Vice-President Al Gore has chosen Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as his running mate on the Democratic Party’s ticket in this year’s presidential election.
Whilst the decision has not yet been formally announced, the choice is now common knowledge and is being widely reported in the American media. A formal announcement is expected at midday Tuesday, US time.
Lieberman was one of Clinton’s harshest critics during the Monica Lewinsky scandal that led to the President’s impeachment in 1998 and Senate trial in 1999. He has a reputation for speaking his mind.
The Democratic Party convention is to be held in Los Angeles next week. Gore and Lieberman will be officially nominated then. Lieberman will be the first Jew to be chosen by one of the major parties to contest the presidential election.
Lieberman’s Senate seat is up for election this year. Under state law, he is able to contest both the vice-presidency and the Senate, although it is more likely that he will relinquish his Senate seat sometime soon.
