who passed away this week at 82.

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Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Sen. Joe Lieberman in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, during his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Sen. Joe Lieberman in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, during his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Senator Chris Murphy, D-CT, speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Senator Chris Murphy, D-CT, speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Former Senator Chris Dodd speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Former Senator Chris Dodd speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Current and former elected officials including Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Senator Susan Collins listen to reflections during the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Current and former elected officials including Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Senator Susan Collins listen to reflections during the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Hadassah Lieberman, wife of former Senator Joe Lieberman, and their daughter Hani Lowenstein, arrive for his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Hadassah Lieberman, wife of former Senator Joe Lieberman, and their daughter Hani Lowenstein, arrive for his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to the Lieberman family during the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to the Lieberman family during the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to Hadassah Lieberman during the funeral for her husband, former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to Hadassah Lieberman during the funeral for her husband, former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Senator Joe Lieberman is shown in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, before his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Senator Joe Lieberman is shown in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, before his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

FILE - Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, wave to supporters at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2000. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)

FILE - Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, wave to supporters at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2000. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)

FILE - Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman waves to members of the media as he leaves the West Wing of the White House in Washington, May 17, 2017. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE - Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman waves to members of the media as he leaves the West Wing of the White House in Washington, May 17, 2017. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE - Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Conn., right, speaks with a reporter at the Capitol in Washington, June 22, 2021. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Conn., right, speaks with a reporter at the Capitol in Washington, June 22, 2021. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

“Those who seek its definition will not find it in dictionaries so much as they find it in the way Joe Lieberman lived his life: friendship over anger, reconciliation as a form of grace," Gore said. "We can learn from Joe Lieberman’s life some critical lessons about how we might heal the rancor in our nation today.”

Top Connecticut Democrats, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Gov. Ned Lamont — Lieberman’s one-time rival for the Senate seat — shared similar sentiments.

Lamont said his acquaintance with Lieberman started on “an inauspicious note” when they ran against each other in 2006. After Lamont defeated the incumbent Lieberman in the Democratic primary for his Senate seat, Lieberman ran as an independent and defeated Lamont.

Lamont said Lieberman loved Frank Sinatra songs, especially “My Way.” “He did it his way,” Lamont said. “He never quite fit in that Republican or Democratic box. I think maybe in an odd way I helped liberate him because when he beat me — he beat me pretty good, by the way — he won as an independent.”

Lamont said Lieberman “was always a calming presence” and a "bridge over troubled waters as you see the partisan sniping from both directions.”

Blumenthal recalled Lieberman’s “tremendous accomplishments,” including helping to form the Department of Homeland Security and championing civil rights, voting rights, women’s reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights. “But the greatest accomplishment of his life was his marriage to Hadassah and their children and grandchildren,” Blumenthal said.

Services were held at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford. For Lieberman, a self-described observant Jew who followed the rules of the Jewish Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, the congregation played a key role early on in his life.

He once recalled how the congregation's former synagogue building was “a place that gave me the first sense of religion; a very special uplift," according to a posting on the congregation's website.

“I feel very lucky — my adherence to the Jewish tradition is really an asset," he said. "Religious Catholics and Protestants find a bond of common value with my beliefs and stand. It is this that makes me so proud of being an American.”

Lieberman's youngest daughter, Hana Lowenstein, who moved to Israel in 2018 with her family, said tearfully that she had prayed, “Please God, give my father many more years. Let him see all of my kids’ bar mitzvahs, their weddings, his great-grandchildren.” But she said God “had other plans.”

Lowenstein said that observing the Jewish Sabbath was “very dear” to her father and he would walk 5 miles (8 kilometers) in order to abide by the Sabbath prohibition on riding in a motor vehicle. “You were literally someone who was sanctifying God’s name by everything you did,” she said.

Matthew Lieberman, the former senator’s son from his first marriage, said Lieberman “was a blessing for all of us” but “a solid slice of people” nevertheless developed a hate for him.

Despite that animosity, Matthew Lieberman said his father encouraged others to not let those disagreements devolve into hatred. “We’re not the Hatfields and McCoys here," Matthew Lieberman said. "We’re Americans, we’re fellow citizens in the greatest country in the history of the world. We’re all humans and we’re all we’ve got.”

Lieberman, a former state Senate leader and attorney general, was long known for his pragmatic, independent streak. After losing the chance to serve as vice president with the Democrat Gore, he came close to becoming Republican John McCain's running mate in 2008. However, conservatives balked at the idea of tapping Lieberman, who was known for supporting gay rights, civil rights, abortion rights and environmental causes while taking a hawkish stand on military and national security matters.

President Joe Biden on Thursday called Lieberman a friend, someone who was “principled, steadfast and unafraid to stand up for what he thought was right."

“Joe believed in a shared purpose of serving something bigger than ourselves," Biden, who served 20 years in the Senate with Lieberman, said in his statement. “He lived the values of his faith as he worked to repair the wounds of the world.”

Lieberman came tantalizingly close to winning the vice presidency in the contentious 2000 presidential contest that was decided by a 537-vote margin victory for George W. Bush over Gore in Florida after a drawn-out recount, legal challenges and a Supreme Court decision. He was the first Jewish candidate on a major party’s presidential ticket.

Over the last decade, Lieberman helped lead No Labels, a centrist third-party movement that has said it will offer as-yet-unnamed candidates for president and vice president this year. Some groups aligned with Democrats oppose the effort, fearing it will help presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump win the White House.

Lieberman and his wife, Hadassah, have four children.

This story has been corrected to show that Lieberman was Al Gore's running mate in 2000, not 1980.

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Sen. Joe Lieberman in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, during his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Sen. Joe Lieberman in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, during his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Senator Chris Murphy, D-CT, speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Senator Chris Murphy, D-CT, speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Former Senator Chris Dodd speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Former Senator Chris Dodd speaks at the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

Current and former elected officials including Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Senator Susan Collins listen to reflections during the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Current and former elected officials including Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Senator Susan Collins listen to reflections during the funeral for former Senator Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Hadassah Lieberman, wife of former Senator Joe Lieberman, and their daughter Hani Lowenstein, arrive for his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Hadassah Lieberman, wife of former Senator Joe Lieberman, and their daughter Hani Lowenstein, arrive for his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to the Lieberman family during the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to the Lieberman family during the funeral for former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to Hadassah Lieberman during the funeral for her husband, former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

Former Vice President Al Gore offers his condolences to Hadassah Lieberman during the funeral for her husband, former Sen. Joe Lieberman in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Senator Joe Lieberman is shown in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, before his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

The casket of former Senator Joe Lieberman is shown in the sanctuary of Congregation Agudath Sholom, before his funeral in Stamford, Conn., Friday, March. 29, 2024. (AP Photo / Bryan Woolston)

FILE - Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, wave to supporters at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2000. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)

FILE - Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, left, and his running mate, vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, wave to supporters at a campaign rally in Jackson, Tenn., Oct. 25, 2000. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)

FILE - Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman waves to members of the media as he leaves the West Wing of the White House in Washington, May 17, 2017. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE - Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman waves to members of the media as he leaves the West Wing of the White House in Washington, May 17, 2017. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

FILE - Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Conn., right, speaks with a reporter at the Capitol in Washington, June 22, 2021. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FILE - Former Sen. Joe Lieberman of Conn., right, speaks with a reporter at the Capitol in Washington, June 22, 2021. A funeral for Lieberman will be held Friday, March 29, 2024, in his hometown of Stamford, Conn. Lieberman died in New York City on Wednesday, March 27, at age 82. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s spy agency said Wednesday that North Korea appears to have sent additional troops to Russia, after its soldiers deployed on the Russian-Ukraine fronts suffered heavy casualties.

The National Intelligence Service said in a brief statement it was trying to determine exactly how many more troops North Korea has deployed to Russia.

The NIS also assessed that North Korean troops were redeployed at fronts in Russia’s Kursk region in the first week of February, following a reported temporary withdrawal from the area. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an address on Feb. 7, confirmed a new Ukrainian offensive in Kursk and said North Korean troops were fighting alongside Russian forces there.

North Korea has been supplying a vast amount of conventional weapons to Russia, and last fall it sent about 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia as well, according to U.S., South Korean and Ukraine intelligence officials. North Korean soldiers are highly disciplined and well trained, but observers say they’ve become easy targets for drone and artillery attacks on Russian-Ukraine battlefields due to their lack of combat experience and unfamiliarity with the terrain.

In January, the NIS said about 300 North Korean soldiers had died and another 2,700 had been injured. Zelenskyy earlier put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 4,000, though U.S. estimates were lower at around 1,200.

Earlier Wednesday, South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, citing unidentified sources, reported that an additional 1,000-3,000 North Korean soldiers were deployed to Kursk between January and February.

South Korea, the U.S. and their partners worry that Russia could reward North Korea by transferring high-tech weapons technologies that can sharply enhance its nuclear weapons program. North Korea is expected to receive economic and other assistance from Russia as well.

During talks in Saudi Arabia last week, Russia and the U.S. agreed to start working toward ending the war and improving their diplomatic and economic ties. Ukrainian officials weren’t present at the talks. That marked an extraordinary shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump and a clear departure from U.S.-led efforts to isolate Russia over its war in Ukraine.

Observers say North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could send more troops to Russia to win further Russian assistance before the war ends.

FILE - A North Korean flag flutters in the wind atop a 160-meter tower in North Korea's village Gijungdong as seen from the Taesungdong freedom village inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea on April 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - A North Korean flag flutters in the wind atop a 160-meter tower in North Korea's village Gijungdong as seen from the Taesungdong freedom village inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea on April 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - A TV screen at Seoul Railway Station in South Korea, on Oct. 21, 2024, shows an image of soldiers believed to be from North Korea standing in line to receive supplies from Russia. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE - A TV screen at Seoul Railway Station in South Korea, on Oct. 21, 2024, shows an image of soldiers believed to be from North Korea standing in line to receive supplies from Russia. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

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