MELVILLE, New York — Former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman died last week at the age of 82. Lieberman was an observant Orthodox Jew and was the first Jew to be part of a major presidential ticket, running for vice president alongside Al Gore on the Democratic ticket in 2000. Lieberman was considered a moderate, and he ultimately became a political independent, while continuing to caucus with the Democratic Party. He was a strong supporter of the Iraq War and advocated for the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. He supported unions and free trade, and pushed for greater rights for the LGBTQ community. He was a staunch supporter of Israel, but also worked on behalf of Muslims as a member of the Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council. Lieberman endorsed Republican candidate Senator John McCain for president against Barack Obama in the 2008 election, and he was considered as a possible vice presidential candidate on the McCain ticket. But some of McCain’s advisors argued against the selection of Lieberman, and McCain ultimately chose Sarah Palin. McCain later regretted listening to his advisors, saying “my gut told me to ignore it and I wish I had.” Why did his advisors recommend against the selection of Lieberman?