STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) 鈥 The late Joe Lieberman on Friday was remembered by political allies and even a former foe as a 鈥渕ensch鈥 who both bridged and defied partisan political divides, during a funeral service for the four-term U.S. senator.
Former Vice President Al Gore, who ran for president on a Democratic ticket with Lieberman in the disputed 2000 election, told mourners at the Stamford, Connecticut, synagogue that there is no English equivalent for the Yiddish term. But, he said, they could find its definition by looking at Lieberman, this week at 82.
鈥淭hey 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鈥檚 life some critical lessons about how we might heal the rancor in our nation today.鈥
A socially progressive foreign policy hawk, Lieberman was long known for his pragmatic, independent streak, which Gore noted sometimes 鈥渓eft him exposed to partisan anger from both sides.鈥
Gore, who said he first knew Lieberman as Connecticut's attorney general in the 1980s, praised him for being 鈥渞eady to reclaim friendships that had been seared by disagreements鈥 鈥 including their own after their political paths diverged following the 2000 loss.
Embodying Lieberman's conciliatory powers, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont delivered a stirring eulogy, despite the two having engaged in a contentious battle for the Democratic nomination for Lieberman's Senate seat in 2006. The race drew national attention by focusing on Lieberman鈥檚 support for the war in Iraq. Lieberman lost the primary, but defeated Lamont as an independent.
Joking that they started on 鈥渁n inauspicious note,鈥 Lamont described Lieberman as a 鈥渂ridge over troubled waters鈥 amid "partisan sniping from both directions.鈥
Lamont noted that Lieberman loved Frank Sinatra songs, especially 鈥淢y Way.鈥 鈥淗e did it his way,鈥 Lamont said. 鈥淗e 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 鈥 he beat me pretty good, by the way 鈥 he won as an independent.鈥
Other top Connecticut Democrats, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, also spoke at the service, which was attended by Republican Maine U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, former Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy and former New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley.
Blumenthal said Lieberman鈥檚 accomplishments included helping to form the Department of Homeland Security and championing civil rights, voting rights, women鈥檚 reproductive freedom and LGBTQ rights. 鈥淏ut the greatest accomplishment of his life was his marriage to Hadassah and their children and grandchildren,鈥 Blumenthal said, addressing Lieberman's widow before descending to join hands with her.
The service was held at Congregation Agudath Sholom, his hometown synagogue. Lieberman was a self-described observant Jew who followed the rules of the Jewish Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.
While somber, Lieberman鈥檚 eulogists, family and friends shared hearty laughs, and celebrated his good humor. Lamont, for example, relayed stories from a former colleague about the challenges of finding kosher food on the campaign trail in Utah.
When Lieberman鈥檚 children spoke, the tears began to flow. Cousins dabbed tears as daughter Hani Lowenstein described his kindness to all, and his commitment to the Jewish principles of 鈥渢ikkun olam,鈥 which means repairing the damage in the world.
Lowenstein, who moved to Israel in 2018 with her family, said tearfully that she had prayed, 鈥淧lease God, give my father many more years. Let him see all of my kids鈥 bar mitzvahs, their weddings, his great-grandchildren.鈥 But she said God 鈥渉ad other plans.鈥
Lowenstein said her father would walk 5 miles (8 kilometers) in order to abide by the Jewish Sabbath's prohibition on riding in a car. 鈥淵ou were literally someone who was sanctifying God鈥檚 name by everything you did,鈥 she said, as his casket lay below her, draped in a black blanket with a white star of David.
Matthew Lieberman, the former senator鈥檚 son from his first marriage, said Lieberman 鈥渨as a blessing for all of us鈥 but 鈥渁 solid slice of people鈥 nevertheless developed a hate for him. His father never hated them back, he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not the Hatfields and McCoys here," Matthew Lieberman said. "We鈥檙e Americans, we鈥檙e fellow citizens in the greatest country in the history of the world. We鈥檙e all humans and we鈥檙e all we鈥檝e got.鈥
As Gore's running mate, Joe 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. Lieberman was the first Jewish candidate on a major party鈥檚 presidential ticket.
After losing the chance to serve as vice president with the Democrat Gore, Lieberman 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 socially liberal causes while taking a hawkish stand on military and national security matters.
Over the last decade, Lieberman helped lead No Labels, a centrist third-party movement that has for president and vice president this year. Some , fearing it will help presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump win the White House.
President Joe Biden on Thursday called Lieberman a friend, someone who was 鈥減rincipled, steadfast and unafraid to stand up for what he thought was right.鈥
鈥淛oe believed in a shared purpose of serving something bigger than ourselves,鈥 Biden, who served 20 years in the Senate with Lieberman, said in his statement. 鈥淗e lived the values of his faith as he worked to repair the wounds of the world.鈥
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Associated Press writer Susan Haigh contributed to this report.
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This story has been corrected to show that Lieberman was Al Gore's running mate in 2000, not 1980.
