Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) Monday crossed party lines to endorse GOP Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) for president, calling him the candidate who can best unite the country and lead it to a victory “in the war against Islamist terrorism.”

Lieberman acknowledged it was odd for a non-Republican to endorse McCain, but justified the decision by saying these are not ordinary times.           

“But this is not ordinary time — and this is no ordinary election — and John McCain is no ordinary candidate,” he added.           

Lieberman, who has voted against his party repeatedly this year on the Iraq war, praised McCain as a leader who can rise above politics and a man not afraid to take unpopular stances, particularly with regards to Iraq.           

“When others were silent, and it was thought politically unpopular, John had the courage and common sense to sound the alarm about the mistakes we were making in Iraq and to call for more troops and a new strategy there,” Lieberman said. “And when others wavered, when others wanted to retreat from the field of battle, John had the opinion and support the surge in Iraq, where we are at last winning.”