Quote of the Day (at 6:30 a.m.!)

For the record (0.00 / 0)

I do not think Andrews is anything like a Lieberman.

---

by: huntsu @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 10:37:34 AM UTC

and for the record (4.00 / 1)

According to Frank Lautenberg, that's a good thing?

"I can't imagine the Seante without Joe Lieberman.  We all know where he stands.  We need him and you need him my friends, my friends.  Don't fail yourself!  Don't fail your country!  Vote Joe Liebemann."

--Frank Lautenberg

It was Frank Lautenberg who was out stumping for Joe Lieberman in autumn of 2006, so if there are "too many liebermans" in the Senate, Frank Pallone should be pointing fingers right at Lautenberg.

activist for hire.

---

by: Jay Lassiter @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 12:01:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Autumn? (0.00 / 0)

That implies that Lautenberg was still supporting Lieberman after Lamont won the primary. Is taht what actually happened? (Note: I don't have accesss to what must be a video in that big white space while I'm at work.)

---

by: Dvd Avins @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 12:44:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wrong, Jay (4.00 / 5)

Lautenberg's support of Joe Lieberman ended abruptly after Ned Lamont won the Connecticut Primary.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

---

by: Rosi Efthim @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:52:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Rosi Just Nailed You On That One Jay... (0.00 / 0)

Nice try though.

---

by: Nick Lento @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 19:29:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not another Thurmond (0.00 / 0)

I don't want another Strom Thurmond in the Senate. Lautenbergs refusal to get out and campaign in all parts of the State make me question his energy level.

If he can't handle the rigors of a 8 week campaign then how is he going to handle a six year job?

Pallone should not worry about how Andrews will vote, he should worry about whether a guy pushing 90 can represent us as we deserve to be represented.  

---

by: firstamend07 @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:19:44 PM UTC

Not tired (4.00 / 3)

Polls show Andrews under 30 percent and little or no interest in the campaign.  Just like Obama doesn't need to campaign against Bob Barr, Lautenberg doesn't need to campaign against Andrews.

It's not a matter of stamina, but strategy, and effort to minimize and isolate Andrews' campaign.  He is treating Rob as if he were an annoyance instead of treating him as an equal.

To do otherwise would give Lautenberg's stamp of legitimacy to the Andrews effort, and no campaign wants to do that.

Suggestions that Lautenberg is too tired to campaign for eight weeks are off base.  If it suited his purposes, Lautenberg would campaign.  But it doesn't, so he won't.

There is one way that you could have forced Lautenberg to get out in the streets: run a campaign that actually threatens his seat.

But Andrews hasn't.

---

by: huntsu @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:48:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Old or Arrogant (0.00 / 0)

Politicians for years have campaigned when they had big leads in the polls. They just campaign without recognizing the opposiition.

The reason they do so is to fulfill an obligation to the voters and have the voters be given a chance to see and hear them.

Why does Lautenberg not want to be seen and heard?

I believe he either fears looking old or that he is arrogant and does not feel he has an obligation to meet the voters throughout the State.

He is acting like a guy who thinks we owe him something.

I owe him nothing.  

---

by: firstamend07 @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:58:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

And then there's this: (0.00 / 0)

from PolitickerNJ:

About 20 miles north, in Bergenfield, Lautenberg spent part of his day in a town that much less resembles a Norman Rockwell painting: Bergenfield, where the 84-year-old World War II veteran energetically marched in a much larger, more ethnically diverse crowd at its Memorial Day Parade.

---

by: huntsu @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:52:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Then he took a nap (0.00 / 0)

One parade on Memorial day. The guy is a real dynamo.

You are too intelligant to argue that Lautenberg is actually running a full campaign and meeting the voters throughout the State.  

I again ask WHY? Arrogance or Age?

---

by: firstamend07 @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 14:00:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I didn't argue that (4.00 / 1)

I didn't say he was running a full campaign.  I said he was running a winning campaign.

---

by: huntsu @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 14:32:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We've Already Thoroughly Demolished Your "Age"ist.... (0.00 / 0)

.....nonsense.

When it comes to arrogance and chutzpah, your candidate is the equal of anyone this side of the equator.

So, what else have ya got?

---

by: Nick Lento @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 19:45:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Any proof? (4.00 / 1)

Do you have any proof of the senility or bad health you are beating around the bush about?

Thought not.

---

by: Thurman Hart @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 16:21:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Observe the obvious (0.00 / 0)

Why does an 84 year old man not run a marathon? Because he can't.

Is the reason that Lautenberg  refuses  to campaign  becasue he can't? I don't know . But as long as he stays hidden it is a valid question.

If he beats Andrews will the Republicans wear him out? Or is he going to stay hidden until November?

You see , 84 is Old. I need him to show me he can handle the rigors of a six year job.

So far I just see an old, arrogant man running for Senator who feels we owe him the seat.
 

---

by: firstamend07 @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 16:54:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Alternative answer (0.00 / 0)

Why do certain people not do not specific things? Because they choose not to.

I don't know if you presently approve of his job performance, but is there any evidence whatsoever that his mental or physical condition tomorrow will be any different than his condition today? If no such evidence exists, then I can't understand how this can be a major factor for consideration.

To show you that he can handle the job, observe that being 79 itself is still "pretty old" but he's handled the job for the last five years. I don't see any reason to assume he couldn't handle it for six more.

---

by: dennisl @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 18:20:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm ambivalent... (0.00 / 0)

But we do have manditory retirement ages for certain positions. I'm assuming those rules exist for a reason. (I'm thinking NJ Supreme court has such a rule).
It's not unprecendented that society deems people too old for certain positions.
There was even talk of requiring those over 65 to retake driver's exams periodically.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

---

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 18:51:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

On The Drivers Testing We're In Agreement... (0.00 / 0)

....eyesight, reflexes all do slow with age.....I would require basic tests for vision/reflexes/mental acuity every 5 years starting as 50.

Though some at eighty are sharper than others at thirty.

We are individuals and need to be judged as such.

Being a Senator is about good and decent judgment not running marathons.

At 90+ Senator Byrd is a better Senator than Joe Lieberman.  Does anyone disagree?

---

by: Nick Lento @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 20:05:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Spurious claims do not help (4.00 / 1)

There are, in fact, eighty-year-olds who run marathons.  The world's record for oldest marathon runner, for both genders, is in the nineties.

It is a valid quesiton because you support someone else.  There is no other reason.  Lautenberg has been busy doing his job as Senator.  Why not find flaws with that?  Because you can't.

Honestly, I don't think there's a Republican out there at all who will make Lautenberg work for another term - that's why all of the quality challengers took a mickey on this one.

So far, all I see is an anonymous commenter who wants to make spurious charges with no data to back it up.  You see, 84 is, in fact, old and we should all be lucky enough to see the other side of it.  But, in and of itself, it is no reason to either back or refuse to back a candidate.

---

by: Thurman Hart @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 20:57:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Better Late Than Never....Welcome Aboard! n/t (0.00 / 0)

---

by: Nick Lento @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 21:03:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm not "aboard" anything (4.00 / 1)

I just would like some sense of reality to be returned to the mess.

---

by: Thurman Hart @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 21:10:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thank you Frank (0.00 / 0)

You summed up the reason Andrews must be defeated quite nicely.

---

by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 13:48:01 PM UTC

you mean like sheep? (0.00 / 0)

So they only want Senators that will vote the party line?  No thanks -- I'd rather someone who votes their mind, or what they think is in thebest interest.  I don't want blind sheep who vote for what the "party" -- either party -- wants.

---

by: AreYouWithMe? @ Tue May 27, 2008 at 16:59:23 PM UTC

Senator Joe Biden Weighs in For Frank (0.00 / 0)

http://politickernj.com/matt-f...

This was the first time in his 35 year Senate career that he has jumped into a Democratic primary. It wasn't even in his home state, but here in New Jersey, on behalf of incumbent Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

"I count Rob Andrews as my friend, and I've never been engaged in a primary before - in my home state or anywhere else," said Biden in a short press availability before a fundraiser in Union.

On the "age issue"

"As much as I love Rob Andrews, and he has been my friend, this is not even close for me," Biden said.  [emphasis added]

As Lautenberg's closest supporters have been doing quite a bit lately, Biden described the 84-year-old Lautenberg's youthful vigor and athletic feats, dismissing Andrews's recent ad that hit Lautenberg on his age.

---

by: Nick Lento @ Wed May 28, 2008 at 00:06:40 AM UTC