Editorial Boards to Lautenberg: Come Out of Hiding

by: Martin

Thu May 15, 2008 at 04:41:38 PM EDT

Like the Red Knot, another native species, the frankus lautenbergus, has also become a rare commodity in the state, so much so that even editorial boards are calling for the organism to return to his state for some face time.

Kidding aside, multiple editorial boards have all but called Lautenberg a coward for not agreeing to multiple debates in multiple formats (the 3 a.m. equivalent on NJN notwithstanding) and for being generally absent from the campaign trail.

Trying to get Sen. Frank Lautenberg to agree to a debate is like using a dial-up Internet connection. You get connected fast enough, but waiting for a response from the server takes a very long time?This is 2008. Dial-up is passé. New Jerseyans have a right to expect a high-speed connection. No more stalling, senator. It's time to debate.

And there's more.  The Press of Atlantic City have also gone after Lautenberg for his lack of face-time with Andrews and Cresitello:

"Lautenberg is not the anointed Democratic nominee by virtue of being the incumbent. He needs to make his case to Democratic voters, and one way is to go head-to-head with Andrews and let Democratic voters make up their minds about who is best to represent them."

The regular editorial page of The Record has similarly blasted Lautenberg for refusing to debate Andrews more, including in front of their editorial board:

Lautenberg has refused to accept The Record's invitation to debate before the June 3 primary. Lautenberg has also rebuffed other newspapers' requests for debates. So far, the incumbent has only agreed to debates on the New Jersey Network on May 30 and on New Jersey 101.5 FM on May 29. Not good enough.

Carl Golden, a front-page blogger over at nj.com, was  less-than-kind about Lautenberg and his disappearing act:

So, Andrews is left with the prospect of using the old gimmick of appearing on stage next to an unoccupied chair signifying his opponents' refusal to face voters and their questions.
He could, however, substitute an empty suit as his prop. It might be difficult to distinguish the prop from the real Lautenberg.

Let's try to put all of this together: Lautenberg, as mentioned above, refuses to meet jointly with Andrews in front of the Record's editorial board; does the same thing (refuses to meet jointly with Andrews) with The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board; turns down a debate offer from Richard Stockton College; declines another another debate offer from Fairleigh Dickinson University; is probably turning down a a televised debate offer from ABC-TV in New York; and has yet to agree to meet with some editorial boards, including the Courier Post. I think you get the point.

At what point will Lautenberg come out of hiding and answer these editorial boards' calls for real, substantive debate in the public eye? Or will we be left with similar acts of refusal and elision of responsibility from the Roginsky err Lautenberg campaign from now until 3 June?