Funeral held for Joe Lieberman, longtime U.S. senator and 2000 vice presidential nominee
STAMFORD, Conn. -- Former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman was remembered as a man devoted to his faith and country at his funeral Friday.
Hundreds gathered at Lieberman's hometown synagogue in Stamford after the 82-year-old died suddenly on March 27 in New York City from an accidental fall.
Lieberman's politics were an iconic mix: liberal on social policy and hawkish on national security.
"Joe Lieberman was a giant. He was an original. He was one of one," said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.
Al Gore, who selected Lieberman as his running-mate on the 2000 Democratic presidential ticket, was also among speakers who called him a good man and a great patriot.
Lieberman served four terms in the U.S. Senate, including one as an Independent after losing the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont, now the governor of Connecticut.
"He won as an Independent. He has been a proud Independent ever since. He was always a calming presence. I like to think of him as that bridge over troubled waters as you see the partisan sniping," said Lamont.
Lieberman made history as the first Jew on a major party presidential ticket when he ran with Gore.
"Not just the breaking of a barrier, but the opening of a vision. It was the American dream," said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
"We laughed together, fought like hell together for what we wanted our country to be, prayed together," said Gore.
Hani Lowenstein, Lieberman's daughter, said devout Judaism grounded her father with humility.
"You often described yourself even in recent years as just a simple boy from Stamford. Even with your stature and all of your life experiences, you were so humble," said Lowenstein.
In recent years, Lieberman co-founded the No Labels Party to promote bipartisanship. He worked to promote a vision of an America where leaders settle differences by finding common ground until his final days.
Lieberman was buried Friday afternoon in his hometown of Stamford.