The local paper, which had originally endorsed the moderate Republican, Scozzafava, is now backing the local Democratic candidate, Bill Owens. Even better, they're saying narsty things about the carpetbagger.
The Watertown Daily Times initially endorsed Ms. Scozzafava as the best-qualified candidate in the race. We still think she is. However, in suspending her campaign she released her supporters' commitment to her. That left voters to choose between Mr. Owens and Mr. Hoffman.
Of the two, Bill Owens is by far the superior and only choice.
The Democratic candidate has demonstrated a willingness to listen to people about ways in which he could help the district as their representative in Washington. Mr. Owens has remained focused on the economy and job creation throughout his campaign. At the same time, he has shown an understanding of the military, a keen desire to help dairy farmers, an ability to work with labor unions and an eagerness to learn more about the vast, 11-county district that he hopes to represent.
Mr. Owens seems to approach politics and challenges with an open mind, a generous spirit and a can-do attitude. He has conducted a dignified campaign in comparison to Doug Hoffman.
Mr. Hoffman is running as an ideologue. If he carries out his pledges on earmarks, taxation, labor law reform and other inflexible positions, Northern New York will suffer. This rural district depends on the federal government for an investment in Fort Drum and its soldiers, environmental protection of our international waterway and the Adirondack Park, and the livelihood of all our dairy farmers across the district, among other support. Our representative cannot be locked into rigid promises and policies that would jeopardize these critical sectors of our economy.
. . .
It is frightening that Mr. Hoffman is so beholden to right-wing ideologues who dismiss Northern New Yorkers as parochial when people here simply want to know how Mr. Hoffman will protect their interests in Washington.
. . .
The Times endorses Bill Owens for Congress.
Let's find out a little more about the Democrat, shall we?
Owens is a 1971 summa cum laude graduate of Manhattan College with a degree in business administration and a 1974 top-half graduate of Fordham University School of Law.
Owens is a managing partner at Stafford, Owens, Piller, Murnane & Trombley, where he specializes in business, estate and tax law. The firm is an offshoot of one founded by Ron Stafford, a prominent Republican state senator.
He is also an adjunct professor in business law at State University of New York at Plattsburgh and in 2004, he was appointed by Republican Governor George Pataki to the College Council at that university. He has made regular appearances as a business analyst on WCFE-TV, a PBS television station in Plattsburgh.
When the Plattsburgh Air Force Base closed in 1995, he help create and worked for the Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corp. (formerly the Plattsburgh Inter-municipal Development Council), which recruited private companies to reuse the space. The base is now home to companies such as Bombardier Inc., a passenger railway car maker. Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corp. attests that more than 500 jobs were created at the site since the military left.
Now, if your stomach is feeling steady go watch the hilarious/nauseating teevee ad claiming that Nancy Pelosi owns Bill Owens, but that nobody owns the carpetbagger. Well, if you don't count the out-of-staters that funded and organized his dirty-trick laden campaign, that is.
ADDED: I just found the blog for the local public radio outlet. Interesting reading and comments.
UPDATE: Scozzafava is now openly endorsing Bill Owens.
6 comments:
This is such an interesting race, it's bizarre.
The question is, is Owens is enough of a moderate that moderate Repubs will be able to stomach voting for someone with a "D" after his name? AFAIK, he's not a Blue Dog.
Popcorn!
Americans are getting tired of politicians telling them what to do and how to think. It's refreshing that some sanity is being restored by getting rid of political bureaucrats and electing leaders of principle.
Popcorn, indeed.
From my reading of the local public radio blog, a lot of people seem totally pissed at the outsiders coming in and overriding their local decision on who to run as a candidate. That anger might get Owens some votes. They're also pissed at the sleazy campaign tricks Hoffman is using.
Plus, while Scozzafava might be quietly endorsing Owens, her husband, a labour guy, is openly endorsing him.
There's a lot of unemployment there. And Owens actually helped create 500 jobs. That's gotta help.
But, hell, even the big-name pundits are all over the map trying to predict what's going to happen. So who knows? At least the suspense will be short.
Anonymous: I'm not sure what or who you mean by 'political bureaucrats' and 'leaders of principle'.
There are lots of political bureaucrats on all sides of this story. Damned few leaders of principle anywhere to be found.
"Anonymous" said: Americans are getting tired of politicians telling them what to do and how to think. It's refreshing that some sanity is being restored by getting rid of political bureaucrats and electing leaders of principle.
We'll soon find out if the citizens/electors of NY-23 want Hoffman's ideology shoved down their throats.
It's a win for the Dems either way.
If Owens wins, the Dems snag a seat that a month ago they assumed they had no chance of winning.
If Hoffman wins, it emboldens the teabaggers to do this in any district that has a candidate who's not batshit insane enough for them, and to continue the great purge of moderates from the GOP... which guarantees the GOP another 10-15 years in the wilderness.
It's a win-win.
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