Joseph I. Lieberman is retiring from the U.S. Senate when his term ends in 2012.
"This was not an easy decision for me to make because I have loved serving in the Senate and I feel good about what i have accomplished,'' Lieberman said in this morning at a 20 minute press conference at the Stamford Marriott. "But I know it is the right decision and I must say I am excited about beginning a new chapter of life.with new opportunities."
Lieberman, once a popular Democrat who was the party's vice presidential nominee just a decade ago, alluded to his political troubles in his speech. His enthusiasm for the Iraq war turned off many Democrats and he lost the party's support in 2006. He ran for reelection anyway, an an independent, and won. He further inflamed members of his former party by campaigning for his good friend, Sen. John McCain, during the 2008 presidential race.
"I know that some people have said that if I ran for reelection, it would be a difficult campaign,'' Lieberman said. "But what else is new? It probably would be. I have run many difficult campaigns before.
"I've never shied away from a good fight and I never will,'' he added.
The Marriott ballroom was filled with local and national media and a scattering of Lieberman supporters. Banks of television cameras lined the back of the room, a testament to Lieberman's status as a national political figure.