The inaugural cohort of the Senator Joseph Lieberman-Mitzner Scholars engaged in a private dialogue with the Hon. Clarine Nardi Riddle, executive advisory board member of the Senator Joseph Lieberman – Mitzner Center for Public Service and Advocacy and former chief of staff to Senator Lieberman himself, that spanned a multitude of topics – including Ms. Riddle’s towering career in law, her time working for Senator Lieberman, and the rise of antisemitism in America.
“You are all barrier breakers by being the first class of the Lieberman-Mitzner Center,” Ms. Riddle told the students. “What I have found through the years is those that break through the door the first time, they are called upon through life to recall that. You are going to make a difference for all of us.”
Recalling the start of her career, Ms. Riddle revealed that she actually started her education in the math and science track, hoping to earn a PhD and teach. However, she got involved in women’s rights organizations such as YWCA, meeting luminaries like Dorothy Height and finding herself drawn to public service and advocacy. Before long, she was elected to the board of YWCA and enrolled in law school.
At the time, the world of law was permeated with sexism. But Ms. Riddle persevered despite the lewd comments and inappropriate questions (“What contraceptives are you using?”), eventually becoming Attorney General of Connecticut and arguing in front of the United States Supreme Court.
Recounting her time with Senator Lieberman, Ms. Riddle joyfully remembered that, in their morning meetings where they discussed the issues of the day, Senator Lieberman would munch on an apple, eating the entire thing – including the core! She also spoke about her time working with Senator Lieberman on No Labels, an organization whose mission is to move America from the old politics of point-scoring toward a new politics of problem-solving. Senator Lieberman greatly valued the ideals of centrism and compromise, and used No Labels to bring politicians with different viewpoints together to pass legislation and solve the everyday problems the American people were going through.
On the topic of antisemitism, Ms. Riddle attributed its rise to the anonymity of the Internet, which has removed the human aspect of social interaction, allowing hateful comments to hide behind profile pictures, handles, and avatars. This makes it so much easier for people to spew hate, she said, as they don’t have to reckon with the person who is on the receiving end on a human level.
Asked about the pillars of Senator Lieberman’s philosophy when it comes to success, Ms. Riddle highlighted three points. The first is to approach your job, whatever it may be, seeking to help people. Ms. Riddle noted that Senator Lieberman often quoted John F. Kennedy’s famous line of “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country,” arguing that it applied not just to public service, but to one’s professional, familial and social lives as well. The second pillar she mentioned was communication, as one cannot make change without communicating the ideas and messages behind the change. The final pillar was establishing a moral compass and letting it guide you instead of you guiding it.
The Dialogue with Ms. Riddle was one of many programs the Lieberman Center has run this year, including the official launch of the center, which included a screening of the documentary Centered: Joe Lieberman; a panel on Israel advocacy with Shabbos Kestenbaum, American Jewish activist, Joe Vogel, Maryland State legislator (D) and Rudy Rochman, Israel activist and IDF veteran; and a 2024 Presidential Election watch party and debrief with YU faculty.
To learn more about the Senator Joseph Lieberman-Mitzner Scholars Program, click here.
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