WASHINGTON — Al Gore's decision to pick Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman as his running mate is his definitive declaration of independence from President Clinton, analysts said Monday.
Gore, the Democratic presidential candidate, has also staked himself as a politician willing to make a bold decision by choosing an orthodox Jew—the first Jew to run on the presidential ticket of one of the two major parties.
"It's a fascinating decision. There are no doubt those who would not vote for a Jew for vice president but they were already all committed to opposing Gore in any case," said Douglas Boomfield, a columnist for the Washington Jewish Week.
Lieberman's defining moment came Sept. 3, 1998 when he became the first Democratic senator to denounce Clinton for his behavior in conducting an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
In a speech spiced with quotations from past presidents and delivered with quiet authority, Lieberman said Clinton's behavior was not just inappropriate.
"It is immoral. And it is harmful, for it sends a message of what is acceptable behavior to the larger American family, particularly to our children," he said.
Democratic political consultant Chris Lapertina said Gore's pick would create some badly needed excitement around a campaign that is trailing Republican George W. Bush by double digits.
"It creates some buzz to uplift a campaign that needs to be uplifted," he said.
American University political historian Allan Lichtman said Gore's choice was safe and bold at the same time.
"It's politically safe because Lieberman is very strong on religious values and tough on defense and because he has so many friends on both sides of the aisle," said Lichtman.
"It's bold because Lieberman will be the first Jewish American on a presidential ticket. It says to Bush, 'You talk about inclusion. Well we're walking the walk, not just talking the talk,"' he said.
Lichtman said Gore had finally managed to do something new and different while protecting his most vulnerable political flank—his association with Clinton.
St. Louis University political scientist Joe Goldstein, an expert on the vice presidency, said the selection of Lieberman finally separated Gore from Clinton.
"It's a declaration of independence from Clinton because Lieberman was so outspoken on the Lewinsky affair," he said.
Goldstein said Gore had avoided making an overtly political choice by selecting someone who might deliver him a key state or appeal to a narrow constituency. Connecticut has eight votes in the Electoral College but would be expected to be a good bet for the Democrats in any case.
"Lieberman is a man of real substance. He looks presidential. This could be a good pick," said Goldstein.
Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney firmly linked Gore to Clinton in his speech to the Republican National Convention last week.
"And now, as the man from Hope (Clinton) goes home to New York, Mr. Gore tries to separate himself from his leader's shadow. But somehow we will never see one without thinking of the other," Cheney declared.
"Does anyone, Republican or Democrat, seriously believe that under Mr. Gore, the next four years would be any different from the last eight? They came in together. Now let us see them off together," he said.
But the television networks greeted the selection by showing the clip of Lieberman on the Senate floor denouncing Clinton's behavior over and over again.