Republicans Pick a Party Rebel to Run for Fossella’s Seat

NY Times ^ | July 15, 2008 | JONATHAN P. HICKS

[neverdem]

In a dramatic reversal of fortunes, former Assemblyman Robert A. Straniere was endorsed for Congress last night by the Staten Island Republican Party. That backing comes just four years after Mr. Straniere, then a 24-year incumbent, was defeated in a tense Republican primary and shunned by many of the island’s officials.

Mr. Straniere is running for the seat in Congress now held by Representative Vito J. Fossella, a Republican who announced in May that he will not run for re-election this year.

“Bob Straniere is now the candidate of the Richmond County Republican Committee,” said John S. Friscia, the chairman of the party on Staten Island. “He has the following, the name recognition and the verve and the drive.”

Mr. Friscia filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections on Monday night, just hours before the deadline to substitute Mr. Straniere’s name on the nominating petitions to replace Francis H. Powers, the party candidate who died of a heart attack last month.

Apart from having his name substituted on Mr. Powers’s petitions, Mr. Straniere had also undertaken a drive to collect signatures on his own in the last few weeks. It was an effort, he said, that gave him far more then the 1,250 signatures required to earn a spot on the Republican primary ballot

[MplsSteve]

Political PING?

[ccmay]

Why can't they nominate James Oddo? Is he too close to Fossella or something? I've liked him ever since the Norwegian TV show incident.

[no-s]

Oddo and the Norwegian TV Show Incident.

Priceless. I think he let the TV crew off a little too easy. I bet those obnoxious fools got all defensive about it, and decided to post the edited(!) video in an attempt to smear him.

[raybbr]

How is he a “party rebel”?

[jmaroneps37]

One: Jimmy Oddo doesn't want to run. He wants to be Borough President. Next Hicks is a fool if he believes Straniere is a “paty rebel.” Straniere’s big “sin” was trying to quit the Assembly to run for Borough President. That spot was stolen from him by the conservative party with the help of guy molinari and Straniere’s stupid and inept campaign staff. Now he is back. When he ran he regularly got over 68 to 70%. He is Jewish with an Italian name. He knows how to win and of most importance, he will be running with John McCain on Staten Island. For those who don't know about Staten Island politics, if there were no other candidates on the ballot, just McCain and Obama, McCain would win at least 67/33 if not more. Can Straniere, who is a known Republican win? Oh yes he can. I'm not saying he will, but I will say that with every marxist socialist position of barack mcgovern wrapped around his neck, McMahon will not draw flies south of the Expressway. The Brooklyn part of the district is Marty Golden land. That will help Bob Straniere as well. Yes, he can win. McMahon will be defending the rat postions abortion, gay “marriage” higher taxes, and no drilling anywhere or he won't get two cents from the dnc. Let's see how well those positions sell on Staten Island.

[YCTHouston]

OUTSTANDING! I always wondered why no American politicians ever caught on to the Borat game and threw him out.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Fosella seat *ping*

[neverdem]

McCain likely to get Conservative line in N.Y.

Here'a a comment from the original source:

McCain is pro-amnesty. he told suporters he wouldn’t appoint any more judges like Alito. He has bought into the global warming hoax. He led a full frontal assault on the First Amendment. He has gotten money from Soros. He has voted for Federal funding for Planned Parenthood and for embryonic stem cell research. He voted against the tax cuts twice. He just got through pandering to La Raza, an Hispanic separatist organization. On every issue of significance, he has gone out of his way to poke conservatives in the eye. So how can the “Conservative Party” endorse him?

The writer forgot closing the gun show loophole, but indeed, why should conservatives or libertarians vote for McRINO? Maybe because the lesser of two evils is better than CW II?

For whatever reason, the dems in Congress want to defy the will of the people. I've seen three new polls in a row now where drilling for oil is the wish of more than 7 out of 10 polled. The GOP could take back the Congress if it would take its head out of its fourth point of contact(i.e. its butt).

Unlike its recent history with GWB, simply because of the results of the 2006 election in which they lost Congress, I don't see a GOP Congress having a problem opposing a President McRINO on illegal immigration or any other crazy idea when it looks like we're going to hell in a handbasket.

Fannie, Freddie, Banks and Government Debt (If the gov't collapses you will need steel, lead and brass, not money.)

As Candidates Emerge for Fossella’s Seat, Contested Primaries Appear Inevitable

But the Democrats are feeling a newfound confidence. They point to the fact that there are 165,000 registered Democrats in the district, compared with 102,000 registered Republicans. And they add that the Democratic advantage in registration has grown in the last several elections.

Meanwhile, the Republicans seem to be headed for their own primary. Jamshad Wyne, a cardiologist who is also the finance chairman of the Staten Island Republican Party, said he planned to run. After Mr. Fossella announced his intention not to run for re-election, Dr. Wyne indicated his interest in the race. But shortly after, he announced that he would not run (for a time, he said he might support Mr. McMahon).

N.B. Those are two separate excerpts, and Dr. Wyne might support Mr. McMahon, a dem. Dr. Wyne is from Pakistan and has two free clinics on Staten Island, either besides or including a CT scanner. I presume the 64 slice job used for cardiology, but with questionable value.

IIRC, Dr. Wyne was considering entering the dem primary for Fossella's seat, but I can't find the story. Dr. Wyne smells fishy to me, and Guy Molinari and his Staten Island machine seem to despise the other guy.

New York’s Birth Date: Don’t Go by City’s Seal

FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.

[neverdem]

jmaroneps37, thank you for the info.

raybbr, see comment# 6.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Clintonfatigued]

Wow, this is a HUGE surprise. I guess that Guy Molinari isn’t the power we thought he was.

Guy Molinari and Robert Straniere have been bitter inter-party rivals for decades. Molinari used his influence to muscle Straniere from running for Congress in 1997 (Guy Fossella was the nominee) and engineered Straniere’s ouster from the state Assembly in the 2004 Republican primary. For his part, Straniere refused to support Molinari’s 1995 campaign for Staten Island District Attorney (Molinari lost by a landslide).

These two men completely detest each other. Indeed, Molinari might cross party lines and endorse the Democrat.

[Clintonfatigued]

Here is what Molinari had to say about Straniere’s nomination:

The Straniere move also drew an acid response from former GOP Borough President Guy Molinari, a longtime Straniere foe.

“I’m terribly outraged by the actions of the committee on vacancies,” said Molinari, who already has pledged to work to remove borough GOP chairman John Friscia and other party leaders when they are up for re-election next year. “They couldn’t have made a worse mistake. The party was already in desperate shape. They’ve all but buried it.”

[fieldmarshaldj]

Aside from personality conflicts, is there something specifically wrong with Straniere's prior voting record ? I didn't see Guy himself stepping in to run, and none of the other first tier candidates ran, and the annointed sickly prior choice promptly died. What is the party supposed to do otherwise ? Not run anybody ?

[Clintonfatigued]

I don’t know what Straniere’s voting record is like. Indeed, I don’t know exactly what the root cause of all of this is, although Molinari had a huge fit when Straniere considered challenging Guy Fossella (Molinari’s protege) for the nomination. He may have considered challenging Susan Molinari in 1991, but I’m not sure of that. In any event, Straniere backed down.

Some of Molinari’s allies have already announced that they won’t be supporting Straniere, and I don’t think they’d be doing that without Molinari’s OK.

I think we could use some input from New York Freepers.

[neverdem]

I didn't see Guy himself stepping in to run, and none of the other first tier candidates ran, and the annointed sickly prior choice promptly died.

Did he have a known medical history? If someone doesn't have significant symptoms, they might have ignored what they considered minor discomforts and drop dead from sudden cardiac death, hemorrhagic stroke or a pulmonary embolus. What was his cause of death?

[neverdem]

Thanks for your links.

[neverdem]

I don’t know what Straniere’s voting record is like. Indeed, I don’t know exactly what the root cause of all of this is, although Molinari had a huge fit when Straniere considered challenging Guy Fossella (Molinari’s protege) for the nomination. He may have considered challenging Susan Molinari in 1991, but I’m not sure of that. In any event, Straniere backed down.

Some of Molinari’s allies have already announced that they won’t be supporting Straniere, and I don’t think they’d be doing that without Molinari’s OK.

I think we could use some input from New York Freepers.

Clintonfatigued, you seem to have all the inside dope. I'll ping my NY list again just so they can read your comments in 12 & 13.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Did he have a known medical history? If someone doesn't have significant symptoms, they might have ignored what they considered minor discomforts and drop dead from sudden cardiac death, hemorrhagic stroke or a pulmonary embolus. What was his cause of death?"

If he did, it was never publicized. Frank Powers was pushing 70, and I had no idea how "aged" and unwell he looked until I saw photos after he died. He had to have been under enormous stress, especially from a personal standpoint, because after he was endorsed by the local party, his namesake son promptly declared he was running (as a Libertarian) to make sure his father would be defeated -- by the Democrats. Very personal and very ugly. Mr. Powers died of a heart attack in his sleep shortly afterwards. I hope his "son" is happy, since he played a role in the matter.

Frank Powers, Sr.

[darkangel82]

Ugggh. My 77 year old grandparents look better than that.