Sunday Morning News

Will Vice Presidential Nominee Lieberman Attract Votes in Florida?

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KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In presidential politics, both campaigns are relatively quiet today. Only the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Joe Lieberman, has any scheduled appearances. Nationally, Al Gore continues to enjoy a nominal lead in the polls, 49 percent to George W. Bush's 45 percent. But with a margin of error of 4 percentage points, Gore could either lead Bush by as much as 8 points or be dead even.

Meanwhile, Lieberman is in Detroit and Chicago today. Political observers are especially curious to see whether Lieberman will make a difference next November in states like Florida and its large Jewish population.

CNN's Pat Neal has more on that from Miami.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAT NEAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While "Havah Nagilah (ph)" played, Joe Lieberman, the first Jewish candidate on a national ticket, kibitzed with this crowd he called family.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Great to be in south Florida. Where else would the mayor come up to me and say, "Sholom aleichem"?

NEAL: In the competitive state of Florida, Democrats believe the barrier-breaking addition of Lieberman can energize Jewish voters, who make up about 6 percent of the state, double the percentage nationally.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is truly, truly a prideful thing.

NEAL: Jews have traditionally voted Democratic. Older Jews, concentrated in south Florida condominiums, continuously turn out to vote in high numbers. But the Gore campaign believes Lieberman's appeal could boost turnout even more among Jewish voters young and old.

BOB BUTTERWORTH, FLORIDA CHAIRMAN, GORE CAMPAIGN: With a high turnout, I believe, Democrats win. When Lieberman got added to the ticket, it really rejuvenated the entire state.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've had many people come up and say, What can we do to help? And these people have sat on the sidelines for years.

NEAL: In 1996, the Clinton-Gore team won about 90 percent of the Jewish vote in Florida. So far this election, among all voters, Governor George W. Bush continues to lead in the polls. To Bush's advantage, his brother Jeb is the state's governor, and Republicans say they don't see Lieberman's Jewish ties making a critical difference.

AL CARDENAS, CHAIRMAN, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN PARTY: We think we'll get more than 20 percent in Florida, with or without Joe Lieberman on the ticket. We thought '96 was an anomaly.

NEAL: But Democrats say Lieberman's Jewish connection has helped them make inroads.

SUZANNE GUNSBERGER, BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSIONER: We have brought out Jewish Republicans who have not supported a Democrat ever.

LIEBERMAN: Maybe by now you know the story of my wife, Hadassah.

NEAL: Also many here are moved by the story of Mrs. Lieberman's parents, surviving a Nazi concentration camp.

GUNSBERGER: To know that she's a child of Holocaust survivors, it says that we are reborn.

BUTTERWORTH: (inaudible) leaders are contacting me all over the state. They're saying, We want Hadassah. We want Hadassah.

NEAL (on camera): Democrats say the addition of Joe Lieberman has encouraged Jewish voters who've never donated money before to give to this campaign. They've also seen a rise in calls for volunteering.

But the question is, will it make a difference in a state where most Jews would vote Democratic anyway.

Pat Neal, CNN, Miami.

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