OT : The NYT endorsed Menendez

[karynnj]

(but Kerry supports him and he supports Kerry/Feingold)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/30/opinion/30mon2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[ProSense]

1. Good news!

Kean Jr. is a Republican from the same mold as those who are selling out America!

[wisteria]

4. Good news! n/t

[Inuca]

2. "unqualified support"

but rathre lukewarm, wouldn't you say?

[karynnj]

3. I agree

It is weird to say unqualified support but he's uncharismatic and has ethical lapses, but it does skewer Kean. It says Kean doesn't know the issues, is not moderate, is running on his dad's name and he has ethical problems too. That is pretty damning. (oddly especially the ethical issues - that is the whole of Kean's message. That and negative ads - the last saying the Menendez will "give YOUR social security to illegal immigrants".)

[Inuca]

8. He says that?!?!

The ad you mention is very low below the belt I would say, and particularly dirty given that Menendez is latino. Shame on Kean!

[karynnj]

10. Yep - he said that and it is on OFTEN

He is a shameful little preppy creep.

[whometense]

5. Congratulations!

I've been keeping a close eye on the NJ polls, and they swing so wildly it's hard to know what to believe.

Do you think he has ethical problems, or is that just the result of the usual republican smears?

As an aside, one of the biggest joys of the MA governor race this year has been watching the "usual republican smears" fall on deaf ears, and even boomerang back onto the intended beneficiary.

It really revives my faith in my fellow man.

[karynnj]

6. To use Menendez's words, it's guilt by geography

Menendez stood against corruption in the 1980's in what is one of these most corrupt counties in NJ - even against his mentor and had to wear a bullet proof vest during that time.

One charge is that he rented space to a nonprofit that he got funding for as a Congressman. They had funding before Menendez was in Congress, the rent was market rate, and the amount of funding was by formula - so he didn't affect it. He says he had verbal approval that there was no conflict of interst. In hindsight, there something to be said for writing.

A second charge is that a long time friend and associate used his name to intimidate people - this is on tape. It does show his friend is a creep, not that Menendez is.

People commenting live on DU were mystified that, out of the blue, Kean said something like, "if you want to know me come to Westfield, (the town he lives in and the center of his very affluent district)" and that Menendez won't tell you to come to his "district". Menendez is from Hudson county - his district has Hoboken and Jersey City. (Menendez could claim better singers come from his district.) This is elitism at its worst. I am glad that the NYT points out that Kean is not completely clean it's Kean's only real issue!

The Kean ads are beyond disgusting - saying that Menendez has ethics problems and that he wants to give "your social security to illegal immigrants." Lautenberg has made comments that Kean's dad would never have done this. I think part of the difference in the poll results is how much they push for a choice. The one with Kean slightly ahead had 16% not choosing - very high this close to an election. The undecided probably includes a lot of Democrats who may at least partially believe the charges who don't want to say that they are still for Menendez. (That's a pattern that was seen in 2005 - with the real Corzine scandal. He won by 12 points though the numbers were neck and neck the weekend of the election.)

[whometense]

7. I do remember that.

Andf I remember how in 2004 they kept saying that NJ might go republican. Hah.

[Inuca]

9. That WAS scary! nt