Source: The Columbus Dispatch
On August 8, 2000 The Columbus Dispatch reported that "Gore's choice of Lieberman, roundly hailed as bold, instantly spawned debate about whether the nation is ready for a Jewish vice president, reprising an issue that took center stage 40 years ago when Democrat John F. Kennedy vied to become the first Roman Catholic president. 'I think it's an act of courage on the part of the presidential candidate,' said former Ohio Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, a Democrat who is Jewish. 'It's an indication of another step forward, just as it was a major step forward when the Democrats chose John Kennedy. It reflects well not only on Al Gore but on the entire United States...' In September 1998, Lieberman was the first Senate Democrat to excoriate Clinton for his behavior in the Lewinsky scandal...Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lucasville, acknowledged surprise at the pick but said, 'He'll play well in my district. The fact that he early was very outspoken in his criticism of the president's behavior will cause people to look upon him as someone who is not overly partisan or afraid to speak out and take positions.'"
"The vast majority of Americans will make a determination based on what kind of person he is and what kind of vice president he will be," Alan Melamed, coordinator of Democrat Lee Fisher's unsuccessful 1998 gubernatorial campaign, said. "In many ways, Joe Lieberman is the conscience of the Senate. He never lets politics get in the way of making statements about what he thinks is morally correct.'"