April 4, 2008 - 3:01am
Cresitello digging in for primary war with Lautenberg and Andrews
By Max Pizarro
MORRISTOWN - Mayor Donald Cresitello today said he’s "99 percent certain" he will enter the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate even though U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews this week mounted his own challenge to Sen. Frank Lautenberg.
"This is a case of the power brokers battling, nothing more," said Cresitello of Andrews’ 11th hour entry into the race. "This is Andrews and Norcross and Lesniak and maybe Bergen all lining up together. This is Rothman desperate for support for himself, playing the Obama card.
"This is me, by contrast," he added, "clearly out there on my own, recognizing there are times when you need conservative solutions and times when you need liberal solutions, and that you shouldn’t be rigid. I really believe the people of New Jersey are tired of the power brokers picking the candidates."
Claiming credit for having "smoked Andrews out" to make a run, Cresitello lambasted the congressman’s 2002 "aye’ vote for the resolution authorizing President George W. Bush to use force in Iraq. He noted his own public opposition to the war.
On the plus side for Andrews, in Cresitello’s opinion, "is he’s not a flaming liberal."
As for Lautenberg, "If I could just get him into a debate on TV," said the mayor. "I’m not a guy who’s up there on high. I’m a guy who’s going to say what he’s going to say - but more importantly, I’m going to listen."
Cresitello said his supporters continued to gather petitions this week in advance of Monday’s deadline to file for a primary run.
"We’re close to having enough," he said.
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This guy is a racist pig!
he hates latinos, gays, women, blacks. He's has a load of commentary that will be analyzed and held to scrutiny. Why is he running? overactive imagination!
anything that would give him media attention
This guy is running for the media attention and that's it. He wants to gain fame so he can publicize his local anti-immigration ideas on a regional level eg: 287G of the INA.
I think it's totally funny
I think it's totally funny he says he was against the war, and maybe he was, but there was a point after his rally where he kept insisting the code pink anti-war ladies were communists. I would sign his petition to get him to run for senator, if he would promise to resign as mayor.