Election day: Guesses and gaffes

*

The nation takes the President and his administration to the woodshed today.

In New Jersey, two important contests -- one House and one Senate -- will be decided by those who show up at the polls. Let's hope its a lot of voters, though American turnout is disappointingly behind that of MANY other countries ("Why Do So Few People Vote in the U.S.?").

PT expects Bob Menendez to win the Senate race, but by a much narrower margin -- 4 or 5 points? -- than anyone would have thought in this BLUE state when the campaign first got under way.

Linda Stender -- who is our Assemblyperson, but NOT our House candidate (that would be Pallone, a shoo-in) -- has a fighting chance against GOP incumbent Mike Ferguson in the 7th CD. If she wins, it is likely to be by a whisker. I know that many Plainfielders have worked on and contributed to her campaign. If she is elected in this 'safe' GOP district, the President will know he is a VERY lame duck for the next two years.

Union County Freeholders. Ho-hum.

Plainfield City Council? PT thinks it is a good sign for Plainfield that there has been an effort by the local Republican party -- and an independent candidate -- to remind Plainfielders that the American concept of democracy is a functioning two-party system.

We owe them all a vote of thanks for the effort, but without strong organization on the ground and at least one burning issue, it is likely to be an exercise in frustration.

As for the Dems, the Plainfield Democratic City Committee has basically campaigned on the premise that their candidates should be elected because they can fog a mirror. Certainly a far cry from recent campaigns.

Public questions? Have you ever noticed how the explanations of these questions are longer and more difficult to understand than the questions themselves? Would be interesting to have an exit poll ask voters to explain what they thought they voted for on the public questions.

LAPSES OF TASTE AND JUDGMENT

They don't call it the SILLY SEASON for nothing. PT has noticed a few gaffes -- it would be rude to think that they were done intentionally --

Take City Council candidate Harold Gibson, whose signs were plunked down on County property at Cedar Brook Park (see photo below). PT is sure this was an accident. Certainly the county's public safety director -- boss of the County Police -- would never have allowed the signs to be placed on County property had he known of it.

PT was puzzled by the sudden mushroom-sprouting of signs along Seventh Street on the day before the election urging passersby to RE-ELECT POLOS AND PULOMENA. Those would be the Democratic candidates for MIDDLESEX County Freeholder. Sheez!

Lastly, PT received an email last night from Garden State Equality, touting its endorsements for statewide and local races.

Which was somewhat surprising, since PT has the perception that the group is a NONPROFIT organization and that nonprofits are FORBIDDEN from endorsing candidates and risk losing their tax-exempt status if they do so. Several churches are currently on the IRS griddle over just this question.

At the bottom of the message is the statement "This e-mail is from the Garden State Equality continuing political committee, an independent entity under state election law." However, the email is NOT sent from a separate SENDING ADDRESS, but from the main organizational email location: GARDENSTATEEQUALITY.ORG. Definitely not cool.

-- Dan Damon

Not getting your own CLIPPINGS email daily? Click here to get started.