Doug Forrester's campaign is getting desperate in the final days running up to the NJ gubernatorial election. While Forrester stuck with the GOPist position of opposing embryonic stem-cell research to get through the primary, Doug has finally realized that New Jersey voters are not prepared to take a step backwards and affirm the policies of the Bush Administration.
Newark Star-Ledger Article (free reg may be required)
Not only has Forrester flipped on stem-cells, it looks like Forrester is turning around on other scientific issues, stating that his views on stem-cell research have "evolved." First stem-cells, then evolution, what's next?!
But seriously, this shows that the Forrester campaign is truly desperate. To change a position that Forrester has held for many years nearly 10 days before the election does not bode well for Forrester. While he will lose very few votes from the Right because of this change, I think he does stand to lose votes from the Middle, who might view Forrester's change as a sign of weakness and political opportunism, especially with the recent Corzine ads featuring disabled wrestler Carl Riccio, and Forrester's subsequent attacks on Riccio, described on this site by other diarists and writers in recent posts.
Yesterday, Forrester said Riccio "is someone who deserves a great deal of respect." But Forrester added, "I don't believe that he has been informed of what my position is."
Maybe that's because your position keeps changing, Doug! Corzine's campaign would be smart to start running ads today with Forrester vs. Forrester.
Forrester, 10/28:
"I've made my position very clear, that, full-speed ahead with embryonic and adult stem-cell research. The ethical reservations have been surpassed by science. God bless the medical scientists."
Forrester, about 10/18:
"What I have found is that -- I think it's more clear today than it was two months ago -- that the embryonic stem-cell research isn't going anywhere."
Wow! In only a span of about 10 days, embryonic stem-cell research went from "going nowhere" to "full-speed ahead!"