Torricelli News Conference 5 pm EST LIVE THREAD

[alisasny]

Opine away : )

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I wish somebody would tell him to GTF odff the podium, What a waste of air time.

What a waste of air.

[Howlin]

If he resigns, the governor CAN appoint somebody to fill his seat and he CAN delay the election for one whole year.

[CedarDave]

I can't see that the courts would accept his resigning (after October 5) as legitimate following today's performance. He announced his intentions and his strategy (getting his name off the ballot), and for him to get yet another bite at the apple before the election cannot be allowed. It's totally unfair for the opposing candidate, and the legal effort to prevent that outcome must be forcefully waged.

[bybybill]

Where did this one year before the election stuff come from? His replacement could only serve out T`s term

[NeoCaveman]

Unfortunatly, I piped up too soon. I'm running to the beer now when I heard the name Lautenberg.

I started hours ago.

It's less than 51 days left, the D's have NO LEGAL RIGHT to change candidates.

[LisaFab]

The NJ law email from the NRSC was posted about two hours ago, so the Pub lawyers have been on this for some time. As all FReepers know, Pub lawyers eat dem lawyers for breakfast!

I'll say it again...unless he resigns, the seat is ours. He forfeits.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

After this dies down there will be move to do away with electoral college.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

	What's at stake | House | Governor | Senate

Torricelli drops out of N.J. race (CNN)

Campaign rattled by ethics controversy

Monday, September 30, 2002 Posted: 5:31 PM EDT (2131 GMT)

Sen. Robert Torricelli announces the end of his re-election bid on Monday.

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TRENTON, New Jersey (CNN) -- With his campaign shaken by an ethics controversy and trailing in the polls, Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-New Jersey, announced Monday he was dropping his bid for re-election -- a move that could prove pivotal in Democratic efforts to maintain control of the Senate.

"Don't feel bad for me. I've changed people's lives," said the embattled incumbent, who rattled off what he considered to be his accomplishments during his news conference.

Torricelli said he "could not stand the pain" if his failings hurt Democrats this fall.

"I will not be responsible for the loss of the Democratic majority in the United States Senate," he declared. He said he was asking attorneys to file papers with the U.S. Supreme Court to have his name removed from the ballot this fall.

The withdrawal from the race, just five weeks before the midterm elections, complicates Democratic efforts to hold onto the Senate. Republicans need just one more GOP senator to wrest control of the chamber from Democrats; Torricelli's race had once been viewed as an easy win for his party.

The move sent Democrats scrambling for a replacement to face Republican Doug Forrester in November.   ...   SNIP ...

[.30Carbine]

Is this the message the Dems want to send?

They are in total confusion. They send a different message every minute now. But there is one very clear message shining through the fog of their confusion:

Throw the BUMS out!

[MJY1288]

That's where this will end up. The SCOTUS will have to decide and the election will have to be postponed. The RATS are completely corrupt and a clear and present danger to the Constitution and must be stopped

[windchime]

What are your thoughts about posting a thread indicating Floridians (and the rest of the country for that matter)should watch our back door. Any ideas on a 'catch phrase' for the title?

Distraction is a tactic used by Clinton/Clinton/McAuliffe. While they're staging one of their many recent events, our eye is off the prize in Florida. Multi-tasking is one of our strengths, but we all need to be aware of the need for the additional effort.

Please let me know what you think.

[Inspectorette]

Clinton wouldn't do it, and Tommy D wouldn't let him, since it's his short little ass that would be sacrificed.

Clinton is capable of anything, especially since he would be getting a new round of attention - something he's sorely missed. I don't believe Tiny Tommy is calling the shots here - it's the Gruesome Twosome and their henchman, Terry McAwful.

[marajade]

The Republican US Senate campaign committee better give Forrester some money to help him fight the court case...

[Howlin]

Well, you know what that means, don't you? It's gonna happen.........LOL.

[Congressman Billybob]

Bingo!

You are exactly right. NO ONE with ANY CASE can go straight to the Supreme Court unless it is one of those rare ones defined by the Constitution as its "original jurisdiction." (Such as states suing states over the residency of Howard Hughes and therefore estate taxes, or states suing states over water rights in the Colorado River.)

If Torricelli's mouthpieces try to get anything from the US Supreme Court without going to lower courts first, the case will be pitched out in a New York minute for lack of jurisdiction. They won't hear it. I guarantee.

Congressman Billybob

Click for "Til Death Do Us Part."

Click for "to Restore Trust in America"

Click for "Death as a Political Strategy"

[StarFan]

The New Jersey Supreme Court is as solidly Republican as the Florida Supreme Court is Democratic. We have nothing to worry about. Help. How do we determine that from your link? Some talking pundits were saying it's quite liberal.

[cake_crumb]

"Listening to Torricelli go on about himself reminded me of the narcissist who insinuated himself into the Oval Office in 1992. It's all about them"

Yep. All the Dems care about is POWER...

Interesting contrast on C-Span, and not totally off topic: I had been listening to Jeb verbally pounding McLawyer in the Florida gubenatorial debate...then they cut to the "Toricelli I built hospitals, I built parks, I 'changed' gun laws to protect battered women, I built senior centers"...etc., ad nauseum ramble... <[>...Then went straight to Rummy building a POWERFUL case against Iraq.

[Heff]

Dear Senator Torricelli,

Your remarks regarding your withdrawal from the 2002 US Senate race is nothing less then disgraceful. This maneuver is all about party politics and does nothing but embarrass the good people of New Jersey.

You lamented that we don’t “forgive” any more. I never heard you ask for forgiveness, you only denied wrongdoing. You claimed that you spent your whole life building your credibility and character, and that you are being judged on this one mistake (that your repeatedly denied). It should tell you that character IS an issue.

You said that Doug Forester is not fit for the US Senate, and while that is yet to be proven, we all know that you are not fit, by your own actions to withdraw from the race.

If anyone was looking for remorse, it certainly was not going to be found in you. You made it very clear that the only issue was that you didn’t want to be the cause if (when) the Democrats lose control of the Senate.

It is so sad that you still don’t get it; this is entirely your fault. The only shame is that we might not get the chance to see how badly Mr. Forester would beat you. If only you had the courage and character.

Don’t worry; as you already know, most of us don’t feel bad at all.

Sincerely,

Heff

[Libertina]

I can't see that the courts would accept his resigning (after October 5) as legitimate following today's performance
Agreed. And at some point even Democrat followers are going to feel violated by this.

[deport]

Question...... What if they can't get the Judiciary (state or Federal) to agree to remove and add another name as the Democrat candidate within the next few days..... What if then he resigns and the Gov. appoints someone. The Gov says vote for the Dem candidate whomever and it's Torch then he won't accept the election and I'll appoint so and so to fill the vacancy.

The courts are going to get a work out anyway this goes.... Both will be filing motions tomorrow I'm sure. The Republicans need to get one filed tonight if possible to get ahead and maybe have a judge/court more favorable....