Scott Hennen Show Exclusive: Interview with Senator Joe Lieberman
Click here to listen: On Demand Audio Podcasting
Transcript of the final minutes:
Scott Hennen:
Joe Lieberman: “Sure.”
Scott Hennen: “I spent some time today talking with fellow Catholics…”
Joe Lieberman: “Yeah.”
Scott Hennen: “And I was saying, here, the Catholic vote and our church leadership has been very clear on how they believe people need to vote on this election because of the differences between the two candidates. And I’ve talked about how it amazes me that the Catholic vote is not stronger, given where Catholic leadership is, in favor of Senator McCain. But I look at that and I compare it to your religion, sir, and the Jewish faith, and I’m even more amazed because it’s like…75/25, and those are values voters. I mean, we share a lot of values in these faiths
Joe Lieberman: “Yes we do.”
Scott Hennen: “What’s going on there?”
Joe Lieberman: “Well, first off I saw that particular poll and I just don’t think it’s going to be that bad. I mean, I think we’re going to get well into the thirties among Jewish American voters…Look, part of what’s going on here among Jews and Catholics is the same thing, which is among Jews there is a historic tendency to vote Democratic and more liberal. The number of conservative Jewish voters is going up dramatically. But what people are wrestling with now is their anger with the current administration. And the first reflex action I think is to go with Obama because he’s about as far from it as you can get…but then I believe as we get close to election day people are saying, “hey, wait a second now…beyond the labels and the parties, who’s the one who can really can protect our security and restore our prosperity?” Particularly for average working, middle class families---the Joe the Plumber families---and to me that’s McCain. And so I think among those two groups we just talked about---I think McCain’s going to end up doing a lot better than the polls suggested, and I think it’s because they want to go with someone who’s ready to lead.”
Scott Hennen: “Do you believe the media has done its job in vetting Barack Obama? It seems to me that they’ve been abysmal. This guy’s a…”
Joe Lieberman: “No. Yeah, no I don’t. Look: not only are the times as difficult as they are, put on top of that we’ve got a guy running who---again, is smart and well-spoken, Barack Obama---but, you know, four years ago he was an Illinois State Senator…I can tell you, having worked with him in the Senate or served with him…he just…hasn’t done very much. And, you know, therefore the associations and the questions about his background are even more important than the case with John McCain. But honestly, I’m not normally a media skeptic, but the last few years (including my own reelection race in 2006) made me so. If McCain went to a house of worship where the clergyman was saying the kinds of anti-American, racist things that Reverend Wright was saying, trust me: they would have been all over John (not to mention Ayers and all the rest). So yea, I think in the end you have to hope the American people have some common sense and do what’s in the national interest, and that is come on out and vote for John McCain. Your future depends on it.
