In the debate, Lautenberg did just fine
By Wally EdgeDemocrats and Republicans seem to agree that 84-year-old U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg did just fine in his debate this week with Republican Dick Zimmer. The George Allen/James Stockdale kind of moment Republicans were hoping for never happened; pundits from both sides say that Lautenberg won it on his own merits. Zimmer complained that this was the first Senate campaign in years that didn't include a debate on New York and Philadelphia network affiliate television (this debate was on NJ101.5 radio, and Saturday's on New Jersey Public Television) -- a move that got him in a ton of trouble with NJ101.5's The Jersey Guys.
Lautenberg had some good coaching: his Senate colleague, Robert Menendez, played Zimmer in some of the debate preparation. The Zimmer campaign wouldn't say who played Lautenberg, and The Inside Edge will pass on the temptation of an online poll to see who readers thought should have played the four-term Senator -- although short lists could include former U.S. Rep. Peter H.B. Frelinghuysen, former State Sen. Robert Littell, and U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, who played Republican Douglas Forrester during Lautenberg's 2002 debate preparation.
Contributors
Wally Edge
The race for governor helped give PolitickerNJ.com our best month since the site launched on February 1, 2000.
As compared to the four weeks ... >
Bob Torricelli
The contest for Governor of New Jersey might be the most visible but in the long term it might not be the most important. Long after our youngest ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
Political discourse in America contains much in the way of intellect or intellectual honesty. One considers the Federalist Papers with wistful awe: ... >
Jeff Michaels
Governor-elect Christopher J. Christie. How sweet it is for the thousands of volunteers who worked since February to support this great man for NJ ... >
Richard LaRossa
With a convincing win in defeating an encumbent Governor, why were there no coattails? >
Alan Steinberg
Within 24 hours after the election of Chris Christie as Governor, the battle was joined between the Governor-elect and the New Jersey Education ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am often asked by my students, friends and even reporters why campaigns in New Jersey are so nasty and why candidates rely so heavily on negative ... >
Carla Katz
It was a dark and stormy November night. An icy wind whistled through leafless moonlit trees. A loud thud is followed by a piercing scream. A ... >
Joey Novick
OK, aside from the governor’s race, the House Health Care Bill (H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act). was the big news of ... >
Murray Sabrin
According to the latest SurveyUSA and Rutgers Eagleton polls, independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett has the support of 19% and 20% of ... >
Poll
Hot Topics
Most Active Stories
- Christie elected Governor, defeats Corzine by 106,000 votes; GOP picks up one Assembly seat
- Christie elected Governor, defeats Corzine by 106,000 votes; GOP picks up one Assembly seat
- Yudin basks in Bergen wins
- Corzine's Middlesex meltdown
- Christie names Samson and Chiesa to head transition team
- Christie says first executive order will freeze unfunded mandates and regulations
- GOP leaders rejoice in Christie's ability to unify, while Dems still skeptical
- Next GOP target: McNerney
- Gusciora blasts bosses for not focusing more intently on Corzine re-election
- Woodbyrne: Here's how we won
- Yudin basks in Bergen wins
- Christie elected Governor, defeats Corzine by 106,000 votes; GOP picks up one Assembly seat
- Next GOP target: McNerney
- Amid rumors of departure to Christie cabinet, DeCroce re-elected minority leader
- Woodbyrne: Here's how we won
- Christie says first executive order will freeze unfunded mandates and regulations
- On a bad night, Democrats pull off huge win in 1st district
- Corzine concedes loss in bid for re-election
- GOP leaders rejoice in Christie's ability to unify, while Dems still skeptical
- Christie names Samson and Chiesa to head transition team
- Quinnipiac: Christie leads 50%-40%
- Quinnipiac poll has Christie ahead by 4 points as Corzine gets closer
- Christie, in West New York, takes questions
- Gore makes his case for Corzine
- Potential LG rivals Allen and Weinberg ally for county committee reform legislation
- Final debate schedule
- Torricelli on making perfection the enemy of good
- Autistic man seeks Assembly seat in 37th
- Jeb Bush attends Christie fundraiser
- Correction: Weiner departure was not his own idea
Quote of the Day
"Please. I wouldn't have enough paper. So let’s not even bother writing one. This is now about governing. I won. The one thing I could never understand about people in politics was winners who are sore winners." -- Gov.-elect Christopher Christie, on putting together an enemis list.
“He’s a nice man with good intentions, but in the end he’ll be remembered for timidity. Being a business titan and issuing orders from the corner office is a lot different than having to cajole and persuade people in politics and having the toughness and fortitude to see your vision become reality.”-- Ross K. Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers University, on Gov. Jon Corzine.
Recent Press Releases
- Nov 6 2009
- Nov 2 2009
Syndicate
