Rudy: He's gone. You feel stupid.

Jerry Seinfeld on magicians: "What is the point of the magician? He comes on, he fools you, you feel stupid, show's over ... It's like, 'Here's a quarter. Now it's gone. You're a jerk."

Same thing with Rudy 911liani’s run for President. What was the point of his run for president? He comes on stage, squawking over and over about 911. He fools you, he ignored Iowa, New Hampshire, he tanks in Florida, and now the show’s over. And it is like, “I’m America’s Mayor, and I’m gonna be the president. 911! 911!” Now he’s gone. If you supported him you’re a….well, you get the idea.

Back in the late spring, I had the opportunity of running in to the Chairman of the Hunterdon County Republican Committee, Henry Kuhl. Now, Henry must be a smart fellow, with more than just a scintilla of political smarts, since he has been the chairman in Hunterdon for more years than I can remember.

When I inquired of his choice on his side of the ailse, Henry told me “the next president and vice president of the United States will be Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson”.

[He did not spell Rudy Giuliani for President with "911", by the way.]

“Hmm”, I said. “Do you really think that Giuliani will be able to survive the southern conservative Republicans? Will they really vote for someone who is pro-choice, pro-gay rights, twice divorced, and an Italian Catholic New Yorker?”

Without hesitation, he declared an emphatic “Yes, because they want a winner.”

So, the Southern conservative Republican right-wing Christian fundamentalists will be willing to compromise their core values to support a “winner”. Good trick, I thought.

As it turns out, those folks won’t even get a chance to have their core values tested.

And in NJ, the Repubs must all feel stupid, being fooled that way Rudy ran his campaign and dropped out.

On the Democratic side, Rudy’s magic tricks did not fool anyone. So it goes.

It’s time to dump Doherty in the 23rd

The 23rd Legislative District is represented in Trenton by Senator Leonard Lance, Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow and Assemblyman Michael Doherty. As Repubs go, like the Meatloaf song says, “Don’t Be sad, ‘cause Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.”

In that mix, Doherty needs to be dumped in November. Doherty actually wants to be the US Senator from NJ. Yes, really.

He is bad for the 23rd, and would be bad for New Jersey in DC.

Assemblywoman Karrow and Senator Lance are moderates on many issues. However, every once and a while they go completely cold-stone conservative ---probably to retain their neo-con ‘street cred’ with their right-wing peeps.

For example, they both took a hard right-turn when they followed their Party line on domestic partnerships and civil union. Sometimes the two diverge on issues, too: Like Lance went environmentalist on the Highlands Act, and Karrow went anti-Democratic Party/populist. He supported the Highlands; she opposes it big big time.

But one thing they both agree on: Doherty should be the next U.S. Senator from the Garden State. Yes, really.

Now, I do not know what hallucinogens they have been downing at Hunterdon County Repub Party meetings ----maybe Kuhl-Aid? Who knows.

They have signed on to be part and parcel of Doherty’s Exploratory Committee for Senate. I know both of them reasonably well, and Karrow and Lance are way too smart to support a dullard like Doherty.

Doherty is a guy who is Ronald Reagan-ish all over, from head to toe: He opposes stem cell research. He denies the existence of global warming. He said that ‘it does not matter’ if one believes creationism or evolution. He supports President Bush’s war in Iraq.

This guy is out of touch with the 23rd district, and radically out of touch with the working families of New Jersey.

Other neo-cons who have signed on early to be part of the Doherty for Senate exploratory panel:

• Bogota Mayor and leader of the super right-wingers in the state, Steve Lonegan.
• Congressman Scott Garrett.
• Conservative activist and former election opponent to Rep. Rush Holt, Bill Spadea.
• Lance and Karrow round out the Committee.
  

It is doubtful that Doherty would even survive a primary, let alone a general election. And remember, he does not have to give up his Assembly seat to run.

But, we can work hard to dump Doherty early and derail his Senate plans by supporting full-throttle a great guy for Assembly in the 23rd ---Pete Maurer ---in November 2007.

More on Pete later, but he is the guy for the job.

Sunday Night World Wide Republican Wrestling

"In this corner, the former three time Raritan Township Committee woman, former Hunterdon County Freeholder, and current junior Assemblywoman representing Hunterdon and Warren Counties, please welcome, Marcia 'I Hate The Highlands Act' Karrow!"

"And in this corner, the former Mayor of Raritan Township, current Raritan Township Committee woman, please welcome Chris 'I am the only Republican Committee member ever to have voted for a Democrat for Mayor in Raritan' Harcar."

Sunday night fights:

That's what happened at the Kuhl Corporation last week in a 'scuffle' between Assemblywoman Marica Karrow and her former running mate and fellow Raritan Township Committeewoman, Chris Harcar.

Harcar went to the Kuhl headquarters [the family business of Hunterdon County Republican Chairman Henry Kuhl] to join in the phone banking for the primary. According to newspaper sources, Karrow ripped a phone script out of Harcar's hands, and expressed her desire to have Harcar leave the premises. The police were called in to break up the fight. More tax dollars well spent by Republicans, I guess.

Anyway, Karrow claims that Harcar was "intoxicated". Harcar claims that Karrow used "her body" to push her down, breaking her arm in the process.

Either way, each now has a lawyer and the incident was reported to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor Pat Barnes told the press he was looking in to the matter. So, what will happen now? It's anyone's guess.

"Will Karrow win in Court? Will Harcar file charges? Will Henry Kuhl ever pay off his $50 bet to me for the 2005 Gov race?"

Tune in next week, same Repub-time, same Repub-station!