Lieberman lauded for entering ‘lions´ den

DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 21 (JTA) — Joseph Lieberman, unlikely to win much Arab support in his bid for the presidency, may have made the best impression of all the Democratic candidates appearing at an Arab American forum this weekend. The Connecticut senator, whose Jewish faith and pro-Israel record was an issue for Arab Americans when he ran for Vice President in 2000, earned points just by showing up last Friday at the Arab American Institute conference. "It was classy that he came," said Rami Naser, a Palestinian-born student at Florida State University. "I give him full props." Lieberman made headlines when he was booed for saying that Israel is a democratic state and for refusing to describe Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes asterror. But the hecklers were a minority and were quickly shushed by others — and the ensuing controversy helped fuel his popularity. "I´m so grateful he came, for his honesty and integrity, whether or not I agree with his agenda," said Samia El-Badry, a demographer from Austin, Texas. "I´m more than embarrassed for our community to ask a guest and then to speak out of turn and to boo him." The main heckler was not an Arab American, and some conference participants suggested that the hostile reception was upsetting because it was inconsistent with Arab culture. The next day, when candidate Howard Dean made one of the same points — that Israel was a democracy — there was silence, but no booing. James Zogby, president of the institute,