Torricelli on Imus

The only reason you're attacking Don Imus the way you are is because Don Imus despised you and has ripped into you repeatedly during you tenure as Senator. If memory serves me correct, he went so far as to call you "an absolute disgrace of a human being."

Don Imus has been doing his show the same way for decades and he is an equal opportunity offending satirist. If this were a black radio personality (many of whom say things like this, if not much worse on a daily basis)this wouldn't be news. The facts are that while I never particularly cared for Imus in the Morning myself, he's a good man who has conquered a lot of personal demons in his life and has done great charitable works for cancer stricken and terminally ill children on his Ranch in New Mexico and continues to do so. Infact, CBS and NBC were good enough to delay his suspension until Monday so he can participate in WFAN's annual radiothon to raise money money for sick children.

Disgraceful people like you and Al Sharpton who have ZERO credibility or relevance whatsoever simply want to jump on the Imus bashing bandwagon because you are angry, bitter, miserable little sycophants with an axe to grind, attempting to dupe blacks (and the liberal special interest groups they've pandered to for years)into thinking that you care about them when you only care about yourself and you own personal vandettas.

When are you going to start using your blog for other things besides being a whiny little girl who goes around clubbing their enemies in the kneecaps with a crowbar? Loser.

Come on Bob, enough is enough. You have a problem with Jamie so you write an anti Jamie blog. It is common knowledge that you hate the Record and especially dislike Mike Kelly so you write a derogatory blog about Kelly and the Record. Now you go after Don Imus for a legitimate reason except that it is well known that Imus kicked your butt numerous times and for even better reasons. Why not just change the title of your blog to BOB-MY PERSONAL AGENDA. Not so incidentally, Bob, I am a fan, but you really have to move on. You are not that "Bob" anymore.

Leadership? This coming from the man who wanted to grab a man by the genitals and cut a 80+ year old's testicles off? Or someone who calls another colleague in the US Senate an f-ing piece of human waste in front of others? Give me a break Bob. You are no better than Imus so save us with the morality lecture. Maybe David Chang can give you a few more suits and a couple of bucks to jet to Rome and ask the Pope for forgiveness. But please let someone else drive. We know you have a difficult time seeing folks behind you with those tinted windows.

Dino,

You are 100% correct!!

"The Torch" (His Mafia Nickname) never went to jail for taking the bags of cash for his influence and now he is an arbiter of right and wrong? Give me a break!!

Republican Conscience

On July 26, 2002, just a few days before the Senate Ethics Committee released its letter admonishing Bob Torricelli for his personal corruption, Don Imus uttered a very succinct comment about Mr. Torricelli: 

"He should be in prison." 

Such a simple and elegant phrase, encapsulating in five words the entire summation of informed New Jersey political thought about Mr. Torricelli. So wonderful, so pithy, in fact, that when we put together the "Black and White" TV ad that the Forrester campaign ran in late September, it was one of the seven quotes we chose to display on screen. 

Is it any wonder Mr. Torricelli would add his name to the long and growing list calling for Mr. Imus's ouster? 

What's more interesting to me is that Mr. Torricelli waited until six days had gone by before throwing in David Chang's two cents. It's not as if Mr. Torricelli wasn't writing last week -- he had two blog posts last week (one, posted the day before Mr. Imus's foot-in-mouth episode, trashed Mr. Torricelli's own former COS, Jamie Fox; the second, two days AFTER Mr. Imus's remarks, trashed Rudy Giuliani). 

Wouldn't Mr. Torricelli have shown more "leadership" on this issue if he had been among the FIRST to torch Mr. Imus, rather than waiting to see which way the wind was blowing, and THEN sticking in the knife? I mean, Mr. Imus has already sucked it up and appeared for the ritual South Park apology on Al Sharpton's radio show, and both MSNBC and CBS Radio have already suspended Mr. Imus. By this point, calling out Mr. Imus is about as bold as predicting a national championship for the Rutgers Women's basketball team. Note to Mr. Torricelli: "Leadership" implies, necessarily, LEADING. 

I guess if you've waited five years for payback, you can wait another six days. 

But there's just one problem with waiting six days to serve cold cuts -- by that time, you've had them out of the refrigerator so long that they stink.

Torch's conflicts aside, does the foremost female political leader in the state have anything to ad? You would think she has some interest in defending the Rutgers women - that is if she's not too afraid of angering her base.

Come on, Governor Whitman. As far as I know Don Imus hasn't tried to end your career as well.

Whitman may be a moderate, but she's still a Republican. You don't have to take a survey course in American political history to know which party's base leans more toward overt bigotry. Criticizing Imus, who is without question worthy of criticism, would hardly constitute Whitman's putting her foot in her mouth. I highly doubt Don Imus is dead in any sense, so don't have too much pity for him just yet. He's the one who made the incredibly stupid, racist statements.

Why do Torch's ethical lapses prohibit him from speaking out on any issue he desires? (other than ethics, I suppose...)

When is Bob Toricelli going to go away.  What a pathetic person to have a venue like this to discuss judging someone and funny how he doesn't have the stones to even look in the mirror at himself.

Bergen County's favorite son - huh?  What a joke!

• I am amazed at the comments that are more focused on the words of Senator Torricelli then that words of Mr. Imus. This radio shock jock has made offensive remarks about African Americans, people of Jewish faith and other religions under the banner of comedy. The last time I checked adults teach their children that it is wrong to say anything that may be offensive about anyone. Some how as we become adults, it becomes acceptable as long as it is used under the banner of comedy. I hope people take the time to reflect about the moral message they send, not only to people like Don Imus, but to the children of the future. Insults are not tolerated in the school system because many researchers have acknowkedge the damage and anger it causes to those that are victimized by this behavior. This is no different and an apology is not enough when it has been a consistant method of maintaining your fan base. Regardless of what you may think of our former Senator and his motives for writing his article, it does not excuse Mr. Imus from his behavior. For the gentleman or woman that mentioned that rap artist use insulting terms in their records, you are coreect. I am certainly not supportive of that either. However the difference is Mr. Imus identified a group of people, The Rutgers University Womens Basketball Team and insulted them. If you are man enough to identify a group and insult them, please be man enough to deal with the reactions that come with such poor decision. This is not about Torricelli, please do not cheapen the message that should be sent. That is not comedy, it is insulting and we it is not tolerated in the New Jersey school system why tolerate it from adults. Thank you Senator Torricelli

I appreciate your response and I understand your point of view.  It is unfortunate that many people in powerful positions, abuse their power and use language that is hurtful and disrespectful to others.  I stand by my statement that there should be little tolerance for behavior that is in poor taste.  This does include threats and insults made by any leader or public figure.  With that said, I believe that our former Senator Torricelli has suffered for the errors of his ways.  He was once a very powerful and influencial politician.  He can no longer enjoy that distinction because he made a decision to not cherish the power that so many voters had entrusted in him.   If the comments you mentioned are true, then Senator Torricelli has learned the biggest lesson of all politicans and public figures.  That while you are on top, do not become so self absored that you feel that you can demean or treat others in a disrespectful manner. The person or people you may target may prevail despite your harsh words and reach heights that you once sought and can now never obtain.  There will never be a comparison of Sentaor Torricelli and Senator Lautenberg, and Torricelli is aware of that.  Senator Lautenberg will always be known as a politician that left a footprint in the success of rebuilding Newark, because of his efforts to secure funding for the construction of the New Jersey Performing Arts Building and the construction of the Newark waterfront.  Senator Torricelli will just be a footnote as to what might have been if only he valued serving the people more than displaying his power.  That is what makes our former Senator qualified to critcize Mr. Imus.  He does it from experience, having enjoyed the privilage of being adored by so many, but having to face the errors of his ways and the consequences of his actions.  That is a tough lesson.   Senator Torricelli is the appropriate person to adderss Mr. Imus, because he can serve a lesson to Mr. Imus of what can happen if you don't stop and consider the moral responsibilities that come with being a powerful public figure. 

Shouldn't you be in jail you has been?

People in the Mafia live up to their word and do what they say.  They would laugh The Torch right out of the Social Club.

Mike, as a fellow Italian American let me first say, Shut- upa you face!

If anybody here is a disgrace to the Italian American community in New Jersey it's Bob Torricelli for re-enforcing those very stereotypes that you despise. It is not mine or anybody elses fault that Torch disgraced himself and committed criminal acts. He did that all, including receiving the nickname "Torch", himself.

So if you have a bone to pick with anybody, I suggest you stop attacking our freedom of speech and start aiming your outrage where it belongs, at Torch.

But that just doesn't make any sense. Again using your logic thru your explanation of Mark Foley, a person who has done something wrong must atone for his or her sins. Neither of the disgraced Senators Williams or Torricelli has atoned for their sins against the public. Being caught is not the same as atoning for your sins. So I fail to understand why they you have established? I certainly understand your desire to forgive these men for their lack of judgment and flagrant disregard of the law, but to believe that they now are capable to lecture others on what is right and wrong is ridiculous.

Thanks for clearing that up. Makes more sense to me now.

Guess CBS no longer believes in freedom of speech.  Guess Rutgers does not believe either.
Frightening to know I am alive during a time where we all as humans will be forced to never speak at all.
Imus has been doing this for years.  Best press CBS has gotten in years and years.  And they fire him? I pay a pretty penny for my cable, and yes, I have been annoyed that my week has been all about Imus and Rutgers' need for press and respect regarding woman's basketball.  There are so many bigger issues out there...more important issues, and I was always grateful for the humor of Imus. 
Spend some time researching Rush L., Glenn Beck (Obama is not black enough), Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, Michael Medved and William Bennett (abort all black babies, the crime rate will drop). 
Educate yourself on racism. True racism.  

I guess as long as Bob Sommers runs this website, we're gonna see slime like Torricelli. At the 1st year anniversary of Sept. 11th at Ground Zero, I was standing next to this idiot. He was about to go onstage to make a speech. He had an aide, carrying folders and clinging to his every word. Wordlessly, Torricelli motioned to the aide who immediately produced a mirror from his suit jacket poickets and held it, just so, so that Mr. T could comb his combover. And this was in front of the families of the victims. What a guy!

Last word on this sad commentary. If anyone knows Bob Sommer, the empty suit running this site and Bob Torricelli, the empty head writing on this site, it's like a bad Laurel and Hardy routine. These two liars are made for each other and the only thing that keeps them active is the 1st amendment. Our forefathers are rolling over in their graves because of these two casualties.