AN AMAZING ADVENTURE: Joe and Hadassah's Personal Notes on the 2000 Campaign Trail

Readers expecting political insights, in-depth policy analysis or entertaining and gossipy insider information about the 2000 presidential election will have to look elsewhere than this diary-like account. Instead, the former Democratic vice-presidential candidate and his wife avoid any risk of controversy and offer a politically safe recounting of the campaign that does double duty as a preview of the centerpiece themes of a potential 2004 Lieberman run at the presidency. The narrative begins when Senator Lieberman learns he is on the short list of candidates and continues through the wrenching loss of Florida's electoral votes. The Liebermans alternate impressions, sometimes describing the same event. Suffice it to say there is no Rashomon-style disconnect, but rather unabashed and uninformative praise by each for the other. Hadassah Lieberman's view is the more novel, as she describes how the scrutiny that follows elevation to the national stage takes over her wardrobe, her personal routines and her natural voice as she is encouraged and cajoled by her campaign staff to "stay on message." The Liebermans are observant Jews, and their discussions on the role of religion in their lives and in American politics are thoughtful. But in the end this is a frustrating effort, as the Liebermans skate the surface of issues, content to wrap what could have been an interesting and dramatic insider story in a surfeit of praise for each other, Al Gore, their staffs, the Secret Service and all things American. Photos. (Jan.)