John,
One year ago today, my friend and mentor, Senator Joe Lieberman, passed away.
It is a loss that still stings for so many who knew him because Senator Lieberman had a rare combination of principle and pragmatism, kindness and doggedness that you do not find in many people. After 24 distinguished years in the Senate, he served for over a decade as the founding chairman of No Labels.
I wanted to share a thought about Senator Lieberman with the No Labels community at this uniquely disruptive political moment in our history.
I cannot recall when the American people had less faith in our government and less trust in its institutions. It is certainly hard to argue with the stated goal of President Trump’s DOGE effort: “Maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
Yet I worry Washington – and our country – are forgetting a truism that guided Senator Lieberman’s life: public service can and should be a noble undertaking. He even wrote a book about it, “In Praise of Public Life: The Honor and Purpose of Political Service.”
He knew that America needed the best and the brightest for military service and all other government agencies. He knew we needed scientists, managers, and technicians who could help our elected officials make good decisions in an increasingly complex world.
Of Senator Lieberman’s many interests, making government work better was always chief among them. During the Clinton administration, he was part of its “Reinventing Government” efforts. From his longtime perch as Chairman of the Senate Government Affairs Committee, he exerted rigorous oversight of federal agencies.
Senator Lieberman also took the time and effort to share his passion for public service with the next generation.
In his Senate office – where I served as his chief of staff – he would regularly meet with the undergraduate students who interned for us. He would always thank them for their service and ask them if they or any of their friends planned to make a career of it. Over time, we heard more and more of these young people say their friends were hesitant to work in government or politics because it was becoming too dysfunctional, nasty, and corrupted by money.
Senator Lieberman tried to remind these students of the value and importance of public service. He would often talk about his formative years in politics – shaped by the presidency of JFK and the civil rights movement – and how these young people, too, could have a rewarding life and career serving their fellow Americans.
On this day, I hope you will join me in remembering and honoring the great life of Senator Lieberman. I also hope you will remember that there are many talented, honorable, and patriotic Americans who work for the government at every level who deserve our gratitude and respect.
If Senator Lieberman were here, I know he’d feel the same way.
Sincerely,
Clarine Nardi Riddle
Co-Founder
