Lieberman bows out of US race

Voters were unenthused by Lieberman's campaign

Senator Joe Lieberman has pulled out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination after failing to win any state primaries.

"The judgment of the voters is now clear," he told supporters in northern Virginia.

"For me, it is now time to make a difficult but realistic decision. I have decided tonight to end my quest for the presidency of the United States of America."

Mr Lieberman had hoped for a good result in Delaware, but polled just 11% of the state's vote on Tuesday.

He finished fifth in the New Hampshire primary on 27 January with just nine percent of the vote.

Analysts said his moderate views and strong support for the war in Iraq would not play well with Democrat voters.

JOE LIEBERMAN FACTS 1942: Born in Stamford, Connecticut 1970: Elected to Connecticut State Senate 1983: Elected as Connecticut attorney general 1989: Wins bid for US Senate 2000: First Jewish candidate for vice president

Mr Lieberman defended his position, telling supporters: "I am proud that I took the toughest positions in support of what I believed was right for our great country, even when it wasn't popular."

'Household name'

Mr Lieberman had started his race for the White House with a distinct advantage.

Thanks to his run for the vice presidency alongside Al Gore in 2000, many Americans at least had a vague idea of who he was.

In a race which initially counted nine candidates, name recognition was no mean thing.

The Connecticut senator sold himself as the least left-wing of all the Democrat candidates. He liked to joke he was from the electable wing of the Democratic party.

He campaigned as a centrist who he said would appeal not only to the base of his party but also to independent voters and even some Republicans.

But despite his strong showing in national polls based on his name recognition, Senator Lieberman failed to make enough of an impact to stay in the race.