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Cross-posted at MyDD)
This weekend, I relayed the story of GOP Senate wannabe Tom Kean, jr. running away from reporters after rightfully being criticized by Senator Bob Menendez (whose campaign many of you know I'm working for). Kean, jr couldn't take the heat and, in the face of reporters' questions, did nothing but repeat canned talking points. At one point, he even tried to cut the questioning off by ducking into an elevator. To prove that this was simply an attempted reporter dodge and not an actual trip to another floor, the elevator never left the sixth floor.
Many of you have been clamoring to see the sight for yourself. Many have lamented, "if only there was a video of this escapade." Well... lament no longer. Tom Kean, jr not only runs from the issues -- he runs from the reporters. Watch for yourself! (And please by all means, feel free to pass this along to your friends.)
In response, Steve DeMicco, our Campaign Director, sent Tom Kean, jr a letter. I'd say it's well worth reading. (If nothing else, it may clear up the inside joke at the end of the video for all of you non-Jersey folks.)
Dear Mr. Kean, Jr.,
We have just been informed that you are attempting to back out of the NJN debate, long-scheduled for live broadcast next Monday evening. Need I remind you that you agreed to this debate on June 1st.
Your excuse for breaking your promise to appear at the debate is that a session of the State Senate is scheduled for that day, but the debate is scheduled for broadcast that evening at 8:00 p.m.
As you know, the NJN studio is located only a few blocks from the Statehouse, allowing you to avoid Route 1 on your way to the broadcast. We do not expect you to encounter heavy traffic on the short trip from the Senate Chamber to the studio. Furthermore, you will be able to access the studio without riding an elevator or coming into contact with the New Jersey press corps.
There is a troubling pattern forming here. When you failed to attend your own fundraiser for fear of being photographed with Vice President Cheney, you blamed it on heavy traffic between Trenton and Newark.
When you failed to appear on the dais with Senator Menendez last Friday at the New Jersey Association of Counties conference in Atlantic City, we later learned that you were present in an adjoining room.
And now, in another show of disrespect for the people of New Jersey, you have refused to abide by your own commitment to meet Senator Menendez in a debate.
Instead, you continue to rely on your cowardly habit of throwing insults at Senator Menendez from afar, afraid to defend your own record and your own positions on the issues of concern to the voters.
We have informed NJN that we are prepared to go ahead with Monday evening's debate, and we expect you to do the same. You did not simply make a commitment to NJN and Senator Menendez; you made a commitment to the people of New Jersey to debate the issues in this campaign. We expect you to live up to it.
Sincerely,
Steve DeMicco
Campaign Director
Menendez for Senate
In case I haven't said it before, the Menendez campaign can definitely use your help - whether you're in New Jersey and want to sign up to volunteer or if you live out of state and want to help by contributing. The national GOP is dropping surrogates into the state on a pretty regular basis, with Dick Cheney and Laura Bush already having done fundraisers. Sensing that the Kean jr campaign is floundering, Karl Rove and the NJ GOP sleaze machine are going to resort to some seriously desperate measures. They certainly know they won't be able win on the issues or with George W. Bush as their standard-bearer.
We are going to need the netroots in our corner over the course of this race to show Karl Rove that his playbook is not going to work here in New Jersey and it's not going to work with Bob Menendez.