JTA.org  Global News Service of the Jewish People
10/20/2006
 
Menendez backs Lieberman, for a few hours
 
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) withdrew an endorsement of Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) hours after he made it to a Jewish audience.

Speaking at a synagogue in Livingston. N.J. on Wednesday night, Menendez said he backed Lieberman in his race against Ned Lamont, who bested Lieberman in the Democratic primary, the New York Times reported.

Lieberman, the first Jewish candidate on a realistic presidential ticket in 2000, is now running for re-election as an independent, though he has pledged to join the Democratic caucus if re-elected.

“I wish him well and hope he returns,” Menendez told the audience, and even predicted that his opponent, Tom Kean Jr., would attempt to link him with Lamont when Kean addressed the synagogue later in the evening.  Kean, who also endorsed Lieberman, in fact did so.

The next morning, Menendez’s campaign withdrew the endorsement of Lieberman, saying only that Menendez “looks forward to serving with him should he be re-elected,” but that he formally backed Lamont.

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