joseph isadore "joe" lieberman (born february 24, 1942) is a former united states senator from connecticut. before that he was the attorney general of connecticut and a member of the connecticut senate. when he was a senator, he had another position, chairman of the senate committee on homeland security and governmental affairs. he was a former member of the democratic party, he was the party's nominee for vice president in the 2000 election. he is currently an independent.