FOUR A WEEK KEEPS FRANK AWAY:

As court considers N.J. ballot challenge, Forrester challenges Lautenberg to debates (ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY, 10/5/02, The Associated Press)

Even as Republicans contested Frank N. Lautenberg's effort to get his name on the ballot in a bid for the Senate, the GOP candidate challenged the Democrat Saturday to a series of debates.

Approaching Lautenberg at a street fair, Douglas Forrester borrowed a page from the former senator's first campaign in 1978 in challenging him to 21 debates -- one for each county. "Are you willing?" he asked.

"I thought you didn't want me to be a candidate," Lautenberg countered. Later, he said he would debate Forrester "any place, any time."

An excellent, and likely necessary, move by the Forrester campaign. If he can't beat a 78 year old man with Lautenberg's voting record in a series of debates he doesn't deserve to win. Moreover, it removes the issue of him only wanting to discuss Torricelli. Voters should have plenty of chances to find out who Doug Forrester is and what he believes in a set of 21 debates. And, to be utterly cold-blooded about it, let's see how the Senator is doing mentally and physically at that 21st debate in five weeks. Mr, Lautenberg won his first election by portraying poor old Millicent Fenwick as decrepit, let's see if he's any more fit. Posted by Orrin Judd at October 5, 2002 8:50 PM