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before launching a four-state bus tour. seven-term congressman from wisconsin could fire up the conservative base. t about

it. in some sense i was carrying the euphori independence that n thanks to the people reelecting me as an independent to a different level. john mccain and i were and are very good friends. i felt when i asked me to

support him before the new hampshire primary he said your support could help me with independents in the new hampshire primary and honestly, i felt john was the best qualified to be president by his experience both in the military and in government. i had no regrets about supporting him. i'm glad i did. it was actually after the 2008 election that there were members of the democratic senate caucus that basically tried to strip my seniority but they were not successful. that shows you how angry some members of the democratic caucus were. >> sean: an untold story. first of all, how you found out you would be al gore's running mate is fascinating itself. and another story, you came very close to being john mccain's running mate. i know for a fact and i will explain that and we will come back and we have a lot more

from connecticut attorney general to nor to vp candidate. senator lieberman and some of the moments in how he was tapped by al gore to be his running mate. is but first, the man he endorsed for president, senator john mccain. >> i think his greatest accomplishment is to prove be even in the most difficult times you can work athe aisle and get things accomplished for republicans and democrats and gain and keep the respect of everyone no matter where they are in the i was having trouble getting out of bed in the morning because my back hurt so bad. the sleep number bed conforms to you. i wake up in the morning with no back pain. i can adjust it if i need to...if my back's a little more sore. and by the time i get up in the morning, i feel great! if you have back pain, toss and turn at night or wake up tired with no energy, the sleep number bed could be your solution. the sleep number bed's secret is it's air chambers which provide ideal support and put you in control of the firmness.

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>> sean: welcome back to "hannity." senator joe leiberman has a laundry list of accomplishments. his political career perhaps one of the biggest is when al gore selected him to be his running mate back in 2000. take a look back. >> it was the 2000 presidential election and vice president al gore was the democratic nominee and the short list for vp was a

virtual who's who in washington, d.c. finally al gore announced he had made a decision. >> i'm here to announce my running mate the next s & sarh president of the united states, senator joseph lieberman of connecticut. >> sean: he became the first jewish candidate to ever appear on the presidential ticket of a major american political party i am humbled and i am grateful. >> sean: viewed to be a more conservative leaning democrat senator lieberman seemed a perfect fit to run alongside the outgoing president. in addition, the criticism of president clinton in the wake of the monica la wincy atare helped distance the campaign from the many scandals that plagued the administration. the gore lieberman ticket was left defeat. >> tonight for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy i

offer my concession. >> sean: and although joe lieberman's vice presidential as eyreations came to an end his dedicated service to our nation continues. and back with senator joe lieberman. by the way, his hitbook the gift of rest is now out in paper back. you got tapped by al gore. the story of how you and your wife found out, you found out on tv? >> we pretty much know -- an interesting story. sunday night we hear reliably that vice president gore is to g.ing to make the choice and it the is down to john kerry, john edwards and me. i receive a call from jim kennedy who had been with me for 17 years and was working on the gore campaign and said he heard from a reliable source and he was sorry to have to tell the story they had chosen john edwards. my whole family was in the house waiting to hear and we he pulled out a bottle of wine and

said what a country, i came this far. it is amazing. i went to bed. the alarm goes off 5 of 7:00 and i hit the remote and it goes on to the local station and the woman is saying now let me repeat that very exciting store arery, the ap reports that vice president gore has chosen our own senator joe lieberman as his vice presidential running mate. so i said did you hear that? what. i say they say al chose me. i always like to say she said why? [ laughter ] >> she actually said what! >> so all hell broke -- >> sean: why didn't gore call you? wouldn't that be the normal protocol? >> to this day i don't know. are it was bed lamb. there were like 15 stat light tv trucks outside the house. i go down stairs to do the one thing that hadessa will tell

you i do in the house is make coffee. i go down in my underwear and there is three guys with cameras -- i hit the floor and went back upstairs. about 7:30 she yells upstairs it's al on the phone. >> sean: a little late, al. >> i pick up and say hello and the guy on the other end says this is great news i'm so excited. i say who is this? al from. sorry, the head of the d.o.c. when i was coming back from hartford at about 12:30 vice president gore called me and asked me. >> a little odd. >> it was that it was real and they had leaked it. >> sean: one thing you said in an interview and actually wrote about is the fact that it struck you about the country and you did not -- it did not escape you that you would be a

jewish american on a ticket to be vice president of the united states for the first time. >> i mean first i got to say thanks to al gore. this decision that presidential candidates make is very singular. they can do whatever they want. no more throwing it to the convention. in a way he took a risk but he expressed the kind of confidence in america. >> sean: because he was obviously more are liberal than you. >> but in going for are a jewish american in a way he was i think he may have been going for somebody who was a little more moderate to validate his moderate side. he took a risk in a way but was confident that the american people would not have any problem because somebody for the first time who was jewish was on the ticket and that was the truth. we couldn't have had a warmer reception from the american people and one of the secret service agents and particularly because people knew i was

religious and took my religion seriously. one of the secret service agents said i follow you through the crowds and i'm with you all the time. i never heard as many people say god bless you to a candidate. of course, most of those were obviously not jewish. i realized in a way they were saying to me we are connecting with you in this wonderful american way on this ground of shared faith in god and. >> sean: i would be negligent if i didn't ask this one little political question. al gore kind of in my mind has gone of gone off the deep end a little. if you remember during the iraq war screaming at the top of his lungs george bush betrayed this country. he played on our fears. i played it a lot. did that surprise you? >> it did. because al gore and i were different. we were two of only ten

democrats who voted to authorize the gulf war in 1991 with president bush 41. but you life changes and you have different opinions at different times. he and i have agree heed on a bunch of things, disagreed on a bunch of things since 2000 but i'll always be grateful to him for the chance he gave me which was barrier breaking and historic. >> sean: and close. >> and then, of course, we won the election. >> no, you didn't. it was close. there were 37 great days. dimpled, hanging, swinging chads. >> i say this in terms of america and the american people not to relitigate the election. we got a half million more votes than the other tick jet. what i'm saying is the first time a jewish american was on a ticket obviously didn't stop people from voting for the ticket and that is america. i feel very blessed to have had that chance and grateful not american people. >> sean: we will continue. coming up, he was is almost

vice president of the united states twice, close are than you know. we will get lieberman's response to comments made by the man who debated him for that job 12 years ago. straight ahead. >> one person they really considered and that john mccain was very interested in putting on the ticket was somebody you you debated. >> joe lieberman. >> sure. >> joe lieberman. how would you you have felt about that choice? >> well, i think joe probably had the qualities and certainly a lot of experience. but i would never have picked him to be my running mate because he was a liberal. male spirit present.trong it's the priceline negotiator. >>what? >>sorry. he wants you to know about priceline's new express deals. it's a faster way to get a great hotel deal without bidding.

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>> sean: joe lieberman came viceclose to being s & p of president of the united states in 2000 and was nearly tapped to be on the ticket in 2008. i sat down with the man who oh convenient wally got -- eventually got the job 12 years ago, vice president dick cheney. >> sean: one person they considered and john mccain was close to putting on the ticket was somebody you debate. joe lieberman. >> sure. >> how would you feel about that choice? >> i think joe probably had the

qualities and certainly a lot of experience but i would never have picked him to be my running mate because he was a liberal. might be able to get over the hurdle but then you have all of the other criteria you have to apply and i would think again that was a unique situation because senator mccain and senator lieberman were very close based on the work they had done in the senate. i like joe lieberman a lot. we had a great session after the campaign was over with talking about the debate and what we were prepared to do with each other because we both felt the other would come on attack dog mode. i would have not selected joe because of his basic fundamental philosophy. >> sean: interesting because i went back as i was coming and preparing for the interview and i reread the debait. in many ways you dowd haven't been nicer to each other in that debate but you prepared to say what about joe lieberman?

>> the best lines we used were the ones that were off the cuff, impromptu. that often times is the case and joe left me an open oing. >> that famous question that ronald reagan asked are you better off today than you were 8 years ago most people would say yes and i'm pleased to see, dick, from the newspapers that you are better off than you were 8 years ago, too. >> and i can tell you, joe, that the government had absolutely nothing to do with it. [ laughter ] >> a big laugh. he said he saw his wife sitting there in the audience. >> i can see my wife and i think she is thinking gee, i wish you would go out into the private sector. >> i'm going to try to help you do that, joe. >> he opened himself up. you were actually personal friends. >> i like joe lieberman a lot.

i have a lot of respect for him. he has always been straightforward and honest with me. we agree to disagree on the issues of the day but i think he has been pretty good on security stuff and i think that is important. >> sean: reaction? >> there is a a story behind that. i think both of us were being prepared to be attack dogs which is the normal role of the vice presidential candidates or very often in the debate to attack the other party's presidential candidate. after the first bush gore debate i think both of us got the same advise from the consultant and pollsters the public didn't like the attack. go out there and talk about the issues. and i thought it was a great debate and we had wonderful public reaction to it because we did talk about the issues. we disagreed but we didn't do it in a -- >> sean: it was civil. >> a very civil debate and high ended debate and i appreciate it. >> sean: i got a call i won't

say from who because i don't want to reveal the source and this was is just prior to governor palin being announced in 2008. and i was asked what do you think of joe lieberman. you were very close to being asked to be john mccain's running mate. what can you you tell us from your end about that? >> i was closer than i thought was real le eve really ever fe. john mccain and i are great friends. worked together on foreign and defense policy and traveled around the world together. >> when rick davis called me and said john wants to put you on the short list for vp and vet you. i said are you kidding me. i probably used more colorful language at that time. he said john is serious about this. i said he doesn't have to do that to thank me for supporting him. he said no, i'm serious. i just never felt that -- i knew downwas trying to send a message that he was really going to be a bipartisan

president and overcome the terrible partisanship in washington. in the end, i think he was convinced that it would really divide the republican party. and. >> sean: that was the advice i gave. i said i like joe. >> so it's your fault. >> sean: it was my fault. i don't think i have that much influence. >> i never felt it was real. and it it just give you a good -- says something good about mccain that he was even thinking about that i will logical idea. >> sean: would have been historic and interesting. coming up as senator lieberman's career blossoms so did his political aspirations. we will take a look at his bid for president next. first, take a look at this. >> if i had to pick just one quality that joe has an abundance, it is integrity. he always stands tall for his beliefs. he does what he think its is right no matter the

consequences. and he has been a true about public servant in the best sense of the word. these fellas used capital one venture miles for a golf getaway. double miles you can actually use... but mr. single miles can't join his friends because he's getting hit with blackouts. shame on you. now he's stuck in a miniature nightmare. oh, thank you. but, with e capital one venture card... you can fly any airline, any flight, any time. double miles you can actually use. what's in your wallet? alec jr? it was a gift.

>> sean: welcome back to "hannity." as we take a look back at a prolific political career of joe lieberman. it would be incomplete without talking about his run for president. look back at how he entered the most daring political arena of them all. >> i am ready to announce today that i am a candidate for president of the united states in 2004. >> sean: it was gore's unexpected naming of joe lieberman as his running mate in 2000 that launched the connecticut senator into the national spot light and ultimately into the race for the white house in 2004. >> i intend to talk straight to the american people and to show them that i'm a different kind of democrat. >> sean: the three term senator ran on the most pressing issue of the day which included homeland security and national

defense. >> how can we win this election if we send a message of weakness on defense and security after september 11th, 2001 to the american people? that is the first goal of our government and that means being strong on defense and homeland security. >> sean: but it was senator lieberman's unwavering support for the war in iraq and some of his other conservative leaning positions that did not sit well with the democratic primary voters, making it difficult for his campaign to gain any momentum. in the end a strong performance in the new hampshire primary by senator john kerry who hails from the neighboring state of massachusetts forced senator lieberman to end his bid for the highest office in the land. >> but for me, it is now time to make a difficult but realistic decision. i have decided tonight to end my quest for the presidency of the united states of america. >> sean: but as usual, did so with the professionalism and grace that followed him

throughout his entire career. >> i'm disappointed? naturally. am i proud of what we stood for this in campaign? you bet i am! >> sean: and we continue with senator joe lieberman. look, i make an argument and because you are a more centrist democrat. i think you are we were discussing earlier you were a bit of an anomaly. i argue your party has gone too far left. and the other side is i think if they listen to people like you and maybe even bill clinton, the era of big government is over, big government as we know it, set rate that, that the party would do better. why do you think the party has gone so far left? >> well, it is a big question. of course, i found out in that year running for president that in talking about national security homeland security and not being willing to criticize the iraq war our troops were out there fighting and dying

for us that i was basically -- >> ostracized. >> party of it is true in both parties. which is that a core are group of really idealogiccal people have a large probably disproportionate influence in the nominating process. doesn't have to be that way but it is and in the democratic party that has been true particularly on ca questions of national security. as i said this that debate with the other candidates it doesn't help the party. ultimately the people want to feel that the person they elect as president particularly is ready to be commander in chief and protect their security because they know that they can't do it themselves. the mayor can't do it. the governor can't do it. it has got to be the president. >> sean: but to think of the comments of the time. i mentioned al gore that george bush betrayed h his country,

john kerry that going in he said to bob schieffer in the dark of night and killing innocent civilians and john murtha's comments in cold blood they are killing innocent civilians. these were comments made during war about either a, president or b, men and women putting themselves in harm's way. i don't think i ever heard that type of rhetoric. and there was very little i guess bac backlash to that witn the democratic party ranks. >> not enough. particularly when you believe as i do that the one great american institution that still preserves the tremendous respect of the american people forhe u.s. military and tore good reason. their life is deviated to our country. they are -- devoted to our country. they have an incredible classically american at its best we can do it attitude and you got to be really -- you got

to say good words about them all the time. are they perfect? no more than anybody else but the rhetoric that you just quoted was way over the line. >> sean: you supported senator mccain in 2008. how would you if you had to great president obama what grade would you give him? you didn't think that question wasn't coming up, did you, senator? >> you know i'm saying out of the presidential election. >> sean: i didn't ask you who you were voting for. >> i guess i would give him an incomplete. he has done some good things that i agree with. >> sean: like what? sorry, i can't help myself. between $5 trillion in debt. you asked the question, you know, back in 2000 when run is for president are we better off as a country in your opinion in the last from four years ago and $5 trillion in debt ago, do you think we are better are off? >> a little better off economically but no where near where we should be. the economy has turned up some from the depth we were in last

time. i think one of the moments where the president missed an opportunity was after that boles simpson bipartisan proposal for a long-term plan to eliminate the national debt and when the president didn't. >> sean: didn't embrace it. >> didn't embrace it or advocate for it i think it was a turning point. that is the best thing we can do for the economy. the obvious fact is that a lot of american businesses are sitting on an enorm ar enormout of cash but not investing it because they are so uncertain about what the future holds including what the federal government will tax them. once we make that clear there can be a surge of i investment that will create the jobs that we need. >> sean: quick last out question for the seth. is there a chance that you will vote for romney? >> yes. i'm undecided. >> sea you haven't made up your mind. >> i can see pros and cons both

sides haven't made up my mind. >> sean: and you are not going to announce it, though, if i stood here all night and pressed you, you would tell me know. >> you would have to it get close to violating the geneva convention and even then i think i would withstand the torture. next, she has been by his side through it all. the woman behind the man joins us next, straight ahead. >> if my time comes to have to pick between the nation as a whole and party then i will do what joe lieberman did and pick the nation as a whole. i cannot tell you what a hard road joe had during the iraq war and trying to sell to his democratic colleagues and some republicans that we got to stay in this fight against radical islam, we can't abandon israel, we can't withdraw from the world because it's hard. i have never seen any one display political courage in the face of adversity

>> sean: all right, he will probably be the if first to say she is the better half of the lieberman duo and been by his side since they married in 1982. welcome the senator's wife hadassa. what did you think that morning when you are watching the local news program in connecticut and found out that he was going to be the v.p.? >> well, it was preceded by these trucks and this noise in the street. we had no air conditioning in our are new haven house and i said joey what is going on out

there. >> my code name. >> so i immediately took the screens, put them down and so then fell asleep. we had no idea what was happening and then in the morning to have these news shows announcing. i was like oh, my god, joe. >> sean: and al gore never called and he was down in his underwear making coffee. >> it was amazing. i was so excited. because we had gone to sleep having another glass of wine because his staff called and said it is not you. >> tell sean when you went to wake my mom up before. >> i went in. >> that was the morning after we had seen on tv. >> his mom said she is staying for us for the night win or lose because she can't be alone. i went in and i said mother it's over and she said he lost, i said no, he won. it was like i was so -- >> she said oh, you look so white. >> so is pail. >> sean: what was it like, you knew he was being vetted for

are senator mccain as well and what were you thinking then because you have been through the whole experience with the democratic party which i bet was tough for you as well. >> i was thinking gee this is strange i'm not sure what is happening. i said joey, does this mean you are going to the republican convention. i had only been to one convention in my life which is the democratic one. >> this is why i did it because i wanted her to have the opportunity to go to the conventions of both national parties. >> sean: you ought to come to the democratic convention with me. it is a real experience walking through as a conservative. >> let's not try that. >> i don't think you would want to. in the end it is very interesting because we have senator fred thompson here and k.t. mcfarland and peter johnson, jr. who was a more conservative democrat. everybody we spoke to leading up to this interview loves your are husband. he gets along with me, don imus and it is almost impossible for anybody to get along with imus.

seriously, why do you think he is so well liked. not because you are married to him? what is the difference between him and many others. >> i don't know what the difference is. i just know that what you see is what you have. that he is real and you may not like him because you may not like his real but it is amazing i think as a political person, as a leader when you look at him he says what he thinks. he a authentic. he is genuine. and you can talk to him. you can -- i do it. >> sean: you have so much influence with him. i have been trying to convert him to be a conservative and join the republican party. can you help me with that mission? >> i don't think he is going to go in that direction ever. he is an independent. and i'm really proud of who he is. we are very lucky people. we are very blessed. we have four children, 8 children now because they are all married and as i watched

our two daughters stand behind joe during that clip, i was so amazed it took me back to all of the times that i think the most important thing you can do is hold your family together and be strong in a partnership. >> sean: i'm going make a prediction. i don't necessarily believe your time in washington is oh over.ronic that is a small little prediction. i believe the new romney administration may come calling at some point. i'm relentless, i know. we'll take a break. come back and coming up next we will close the show with some words from some of the senator's long time friends and colleagues here in the studio with us straight ahead on this special edition of "hannity." >> i think his greatest accomplishment is being the last democrat standing in the defense of human rights and american positive american intervention around the world.

he stood up and supported president bush on iraq. i was a democrat and left the democratic party in 1986 because in party basically abandoned the cause of human rights around the world. joe lieberman never did and i think that is his greatest legacy as a i was having trouble getting out of bed in the morning because my back hurt so bad. the sleep number bed conforms to you. i wake up in the morning with no back pain. i can adjust it if i need to...if my back's a little more sore. and by the time i get up in the morning, i feel great! if you have back pain, toss and turn at night or

wake up tired with no energy, the sleep number bed could be your solution. the sleep number bed's secret is it's air chambers which provide ideal support and put you in control of the firmness. and the bed is perfect for couples because each side adjusts independently to their unique sleep number. here's what clinical research has found: 93% of participants experienced back-pain relief. 90% reported reduced aches and pains. 87% fell asleep faster and enjoyed more deep sleep. for study summaries, call this number now. we'll include a free dvd and brochure about the sleep number bed including prices, and models plus a free $50 savings card. and how about this? steel springs can cause uncomfortable pressure points. but the sleep number bed contours to your body. imagine how good you'll feel when your muscles relax and you fall into a deep sleep! i'm not just a back surgeon, i'm also a back patient.

i sleep on the sleep number bed myself and i highly recommend it to all of my patients. need another reason to call? the sleep number bed costs about the same as an innerspring but lasts twice as long. so if you want to sleep better or find relief for your bad back, call now. call the number on your screen for your free information kit with dvd, brochure and price list. call right now and you'll also receive a $50 savings card just for inquiring about the sleep number bed. ask about our risk-free 30-night in-home trial. call now for your free information kit and a free $50 savings card. call now!

>> sean: we continue with senator are joe lieberman. a lot of your friends here, senator. >> yes. >> sean: and one is right here who is also a mutual friend. a friend of of mine, senator fred thompson is here.

>> how are you doing, joe? >> good to be with you again. we served in the senate together and fred was the chairman of what was then the governmental affairs committee. had great experiences together. he was a good man. >> enough of this nice stuff. let me tell you what this guy is really like. i was chairman and he was ranking chairman. when was chairman i was ranking republican. so we spent a lot of time together. a lot of good people here. hadassah you were great, a hard act to follow, you said exactly what i haded in mind. one thing happened about 15 years ago on that committee that i'm finally glad i have the opportunity to talk about publicly. what you see is what you get is in -- is something that i learned a long time ago. a lot of these things are public where joe gets off the reservation and is independent and courageous and all that. some not as well publicized. i got myself into a bind as chairman and said something

about some classified information that was allowed because i summarized it but he couldn't disclose exactly what was in it. some of the democrats went and looked at it and essentially said i was lying about it. i couldn't reveal it exactly. joe took a look at it and sided with me and, of course, that was the end of it. nothing in it for him. it was highly partisan at the time. we were investigating the campaign activ activities of te clinton administration basically. caused undoubtedly grief for him. a small thing to everybody but me, i guess. it showed me that this guy is going to leave the senate with a legacy based upon not just what he has done but for the kind of person that he is. and it is unfortunate but it is rare. >> sean: that's sad actually but good for you you. >> well, no, really, i appreciate what fred said. i got to tell you it says more about washington than it says

about me because i didn't think it was any big deal. i looked at the classified material and i just concl was . so what am i supposed to o go out because he is a republican and say he was lying? so i mean there is to much. >> sean: yeah. >> i didn't get that memo. unfortunately, there is too much of that that goes on in washington. and the public sees it and that is why the congress and washington generally are in such disrespect. you were very gracious to tell that story, fred. >> sean: we have the attorney general mccasey. thank you. good to have you here. >> don't tell any stories about me in law school. >> the class was full of those that went to jai yale college h him. when i ny finally met the guy,o things about him. one thing that he did and one thing he didn't have. one thing he did was listen and

one thing he didn't have was an ego and i couldn't understand how you someone like that could go into politics and he did. >> i'm so proud of mike became attorney general. we were in the same small group in the first year of law school you are in a group of about 12. the rest of the courses are big lectures and we got to know each other well. and i'm i'm proud of michael. >> sean: and k.t. mcfarland. >> my husband went to law school with them. i got to telome migrate store arery about joe and -- i got to tell you my great story about joe and hadassah. after september 11th i decided i wanted to get back in government service or in public life and i sat down, we sat down the four of us with joe and hadassah. you made the casey anthony that you have to serve your condition -- you made the case, that you have to serve your

country. people don't realize this about you, hadassah. you are an immigrant and your family suffered in the holocaust. you said you got to it stand up for freedom because i know what it is like not to have that. the two of you together are just one of the most wonderful teams in the country. >> sean: the brief 20 seconds we have left, peter johnson. you are a conservative democrat. >> and we are not friends but i he would love to be your friend senator. >> let's be friends because there is so few of us left. >> we admire you and we thank you always for being a patriot and not a partisan and pea