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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (483105)	10/28/2003 11:14:40 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	Respond to of 769667

gray davis in CA -- now Jim mcgreevey in NJ:demohacks in deep SH*** New Jersey Democrats Campaign Without Mentioning McGreevey By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI ORDENTOWN, N.J. Oct. 24 — Listening to many of the Democrats campaigning for New Jersey's Legislature this fall, it would be easy to get the impression that the state is now governed by a governor with no name. The current officeholder, a Democrat named James E. McGreevey, has been battling to improve his dismal approval ratings in many polls, and Republicans have tried to capitalize on his troubles by branding Democratic legislative candidates as "the McGreevey Yes Team." Mr. McGreevey has appeared with Democratic contenders in a few districts to promote his most popular programs, but has spent much of the past month a safe distance from Democratic candidates in closely contested districts. In South Jersey, Democratic candidates have run ads distancing themselves from Mr. McGreevey's budget and tax proposals, while others mention the varied accomplishments of "the governor," without actually stating who he is. During a press conference this week in the State House, the Democratic state chairwoman, Bonnie Watson Coleman, blasted Republicans for opposing the governor's plan to close the budget gap by raising taxes on corporations. When a reporter asked why she hadn't mentioned Mr. McGreevey's name, she gave an artful reply. "I stand by our governor," she said. "And I think that once members of the public understand the governor's record, they will appreciate what a great job the governor has done." Her response continued, mentioning the word governor two additional times, but omitting the words Jim and McGreevey. The jousting over the governor's record has been one of the most intriguing aspects of a legislative campaign that has been both bitter and expensive. The stakes are exceedingly high — the State Senate is divided 20 to 20, and Democrats hold a 41-to-38 edge in the General Assembly, so Republicans have used a time-tested strategy of trying to make the race a referendum on an unpopular incumbent. That turnaround is remarkable considering that just two years ago Mr. McGreevey's comfortable victory in the governor's race also helped Democrats win control of the General Assembly and regain parity in the State Senate. Yet during the final week of this fall's campaign, Republicans will conduct a "Stop Jim McGreevey" bus tour through South Jersey, where Mr. McGreevey's polls numbers are weakest. Larry Weitzner, a Republican strategist, said the party hoped to tap into the general sense of discontent about state government by reminding voters of the property tax increases they have faced since he took office. "We're trying to treat him like New Jersey's Gray Davis," Mr. Weitzner said. "We want voters who are upset to come to the conclusion that a vote for Republican legislators is a vote for change." But political analysts say it is unclear whether that strategy will sway voters, because Mr. McGreevey's low approval ratings seem to be based on a variety of missteps rather than any one overwhelmingly unpopular policy. "Here's this guy who's so unpopular but for reasons no one quite understands," said Peter J. Woolley, executive director of the Public Mind Poll at Fairleigh Dickinson University. "So Republicans can link voters to McGreevey, but it will be interesting to see exactly which of their complaints about McGreevey they are willing to blame on legislative candidates." Mr. McGreevey remains convinced that his approval ratings will rebound when the economy does, and aides say he decided over the summer not to let the Republican onslaught go unchallenged. So he has kept a relatively high profile this fall, helping to raise millions for Democratic candidates and reminding voters of his stances on populist issues like the fight to control suburban sprawl and to preserve open space. He has also made a limited number of public appearances with Democratic legislative candidates. In North Jersey, where his approval ratings are better than in other parts of the state, Mr. McGreevey appeared recently with Democratic Senator Joseph Coniglio of Bergen County to announce that the state would pay for a study on noise pollution near Teterboro Airport. "We were happy to have him," said Julie Roginsky, a Democratic consultant to Senator Coniglio. "When legislators appealed to him on an issue important to the district, he responded immediately and he delivered." But that kind of warm welcome has hardly been commonplace this fall. When his face appears in campaign ads, it is almost always in Republican mailers or television ads, some of which feature Mr. McGreevey as a cartoon character taking junkets at taxpayer expense. In Gloucester County, Democratic Senator Stephen M. Sweeney has run a television ad boasting that he "stood up to Jim McGreevey." In most tight races, however, Democrats have sought to have it both ways — reminding voters that the party in power can deliver the political spoils, but politely distancing themselves from Mr. McGreevey's negative associations. So last week, when the governor stopped at a diner in Bordentown to announce that his auto insurance initiatives had led one company to reduce rates by 5 percent — the type of positive news most candidates would love to be associated with — he did so alone. No legislative candidates were invited, none asked to attend, and Mr. McGreevey did not appear to miss the glare of the campaign spotlight. nytimes.com

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (483105)	10/29/2003 6:30:18 AM
From: JDN	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

For those of you disbelieving Bush, I am ASTOUNDED about your naitivity. Havent you noticed the TERRORIST attacks have been against law abiding Coalition Supporting Iraqis and agencies there to help ALL IRAQIS. Do you HONESTLY believe the average Iraqi wishes to attack THOSE PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS to get the Coalition out of Iraq? The TRUTH IS the Terrorists wish to RULE THE IRAQIS themselves rather then the Iraqis having their OWN GOVERNMENT. Its so simple, whats your problem? jdn