Posted on 09/14/2006 7:26:01 AM PDT by Courdeleon02
Like most successful politicians, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez has rarely ducked a TV camera during a campaign.
But the Democrat, who this week dropped several hundred thousand dollars on a TV ad buy, declined an invitation to debate his opponent, Republican state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., next month on "Meet the Press," the nationally televised Sunday talk show.
"We are turning down 'Meet the Press' so that we can focus on local affiliates, local reporters and appearances before New Jersey voters," spokesman Matt Miller said.
The Star-Ledger reported last week that federal investigators have subpoenaed records of a rental deal Menendez had with North Hudson Community Action Corp., a nonprofit agency that he helped obtain federal funding.
Menendez last week questioned the timing of the probe and suggested U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie was helping the Kean campaign. Christie is a Republican appointee and former contributor and fund-raiser for GOP campaigns.
Christie, at an unrelated news conference yesterday, refused to confirm or comment on the investigation, but did suggest his critics were being hypocritical because they applaud his office for investigating members of the other political party.
"They cheer when it suits their needs, but they boo when it's their own ox being gored," Christie said. He said that in prosecuting public corruption, "we're not bipartisan, we're nonpartisan."
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
There's a confident candidate. /s
McGreevy just did Oprah... he's rested, ready... ;)
That picture is plain, simple and 100% correct!
When you have absolutely no defense, question the timing.
the torch advised him not too.......LOL
Sounds like Sen. Robert Menendez is trying to run out the clock and doesn't realize the game is only half over.
Kean wins by 5%.
Maybe the donkey should be replaced with the chicken.
Menendez may be too dirty for even NJ politics, and that's saying something!
Skipping a TV debate as the controversy heats up?!
Kean may pull this one off after all.
I think that would make a great logo.
Ewwwwwwww. ;-)
He might try the disHonorable Rep. Dollar Bill Jefferson's comment, "There is an honorable explanation." [re: $90,000 of marked cash in his icebox]
Watch for the Democrats to pull a candidate switch like they did with Toricelli in 2002.
Agreed. However, it's a pity that the NJ GOP couldn't field a better candidate than this inarticulate kid who exhibits the IQ of a dull normal.
Paging Bill Bradley. Bill Bradley, white courtesy phone, please.
Cody or Sharpe James?
A distinct possibility.
However, it worked in 2002 because the GOP bet everything on the corrupt NJ Supreme Court upholding the NJ Legislature's written law on when a candidate deadline ends.
This time around, the GOP simply needs to bet on campaign ads mocking the Dem switcheroo 4 years later. The replacement can be shamed (in the eyes of the voters) into losing.
...and now even the naive NJ GOP knows that the NJ courts aren't going to block a Democrat from any sort of last minute switch.
That fact alone would make for a great campaign ad. Blast the court for the 2002 nonsense while ridiculing the 2006 post-deadline candidate switch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.