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Lieberman on Democratic Opposition to FBI Director Nomination: 'I Was Disappointed,' the 'Far Left' Doesn't Forgive Me

May 25, 2017

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I., Conn.) said Thursday that he was disappointed in Democratic resistance to him becoming the next FBI Director, guessing that some "on the far left" didn't forgive him for leaving the party.

Lieberman was one of the front-runners for the position, according to the Trump administration, but Senate Democrats came out strongly against him.

MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace mentioned how Rep. Joe Crowley (D., N.Y.) said that he wouldn't support Lieberman to become the next director, even though they know each other well. Wallace then asked about the pushback from other Democrats as well to the potential nomination.

"Were you surprised or pained that some Democrats were resistant to the idea of you as FBI director?" Wallace asked.

"You know, I was disappointed, although I guess when I step back for a minute, I wasn't surprised because everything is so partisan in Washington, and there's still a group probably on the far left of the Democratic Party that still doesn't forgive me," Lieberman said.

Lieberman became an independent in 2006 when he lost his Democratic primary race in Connecticut. He then won the general election and caucused with Democrats, but he angered the party by endorsing Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) when he ran for president in 2008 against Barack Obama.

McCain ripped Democrats this week for opposing Lieberman.

"My Democratic colleagues clearly did (kill Lieberman's chances)," McCain told reporters Wednesday, according to CNN. "This is their nominee for vice president of the United States. If anything would make you cynical about this town, that's it."