Oct 24, 2008 6:10 pm US/Eastern
Lieberman Says Palin Ready, But He Hedges A Bit
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Lieberman said he was confident that Palin, whose foreign policy background has been questioned by Democrats, could step in and handle the chief executive's job. (File)
AP
Sen. Joe Lieberman on Friday voiced confidence in John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as a running mate -- to a point.
Asked if Palin, Alaska's governor, would be ready from day one to be president, Lieberman, I-Conn., replied: "Thank God, she's not gonna have to be president from day one, because McCain's going to be alive and well."
Lieberman said he was confident that Palin, whose foreign policy background has been questioned by Democrats, could step in and handle the chief executive's job.
"Let's hope she never has to be ready because we hope McCain is elected and lives out his term," Lieberman said in a conference call with reporters.
"But if, God forbid, an accident occurs or something of that kind, she'll be ready. She's had executive experience. She's smart. And she will have had on-the-job training."
Lieberman said while he doesn't like the negative tone of the presidential race, he's got no plans to ask his pal McCain and Palin to ease up.
Lieberman brushed aside complaints the GOP ticket has attacked Democrat Barack Obama's character and questioned his patriotism. He said all four of the major ticket candidates have had their moments in what has been a tough race.
"These campaigns have had, as most do, what I would call moments where the rhetoric gets away," Lieberman said in a conference telephone call with reporters from his home in Stamford, Conn. The senator has been campaigning recently in New Hampshire for McCain and plans to be in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania for the GOP ticket next week.
"You look at some of the things that both Senator Obama and Senator (Joseph) Biden have said about McCain," Lieberman said. "One could say they're intemperate."
Pressed about whether he has heard any remarks from McCain or Palin that he felt compelled to speak out against, Lieberman scolded reporters.
"You have contributed to the demeaning of our politics by this kind of focus," he said. "I mean give me a break. Have any of you been out listening to me?"
Lieberman stressed that while he believes McCain is better prepared to be president than Obama, he holds Obama in high esteem.
"I have a lot of respect for Senator Obama," Lieberman said. "He's bright. He's eloquent. Someday I might even support him for president. But now in the midst of this series of crisis, John McCain is so much better prepared ... That's who I am proud to support."
Lieberman added that if Obama wins the White House, he would support his presidency.
"I hope and pray, and I am working my heart out for McCain to be elected our next president, but if for whatever the reason he is not, I am going to do everything I can to be part of bringing people together across party lines to support the new president so he can succeed," he said. "What's at stake for our country is just too serious."
Lieberman was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000 and was re-elected to the Senate in 2006 as an independent.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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