Republicans Out Number Democrats 6-1

In the Great Race for Congress in the 7th, right now the Republicans lead by a ratio of at least 6-1.

They have somewhere between six and eight candidates: To start with there’s Kelly Hatfield, Leonard Lance, Martin Marks, Victor Sordillo, Chris Venis and Kate Whitman. And the Democrats just have one, Assw. Linda Stender.

And just when you thought there more than enough candidates in the race for the 7th Congressional District race, there come two more with very interesting backgrounds.

New on the Republican block, there is Tom Roughneen. He is an Iraq War veteran, and I thank him for his service. He experience also includes being an Army defense lawyer and a former assistant prosecutor with Union and Essex counties. He will actually be running from town to town in the district to help his name recognition. Clad in his www.rockthecongress.com sweatshirt, he may soon be seen running through your town. Be careful driving if you see him on the road at night.

If you go to his website, there is a streaming video where he has some typical sophomoric quips about Senators Obama and Clinton. From his experience in Iraq, he brings a unique perspective to the ongoing Iraqi War debate. If any Republican should be able to make the tough argument of why we should still be in Iraq, he should. However, at from his speech at his announcement, he brings nothing new to the debate.

Next throwing his hat in to the ring, is Bridgewater Township Councilman Michael Hsing. Hsing is a personal friend from our days in the Leadership New Jersey Class of 1998. He is a two term Councilman in Bridgewater. He has served as President to the Bridgewater Town Council, and as the President of the Somerset County Governing Officials Association.

So, now there are eight. Should be an interesting primary, to say the least.

Entrenched politicians from long standing Republican families. Neo-con Republicans.

But not one amongst them who has had the courage to declare that he/she would vote to bring the troops home Iraq, -----leaving us all still behind the eight ball.

Rudy: He's gone. You feel stupid.

Jerry Seinfeld on magicians: "What is the point of the magician? He comes on, he fools you, you feel stupid, show's over ... It's like, 'Here's a quarter. Now it's gone. You're a jerk."

Same thing with Rudy 911liani’s run for President. What was the point of his run for president? He comes on stage, squawking over and over about 911. He fools you, he ignored Iowa, New Hampshire, he tanks in Florida, and now the show’s over. And it is like, “I’m America’s Mayor, and I’m gonna be the president. 911! 911!” Now he’s gone. If you supported him you’re a….well, you get the idea.

And here in central Jersey, back in the late spring, I had the opportunity of running in to the Chairman of the Hunterdon County Republican Committee, Henry Kuhl. Now, Henry must be a smart fellow, with more than just a scintilla of political smarts, since he has been the chairman in Hunterdon for more years than I can remember.

When I inquired of his choice on his side of the ailse, Henry told me “the next president and vice president of the United States will be Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson”.

[He did not spell Rudy Giuliani for President with "911", by the way.]

“Hmm”, I said. “Do you really think that Giuliani will be able to survive the southern conservative Republicans? Will they really vote for someone who is pro-choice, pro-gay rights, twice divorced, and an Italian Catholic New Yorker?”

Without hesitation, he declared an emphatic “Yes, because they want a winner.”

So, the Southern conservative Republican right-wing Christian fundamentalists will be willing to compromise their core values to support a “winner”. Good trick, I thought.

As it turns out, those folks won’t even get a chance to have their core values tested.

And in NJ, the Repubs must all feel stupid, being fooled that way Rudy ran his campaign and dropped out.

On the Democratic side, Rudy’s magic tricks did not fool anyone. So it goes.

The President’s Final Days

Last night, I was at the Courier News watching the President's final State of the Union Address. I was part of their panel watching the president, along with several other Central Jersey residents. Amongst them were one or two supporters of the Iraq War, still spewing the tired rhetoric of “we have to fight them there, so we don’t have to fight them here” and how it does not matter whether there were weapons of mass destruction of not, and “my nephew volunteered to be over there”, and we have to stay there for him.

Well, America has lots of nephews, nieces, sons, daughters, uncles and aunts in Iraq. And America overwhelming wants them home.

Random thoughts on the State of the Union:

By the way, the Secretary of the Interior was not at the State of the Union. He's was home watching the whole thing on TV, "carrying the football" in case of a national emergency. Nothing happened, by the way. We’re all OK.

All members of the Cabinet appeared to wearing the same ties. Maybe they get a bulk discount, when they buy at the White House gift shop. Cheney: Red tie. Bush: Blue tie. Guess they figured that all out inn advance. President gets first pick of colors. Bush began to speak at 9:11pm. Wander if that was choreographed?

He did have a funny line about the IRS taking checks and money orders. He smirked. The Democrats did not laugh, though.

He promised a balanced budget: "Families must balance budgets, so do governments." Of course, this is from a man who has OK'd spending 2 billion a month on a war that has put the nation in deep debt. How ironic. Big smirk on Cheney's face at this point.

Rhetoric from a lame duck with low approval ratings. He leaves a legacy of failure, lack of accomplishments, and Republicans running from him around the country. And he still cannot say “nuclear” correctly.

This was certainly one of the most shallow, cliché-filled State of the Union messages I have ever heard. Well, this was certainly not the same Bush who said [using the Cowboy attitude] "Bring'em On". He looks tied, beleaguered, and worn. He should have been impeached. Our bad.

He is almost no longer the President. Just a few more months to 1.20.09.

It was fun watching with other folks from central Jersey. Almost like the way democracy should be.

Two Sides To Every Issue...many candidates, too

Last night, while the Republican congressional for the 7th hopefuls were in the very Democratic county of Union, the Democratic candidate for Congress, Linda Stender was in the very Republican county of Hunterdon. And she was on her game.

Assemblywoman Linda Stender wowed’em at the monthly meeting of the Tewksbury Township Democratic Club ---where about 50 people came out to hear her speak. Stender was in good humor, looking great after a full day’s activities that started with Assembly committee meetings in Trenton. Ms. Stender fielded questions on the Iraq War, the economy, local truck traffic, the school funding formula, state debt, and immigration. She was firm, focused and friendly. Unlike her campaign in 2006, which got off to a much later start, she is ready to roll already.

On the Republican side, the five out of the six 7th congressional hopefuls jockeyed for position at a meeting last night in Clark, Union County. Senator Leonard Lance, former NJ First Daughter Kate Whitman, Scotch Plains Mayor Martin Marks, former Summit Council President Kelly and former Deputy Mayor of Hillsborough Chris Venis all tried their level headed best to become the conservative’s conservative. Whitman declared that she is more conservative then her mom. Mark’s declared that he is solidly pro-life. Hatfield was the real McCoy when she said that she did not like the government interfering in people’s personal lives.

The Republicans all seemed to agree on the war, and backed their party’s wrong-headed commitment to an endless war plan, with no exit strategy.

On a quick note: with a name like Venis, I bet the former Hillsborough Deputy Mayor is glad his opponent isn’t Ferguson. Certainly not after the way the current Congressman’s campaign played around with the name Stender in the 2006 campaign.

Central Jersey Political Brawls

Fight Club Judge: If you took Harcar and the points, you lost. And the beating goes on.

Back in June 2007, Raritan Township Committeewoman Chris Harcar allegedly went to the business headquarters of Republican Hunterdon County Chairman Henry Kuhl to allegedly make phone bank calls for the alleged primary race for sheriff. Allegedly, she got in to an alleged scuffle with Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow, and allegedly had her arm broken by Karrow. Allegedly.

Judge Robert Schaul heard both sides of the Raritan Township -Karrow-Harcar brawl, and gave the ‘win’ to…Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow. He said, in his decision ,that:

(1) the brawl definitely happened; (2) it was “choreographed” by Harcar and (3) that Harcar was an “agent provocateur” in the matter.

Wow ---Harcar an “agent provocateur”. I lost my bet, too. I placed my money that she would be called an “alleged assailant”. I was off by a mile.

From press accounts:

Karrow: "I don't think the judge could make it any more clear about her lack of credibility.”

Harcar: "We have a lot more evidence.”

And Harcar may get a chance to present that evidence in Round II of the Karrow-Harcar brawl --- in her civil suit charging defamation.

Harcar was Karrow’s hairdresser years ago. No one knows if that had anything to do with their bitter battle.

The Ron Paul Devolution comes to Central Jersey

I had the distinct pleasure this past Saturday of live blogging from the 2008 GOP Presidential Candidate Debate and Straw Poll in the center of central Jersey in the Woodbridge/Edison area.

This event was organized by our very conservative friends over at Conservatives With An Attitude and Michael Illions. For this progressive Democrat, it was a truly spirited gathering of neo-cons, paleo-cons and Ron-Cons----those Republican conservative libertarian devotees of Congressman Ron Paul. Paul, by the way, is the only candidate on the Republican side who favors an immediate withdrawal of all troops from Iraq.

Each Republican presidential candidate was represented by a local NJ Republican. Former Assemblyman Guy Gregg took the podium for Senator Fred Thompson. Former Rep. Rush Holt opponent Bill Spadea took up the mantle for Mayor Rudy 911uliani. And former gubernatorial candidate and future senate candidate Murray Sabrin was there to speak on behalf of Rep. Ron Paul.

The Ron-Cons were definitely there in great numbers. Throughout the day, chants of “Murray! Murray!” or “Ron Paul Rules!” could be heard even louder than the Hillary, Obama, and Edwards bashers.

In answer to a question about United States involvement in the United Nations, Sabrin replied, “Ron Paul supports withdrawing from the UN, and making them condos on the east river. That will handle the homeless problem in NYC.” Good libertarian values on the housing problem, that Sabrin.

After all the votes were counted, Paul walked away with the win in a big way:

128 Ron Paul
27 Fred Thompson
22 Mitt Romney
15 Mike Huckabee
15 Rudy Giuliani
4 Duncan Hunter
2 John McCain

Does anyone take this seriously? Put it this way, the other day Sabrin sent out a press release more or less endorsing himself for Senate. Go figure.

At least Paul is the one Republican candidate who believes in evolution. So it goes.

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