NJ Senate Newspaper Endorsements

[Conan]

The Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Sen. Menendez today. This will be the official endorsement page for NJ Senate so we do not have to make a thread for every endorsement.

[Conan]

The New York Times was highly critical of Menendez's appointment to the Senate, so I expect a non-endorsment by them. I can't see them endorsing either of the candidates.

I was thinking about how its such a tough choice for all the newspapers. I think Menendez will get the NY Times Endorsement though.

[Conan]

The New York Times was highly critical of Menendez's appointment to the Senate, so I expect a non-endorsment by them. I can't see them endorsing either of the candidates.

The NYT did endorse Bob Franks over Jon Corzine in 2000.  It's not as knee-jerk Democratic as many think.  It could go either way, or they might take a pass.

I'll bet that the Newark paper (Star Ledger?) endorses Kean.

I wouldnt be so sure about anything.

[Conan]

Bergen Record should go Kean, I would be surprised if they didn't, but newspaper endorsements mean next to nothing

Bergen County is the key county in this race. If Kean wins Bergen, he has a strong chance of winning the state.

I am not so sure who'll carry Bergen. Could be either one of them. I see so many Menendez signs all over and not one for Kean. You never know, and they are going dem and have sided with dems in the past elections.

[Conan]

Menendez Received the "Montclair Times" newspaper endorsement. I never read this newspaper and I think its just Montclairs hometown paper.

[Conan]

Surprise. Murdoch endorses Kean Jr. NY Post.

[Conan]

Sen. Menendez received the endorsement of the Burlington County Times.

[Conan]

Bump because of possible endorsements coming out in tomorrows newspaper unless they all pretty much wait until the last sunday.

[Conan]

The Star Ledger has endorsed Sen Menendez for United States Senate.

[Conan]

http://www.nj.com/opinion/ledger/editorials/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1162097047226220.xml&coll=1

Robert Menendez for U.S. Senate
Sunday, October 29, 2006
"         If half-truths and smears were the criteria for picking a candidate in the New Jersey election for a seat in the U.S. Senate, campaign ads would suffice. We believe, however, the decision should be based on a candidate's positions on vital issues, his ability to articulate those positions, and his experience.

For those very reasons, The Star-Ledger endorses Robert Menendez.

For example, Menendez, who served in the House of Representatives for 13 years be fore he was appointed to the Senate earlier this year, has consistently opposed the war in Iraq.

He voted against authorizing the invasion in October 2002 when most -- including scores of Democrats -- bought into the White House argument that removing Saddam Hussein was crucial to the war on terror.

His opponent, state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., has adopted President Bush's position that establishing a timetable for pulling out of Iraq would devastate any hope of implanting democracy in that region. Kean, apparently sensing the mood of the public, does acknowledge that many mistakes have been made.

Menendez advocates a well- planned, gradual redeployment of troops. He correctly notes that America's continued presence in Iraq is making the situation worse, providing insurgents from all factions with a common enemy. And he grasps the war's cost -- in both lives lost and the domestic social programs being shortchanged because of the billions the Iraq war demands.

Bush's tax cuts provide another reason for electing Me nendez. He opposes making them permanent; Kean embraces making them lasting.

We believe the nation simply can't afford to hand windfall tax breaks to the wealthy few while amassing a smothering debt for our children and grandchildren. And Menendez would wisely use a portion of the billions realized by eliminat ing those tax breaks to pay down debt and the balance to resuscitate programs choked by Bush's fiscal policies.

Kean backs the Bush tax cuts. He says they should be coupled with restraints on spending. That's unrealistic. The Republican-led Congress has shown it can't say no to more spending, and Kean isn't going to be the one to change that. So the deficit will continue to mount.

On immigration, Menendez accepts reality: 12 million illegal immigrants who make up a significant part of the nation's economy simply can't be rounded up and deported. Rather, he endorses the McCain-Kennedy legislation that would offer a route to citizenship for illegal immigrants, provided they undergo criminal background checks, pay back taxes and learn English.

Kean's immigration plan is fuzzy. He calls for tighter border security and tougher penalties on businesses that hire illegal immigrants. But he isn't clear about the 12 million already in this country illegally.

As for experience, Menen dez's tenure of nearly 14 years in Washington, where he compiled an impressive résumé, clearly overshadows Kean's five years in Trenton.

Although Menendez has served in the Senate for just the past 10 months, he spent 13 years in the House, deftly navigating the congressional system to become caucus chairman, the third-highest-ranking Democrat.

We endorse Menendez fully aware of the ethical questions that have plagued his candi dacy. The most serious is the U.S. attorney's probe into a rental deal he had with a Hud son County community organization that also received federal funds. Clearly, Menendez exhibited poor judgment in this case, but that's not reason enough to disqualify him.

We also question the quality of Kean's campaign. Most New Jerseyans hear the name "Kean" and think of the candi date's father, who is seen as a representative of integrity. The relentlessly ugly campaign waged by Kean Jr., however, doesn't reflect that reputation.

Moreover, Kean Jr. has spent little time in his political advertisements telling voters where he stands on the issues.

In addition to his positions on the issues and his experience, Menendez gets our support for another reason. New Jersey has emerged as a pivotal state in the struggle for control of the Senate. A Republican victory in New Jersey could tip the balance toward the GOP.

A continued Republican majority will result in two more years of a docile, incompetent Congress unwilling to challenge Bush's imperial presidency.

Democratic control of the Senate will send a signal that citizens want to reverse the destructive domestic policies of the past six years, to see the nation reclaim its position as a champion of democracy and to eliminate the "us-or-them" mentality that has led to continuous confrontations around the world.     "

[Conan]

Again, newspaper endorsement have had little effect on NJ races in the past

And you know this how? In such a close election where people dont know who to trust according to everything I have seen, a newspaper might look like something that could build confidence.

[Conan]

The Record has endorsed Sen. Menendez for US Senate.

[Conan]

The Herald News has endorsed Sen. Menendez for US Senate.

[Conan]

Again, newspaper endorsement have had little effect on NJ races in the past

And you know this how? In such a close election where people dont know who to trust according to everything I have seen, a newspaper might look like something that could build confidence.

It worked so well for Forrester and Franks who had the endorsements of all the papers you have mentioned, and the Record endorsement just made people want to sit home, you should actually read it rather than blanketly saying they endorsed him

Big difference between nose-pinching endorsement and ringing endorsement

I cant even find the Records full endorsement. I read some excerpts in another article. Forrester and Franks didnt get all the endorsements. As I recall, Corzine got most of them for Governors race.

[Conan]

The tally as of Sunday is as follows; the candidates are tied.

Kean
Asbury Park Press
Courier-Post
Press of Atlantic City
New York Post

Menendez
Star-Ledger
The Record
Philadelphia Inquirer
Burlington County Times

Montclair times for Menendez.
The Times of Trenton for Menendez
Bridgeton News Menendez
Todays Sunbeam of Salem Menendez
Jersey Journal for Menendez
Gloucester County Times Menendez
Express Times
Suburban News
Cranford Chronicle
Indepentent Press
Warren Reporter
Hunterdon County Democrat
Record-Press
all for Menendez

But those are all Star Ledger owned.

Anyway the only papers that matter are:
The Record
The Star Ledger
The Philadelphia Inquirer

[Conan]

Oh heres the records endorsement which I have finally found:

http://www.menendez2006.com/news/headlines/20061029_the-record/

Menendez for Senate
Bergen Record
Oct 29, 2006

On Nov. 7, New Jersey voters must decide who will represent them in the U.S. Senate. The race between Republican state Sen. Tom Kean Jr. and Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez has been nasty and personal, and has left voters unsatisfied with both candidates. On Election Day voters must make a choice. The Record endorses Menendez.

He is a proven federal legislator. He will fight for Social Security, immigration reform, stem cell research and an end to the Bush tax cuts during a time of war. He wants U.S. troops returned from Iraq quickly and safely.

We note Menendez comes with baggage. He is more than a product of the Hudson County political machine; he is part of the machine. The Record and other media have reported questionable real estate deals, back-room brokering and political friendships with disreputable individuals. Menendez is not the most appealing of candidates, but he is the better choice.

Kean Jr. has neither the charisma nor the political clarity of his much-beloved father. If Kean Jr. had spent the past months defining who he was rather than who he wasn't, the answer might be different. But less than two weeks before Election Day, he remains an enigma. If Kean Jr. cannot sell New Jersey on Kean Jr., how can he influence colleagues in the Senate on issues of importance to New Jerseyans?

Kean's position on immigration is vague. He supports President Bush's tax cuts but says he will remain independent on other issues. He wants Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign. Yet the same independent Kean welcomed the fund-raising efforts of Vice President Dick Cheney and Karl Rove but lacked the moral conviction to stand next to either man at those fund-raising events.

We expect Menendez to remodel his political career. He can do more for the people of New Jersey if he does less for his political allies in Hudson County. We will not tolerate another Robert Torricelli or James McGreevey.

These are extraordinary times. The nation is waging wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A federal surplus has morphed into a massive deficit. The promises of reforming Social Security and immigration laws and providing comprehensive senior health care have been broken.

The course chosen by the Bush administration has led America down a dangerous path, where civil liberties have been traded away in the name of national security. New Jersey cannot afford a U.S. senator in need of on-the-job training.

Menendez will effectively advocate in the U.S. Senate for all the people of New Jersey. The Record endorses Robert Menendez.

[Conan]

Why does the Record have more influence than the NY Post?  That flat out doesn't make sense

First of all, the NY Post isnt read by most New Jerseyans or found every morning on their front steps or in their mailboxes. The NY Post is a rag gossip newspaper very much like the Daily News. The Record is a Jersey newspaper which New Jerseyans pick up everyday or find them for themselves outside everymorning. Plus, your not obviously suggesting that the NY Post actually carries weight, your just weighing on it because Rupert Murdoch chose to endorse Kean.

[Conan]

I noticed you did not put "comes w/baggage" in the bold

I was going to but they still said that he is still the better choice.  You can highlite what is better for Kean in there if you want.

[Conan]

The New York Times has endorsed Sen. Menendez for US Senate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/30/opinion/30mon2.html

October 30, 2006
Editorial
New Jersey’s Senate Race

"       One of the first big decisions Jon Corzine had to make as governor of New Jersey was the appointment of a new senator to take his place in Washington. Mr. Corzine chose the less-than-charismatic Representative Robert Menendez, and as a result, New Jersey has the only Senate race this fall in which a Democratic incumbent seems to be in any danger of defeat. Nevertheless, in his race with State Senator Thomas Kean Jr., there is no question that Mr. Menendez is the better choice.

The 38-year-old Mr. Kean, a son of the former New Jersey governor and co-chairman of the 9/11 commission, is the latest in what has become a very long line of second- and third-generation politicians hoping to achieve high office on the back of their parents’ reputations. Many of his positions seem to come from a campaign playbook rather than conviction. He has called for the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld while failing to criticize President Bush for keeping Mr. Rumsfeld on.

Mr. Kean supports both balanced budgets and all of the administration’s tax cuts. Except for vague promises to vote against pork and to be tough against corruption, he fails to suggest any budget reductions to deal with the deficit. He wants voters to believe he would practice his father’s moderate brand of politics, but there is little to suggest he is much more than a conservative Republican who opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Mr. Menendez, 52, shows a much better grasp of the issues. In the House, where he was the third-highest ranking Democrat, he was an accomplished legislator. He opposed the resolution authorizing President Bush to go to war in Iraq, and he has been outspoken in criticizing the administration’s conduct of the war.

Mr. Menendez has a history of ethical lapses that have been all too common for Democratic officials in New Jersey, especially for those, like him, who continue to take an active part in local party politics. If re-elected, the senator should make it clear he is giving up any role in the Hudson County Democratic organization. But Mr. Kean has gone so far overboard in criticizing the senator that he has attempted to use an episode in which Mr. Menendez actually fought corruption early in his career as an example of unethical behavior.

Mr. Kean actually has a couple of ethical blemishes of his own. In one case, he accepted thousands of dollars of campaign donations last year from executives of the Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield health insurance companies while on the same day voting with his party in the State Senate to maintain a tax exemption for the companies.

New Jersey voters have a choice between a lawmaker who has done a good job of representing the state’s concerns and the nation’s interests in the House and the Senate and a state legislator with a shallow grasp of the issues and a famous name. Our unqualified endorsement goes to Robert Menendez.   "

[Conan]

"   Mr. Corzine chose the less-than-charismatic Representative Robert Menendez, and as a result, New Jersey has the only Senate race this fall in which a Democratic incumbent seems to be in any danger of defeat. "


Sure?