Pandering to the left will cost Kean
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Star Ledger

Following the legion of happily defeated "moderates" before him, Torn Kean Jr. has succumbed to the delusion that the key to win ning New Jersey elections lies in pandering to Democrats and liberals. He snubbed Vice President Dick Cheney while using him to raise thousands for his campaign, and he has now joined the chorus calling for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign. Kean's eagerness to undermine the administration during wartime has nothing to do with any objective assessment of what is happening in the field but has very much to do with the cynical calculus of his pollsters. Like Bob Franks and Doug Forrester before him, Kean will soon learn that he has alienated the conservative base at his peril. Many of us will stay home on Election Day, and Kean will suffer a well-earned loss. While we will not celebrate Sen. Robert Menendez, we will have some consola tion in knowing that our intelligence won't be insulted for the next six years.

-- Dean T. Bennett, Millburn Better to boycott Would-be U.S. Sen. Tom Kean Jr. is at it again, this time asking Defense Secretary Donald Rums feld to resign. Kean is pandering to Democrats in a "blue state" just like he did when Vice President Dick Cheney appeared at his fundraiser in New Jersey and he was "caught in traffic." What a lame excuse.

But appointed Sen. Robert Menendez is no better. He campaigns in Spanish. Whatever happened to the English language? This is America, not a Cuban satellite. His political background (Hudson County) is shady, to say the least. Maybe we should by pass the Senate race in New Jersey. Even though Kean is the lesser of two evils, his not-so-great father's slogan might be paraphrased: Kean Jr. and Menendez -- perfect together.

-- William McPhail, Toms River