I'm sure in your few lucid moments in Vegas you followed the Torricelli story. Let me recap...
About 2 weeks ago, the Republicans dredged up
some memo from an admitted felon detailing
the gifts he claims to have given Torricelli.
Naturally, Republicans jumped all over the memo as if
it were written by the Pope and since we have
no left wing press, their's was the only voice heard.
Torricelli instantly tanked in the polls and
the next Friday he quit the race.
Republicans had their own little plan. NJ state
law says a party may not withdraw a candidate
after 51 days before the election. The Republicans
waited until after that deadline to release the memo,
which could very well be all lies anyway. They
didn't want to have to have a court decide another
election after the fact. Now they want to run
completly unopposed.
After Torricelli quit, the Dem's turned to ex-senator
Frank Lautenberg to run for the seat.
As you know, the NJ Supreme court ruled that
Lautenberg can indeed be on the ballot so
voters have an actual choice, something Republicans
never have liked. They brought the case
to the Supremes in D.C. who ruled again for the
Democrats, citing states rights
Douglas Forrester, the Repug, spent about 2 days
ahead in the polls. As soon as Lautenberg
accepted, he took an immediate 6 point lead in
the polls. NJ voters are not going to be sending
a Republican to Washington. I even think
Torricelli could have won if he just hung in there and
denied the charges and pointed out that the man
bringing them is in jail and looking for friends.
If I were arguing the case I would have
asked what I, as a Democrat am supposed to do if you
take away a Democrat candidate. Am I supposed
to vote for Forrester? It's not my fault my candidate
decided to quit. The party didn't withdraw his
name as talk show gasbags would have us believe.
The candidate withdrew himself. As a voter, don't
I get a choice?
Stay calm....Lautenberg should win in a walk.
I wish Torricelli dropped out sooner but at least he
did the right thing in the end. Remember, up
until the memo came out he was ahead in the polls
even with his troubles. This is a state that
doesn't like Republicans.