April 16, 2008 - 9:30am
News

Andrews needles Lautenberg on debates

U.S. Rep. Rob AndrewsU.S. Rep. Rob AndrewsFollowing his receipt of invitations to participate in candidates’ forums, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews today stepped up his call on Sen. Frank Lautenberg to accept the congressman’s debate challenge.

"The senator has said he’d be willing to have debates if they were sponsored by legitimate organizations, and we’ve received nine offers of debates from legitimate organizations," Andrews said this morning in a conference call with reporters.

He listed the organizations: the Associated Press, the Bergen Record, New Jersey101.5, NJN News, the Philadelphia Inquirer and NBC 10, the Press of Atlantic City, Telemundo, WOR TV, and 1210 radio.

After mentioning the name of each organization offering an invitation, Andrews said, "we accept."

The congressman last week challenged Lautenberg to seven debates and the senator’s campaign subsequently said they would hammer out details with Andrews’s people.

"I think seven is a minimum," said the congressman. "Twenty-six years ago, when Sen. Lautenberg was running against Congresswoman Fenwick, the senator said five times was not enough. He was right then, and that's the right view now."

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.

Related topics: Frank Lautenberg, Rob Andrews