August 17, 2004

GRAY LADY OVERBOARD:

N.J. Voters in a Pickle (NY Times, 8/18/04)

Gov. James McGreevey's exit strategy has put New Jersey voters, and democracy itself, in a terrible bind. Under the timetable announced last week during his bombshell news conference, Mr. McGreevey will resign his office on Nov. 15 and hand the reins of government to Richard Codey, the president of the State Senate. Executive power will thus reside for three months with a lame-duck governor crippled by scandal and then, for the next 14 months, with an interim governor who has no mandate from the voters.

The alternative is for the Republicans and the Democrats to get their acts together and organize a special election for this November so New Jersey voters will get a real choice and the winning candidate real legitimacy. To have a vote then, Mr. McGreevey will have to resign before Sept. 3.

There are drawbacks to a quickie election, not least of which is that it gives the parties little time in which to select plausible candidates. But it is preferable to Mr. McGreevey's plan, which denies New Jersey voters any say whatsoever in the matter.


Man, the rats can't get off this ship fast enough, huh?

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 17, 2004 11:56 PM
Comments

The Democrats figured out New Jersey is a radioactive state for Kerry to travel to as long as McGreevey's in office, and especially given the ruling on gay marriage by the senator's home state Supreme Court. So now they want him gone seemingly ASAP, but I'll still be surprised if they make him depart prior to the Sept. 3 deadline for calling a special election. Any time before the end of that month is probably within their strategy plans.


Posted by: at August 18, 2004 1:03 AM

"Republicans and the Democrats need to get their acts together" - gratuitous slap at the GOP, the GOP is calling for a special election but it's the Dems that need to force McGreevey out by 9/3.
Saw a story yesterday that US Senate Dems don't want Corzine to leave Senate and run for governor in that it would hurt them for the election.
Knowing the Dems they will have McGreevey leave after 9/3 so that there won't be a special election but McGreevey won't be governor when the November elections roll around.

Posted by: AWW at August 18, 2004 8:43 AM

Anon:

They may actually figure their best shot at holding the state is a big-time gubernatorial candidate--like Corzine--to help carry Kerry across.

Posted by: oj at August 18, 2004 8:55 AM

I don't see how Corzine is viewed as anything but a big-time 'massa', given that he bought his Senate seat. It would seem that the GOP could extend the $$$ and corruption issues to cover him as well. Is Corzine as popular with voters in NJ as he is with the Washington press corps?

Posted by: jim hamlen at August 18, 2004 9:20 AM

jim:

But in a short race his money makes a difference. The GOP needs Steve Forbes to put his wallet where his willingness to weaken Bob Dole was.

Posted by: oj at August 18, 2004 11:22 AM

Bob Dole's biggest weakness was Sheila Burke.

Posted by: jim hamlen at August 18, 2004 2:19 PM
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