For Immediate Release

Contact: Adam Kovacevich (202) 225-3341
After Hours: (202) 904-5722

Congressman Cal Dooley (CA20-Hanford) today enthusiastically applauded reports that Vice President Al Gore will ask Sen. Joseph Lieberman (CT) to be his running mate on the Democratic ticket this fall. Dooley has worked alongside Lieberman on a number of bipartisan policy initiatives, and the two are key leaders of the centrist New Democrat movement.

Dooley had been a strong supporter of Lieberman's during the Gore campaign's selection process, talking frequently with Lieberman throughout the process and advocating on Lieberman's behalf with Gore campaign officials.

"My friend Joe Lieberman is one of the very finest individuals serving in government today, and he will be a dynamic and visionary Vice President," Dooley said today. "His centrist, wise, and authoritative voice has made an invaluable contribution to public policy debates in Washington, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will bring the same thoughtful and principled leadership to the White House."

"Joe Lieberman has worked across party lines to tackle this nation's toughest problems, and he and Al Gore will together lead this country into the future," Dooley added.

Lieberman is Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), a moderate Democratic think tank, and he is a founder of the New Democrat Network (NDN), a political organization dedicated to electing centrist Democratic candidates. Dooley is a leader in both the NDN and DLC and is the founder and co-chair of the New Democrat Coalition (NDC), a group of 65 moderate Democratic House members closely allied with both groups. NDC members have worked to advance centrist, pro-growth policies, including support for trade, technological innovation, and education reform. Lieberman recently helped found the Senate New Democrat Coalition, the House counterpart to Dooley's group.

Lieberman and Dooley have worked hand in hand on a number of bipartisan, bicameral initiatives, most notably education reform and high technology growth. Lieberman and Dooley are the lead sponsors in the Senate and House, respectively, of the "Three R's" bill, a centrist initiative to promote reinvestment, reinvention, and responsibility in public education. They also recently worked together to create an agenda of policies to help foster the growth of the high-technology economy. Lieberman and Dooley have appeared together at a number of events across the country to promote these centrist initiatives.