Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Attention New Jersey 12th
Git 'er done.
18 Comments:
By 
pam, at
Tue Nov 02, 10:19:00 AM:
Looks like the sign made it. Must be the leafy camo....
By 
, at
Tue Nov 02, 10:59:00 AM:
Just voted a half hour ago, at Borough Hall, and I am happy to report an "about usual" turnout. That's a good thing because the GOP and indies are expected to vote at higher than normal levels, so Democrats are (hopefully) staying home and sitting this one out. Given the gerrymandered nature of our district Scott Sipprelle stands a much improved chance of winning if Democrat turnout is indeed lower than usual, even here in Socialist-central, Princeton.
So, here's hoping! We've done our bit today, hosting a get out the vote coffee at our house and driving three elderly voters to the polls. Hopefully, everyone will try to get Scott another vote and do the same. He needs every possible vote in order to win!
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 11:37:00 AM:
Yes, get out there and rake those leaves, people! It will be snowing before you know it.
By Trochilus, at
Tue Nov 02, 12:37:00 PM:
Reporting in from Lambertville, where I've posted my optimistic view about the outcome in three New Jersey Congressional races . . . the 3rd CD, where Jon Runyan is about to run over John Adler, the sleazy Camden County hacks, and even a few DCCC operatives, who tried to cobble together the fake Tea Party challenge by Peter DeStefano . . . which was put together to try and draw away about 5% of the conservative vote that Runyan would have otherwise received.
Adler and behind the scenes boss of bosses George Norcross got caught and exposed by the Courier Post, and as a result, Runyan has punched through into Adler's backfield, and is taking no prisoners. It was not a pretty sight as John Adler whined and groused, as virtually every newspaper in sight (save one) called him on his deception. He kept dissembling, however, and his earlier lead just melted away.
Runyan wins today.
In the 12th, Scott Sipprelle has been running an under the radar campaign with one of the most sophisticated phone bank operations I've ever seen. I've seen really bad ones, too . . . but this one was top shelf. I don't think the few polls (showing Holt with a narrow lead) tell the tale. There are too many split towns in the district, in several counties (esp. in Mercer, Middlesex & Monmouth) to get a really accurate handle on the race. But Holt's nasty-boy last second attack ads tell me he could really hear the footsteps. It will be close, but I'm confident a good Republican & independent turnout should give it to Scott Sipprelle.
Chris Christie won in the Middlesex portion of the 12th district just last year. It is the largest portion.
Finally, the most enthusiastic race in the State . . . the NJ-6th CD starring Anna Little taking on Frank, "It's MY Bill!" Pallone. He claimed the Healthcare bill was his, until everyone hated it. Oooooopppps!
Nothing could give me greater pleasure than watching Frank Pallone deliver a concession speech. He might even cry. (Okay, Holt and Adler, too). And if the real enthusiasm in that 6th district is any indication, he will be!
By Viking Kaj, at
Tue Nov 02, 01:13:00 PM:
Siprelle is a totally uninspiring candidate for office, I really regret his nomination and fault Joe Oxley for endorsing him in Monmouth in the 12th district.
Running a gazzillionare ex-hedge fund manager in this campaign season whose claim to fame is that he wrote a novel and is an ex little league coach makes it look like the best we can do in this race is a dilittante. Just being a little league coach does not make you a regular guy. And, unfortunately, Siprelle is about as exciting as a piece of wood when public speaking. He just sounds shrill.
Which is unfortunate because Rush Holt is exactly the type of person who needs to be defeated. He never met a piece of wasteful spending he didn't like, including that damn Tokamuk over on the Princeton campus (talk about a boondoggle, after 60 years we are no closer to controlled fusion that when we started). He has also been on the select committee on intelligence oversight for the last 12 years, a period which has seen a huge breakdowns like 9/11 and the Iraq assessment, huge budget increases, and unprecedented intrusion by the government vitiating our civil liberties. If you vote for people based on their job performance, for this alone he resoundingly deserves the boot. Holt is a dolt.
If the theory was that Siprelle could keep up with Holt in spending by using his private wealth, that hasn't happened either. Holt has outspent Sipprelle by $ 2 Million to $ 1.5 Million. Holt has hit my mailbox with six really ugly fliers in the last week, Siprelle has been missing. Nothing like a sophisticated phone bank operation has heard at my number.
Anna Little, who is much more interesting, has only spent $ 300 k and trails Pallone in the polls in the 13th by roughly the same margin that Siprelle is trailing Holt in the 12th. These districts are so gerry-mandered that they could run an orangutang, calling him a scientist and teacher, and he would still win.
As an independent, all I can say is there must be a 3rd way. In the 12th, both choices are not good. It will be a matter of voting for the lesser of two weevils.
By TigerHawk, at
Tue Nov 02, 01:19:00 PM:
VK, have you seen Sipprelle speak? And Holt? Sipprelle is a lot more impressive in front of a group, y'ask me. Good candidate.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 01:48:00 PM:
Viking Kaj
Not too much thought went into your criticism of Sipprelle; I think you would agree if you reviewed your comments with less passion.
The entire House of Representatives must run for election every two years precisely because the founders wanted ALL types to represent the country and a frequent voting cycle was supposed to ensure that. The House was not supposed to be the province of lawyers. It was supposed to be the house of the people—bakers, bankers, truckers, writers, scientists, and, yes, (former) hedge fund managers.
Sipprelle closed his hedge fund before the financial crisis because he saw the writing on the wall. Before that he challenged the shady practices in the governance of Morgan Stanley and won. Morgan Stanley may have otherwise gone the way of Lehman Brothers if Sipprelle had not taken up the fight.
Imagine if Sipprelle had been Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee instead of Barney Frank. We may not have avoided the crisis completely, but we probably would have a smaller bill. Frank and Dodd propped up Fannie and Freddie by themselves and preserved their status quo for years, all for a nice campaign kickback (and low interest loans from Countrywide).
Now, check out Frank's backpedaling on his pledge to refuse contributions from bailed-out banks.
Simply put, Sipprelle is an excellent choice to represent me and you. Now, get out and vote.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 02:08:00 PM:
I started out thinking of Sipprelle in much the same way VK thinks of him, but came around completely after watching Sipprelle's first debate performance where he was, simply put, outstanding. Highest possible grades.
Subsequently, I've been to a rally and met him at his HQ. Perhaps he's changed over this campaign, but my view of him certainly has: he is a really good candidate.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 02:10:00 PM:
Boy, I've seen a lot of yard signs this election. I'm really interested in who's going to win in that tight race between Coldwell Banker and that ReMax fellow.
By Viking Kaj, at
Tue Nov 02, 02:12:00 PM:
In response to earlier comments, I actually have watched the debate and various clips of the two candidates. Holt is terrible, he looks and speaks like a cadaver walking. But I still find Siprelle shrill and uninspiring. He has a really annoying tendency to talk down to people and his voice is nasal and naggy.
And as regards "Anonymous", maybe he is the best choice to represent you, but I am entitled to my own opinion.
As an independent with libertarian leanings, I am not inspired by either of these candidates. To me, it looks like more of Washington as usual. I will be really surprised if Siprelle actually does anything to regulate his buddies on Wall Street, but I am sure he will not be reluctant to take their campaign contributions. I don't see how someone with hundreds of millions of dollars net worth is like you or me, and I expect him, like the other really wealthy members of congress, to watch out for number one first.
Just because someone is a republican, doesn't mean that they are right. Look at the hole the last Republican congress spent us into for that mess in Iraq. A lot of petroleum and military contractors made a bundle, and we got stuck with the bill.
By Viking Kaj, at
Tue Nov 02, 02:44:00 PM:
Just to add to the fire, I don't know if any of you Princeton ponces bother to follow Monmouth politics, but we have a little Republican machine over here that has been bid rigging and over-spending on services for pet projects including lots of collusion with Pete Carton in bond writing schemes.
Anna Little in the primaries was opposed by Diane Gooch, the wife of a multi millionaire Wall St trader, and, again, endorsed by Joe Oxley and the machine.
Gooch lost, narrowly.
As a person who lost their job two years ago, who has since been employed as a consultant a couple of days a week, is over 50 and may never have regular employment again, and is not worth 100's of millions, I have a much easier time identifying with Little than Siprelle.
Just sayin.
And my voting pattern will be determined by voting against every incumbent, regardless of party. I'm not always happy with the resulting choices, but there you have it.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 04:03:00 PM:
Understandable.
Sipprelle is tougher on his "Wall Street buddies" than you think. Since you saw the debate you saw him call for reviving Glass-Steagle, a much more radical attack on Wall Street than anything in Dodd-Frank. It was Sipprelle who attacked Morgan Stanley with his money, by launching a public attack on management. No one else was out there with him on that limb. You may not like his speaking voice, but it sounds like you should be giving his views more credit than you have.
Either way, we are deep into election day. I hope he wins and I wish he had earned your vote VK. Maybe next time.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 05:25:00 PM:
"I don't see how someone with hundreds of millions of dollars net worth is like you or me..."
No one wealthier than thou is capable of representing you? How about someone lighter or darker; someone with different body parts; or someone who graduated from a different school?
It sounds like you are a man without a country. Why didn't you run? You are the perfect candidate to represent you.
By Viking Kaj, at
Tue Nov 02, 07:25:00 PM:
Dear Anonymass,
I don't see how rejecting plutocracy makes me less of a democrat.
And I could care less what color you are, but for the record I am guessing it is pink.
As regards representing my myself, to paraphrase Groucho Marx, I wouldn't want to belong to a club that would allow me to be a member.
BTW, your initials wouldn't be SS, would they?
And, as regards the other country, till sluten du faar kyss mig i roeven!
Vike-o-den
By Viking Kaj, at
Tue Nov 02, 07:32:00 PM:
FFYI, if you dudes could read between the lines you would note that I rejected the incumbent in every race I voted on today.
Since Rush Dolt is the incumbent, that would mean I voted for the other guy. No, not Kenneth J Cody of the truth vision hope party. The other guy.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 09:08:00 PM:
VOTED and proud of it.
Always great to vote in this fine FREE COUNTRY.
However, I am saddened, but expected to the quick O'Donnell flop.
That was a huge mistake, and I know Democrats successfully used her to stereotype all of the GOP.
And we cannot afford to run terrible offerings like this anymore.
We had a great opportunity to take BOTH Bodies in the US Congress, and we gave the Democrats a break with regards to the SENATE.
No longer, and it is important to remember for 2012.
By , at
Tue Nov 02, 09:10:00 PM:
PS: LEVIN and others owe many an apology, especially Mr. Mirengoff at Powerline, whom they distorted in a terribly regretful manner.
This Fashion is not the sound WFB Conservatism, it is showing serious flaws - this Identity Image Game.
Time to stick with serious, powerful, influential Conservatism.
By Viking Kaj, at
Thu Nov 04, 10:31:00 AM:
Trenton was the key to Holt's victory. And, as far as I know, those people are not motivated by rocket science. More like narrow self interest.
Redistricting is our only hope to alleviate this travesty.
