The Times and Fossella
So how much impact will the Times endorsement of Democratic challenger Stephen Harrison over Rep. Vito Fossella actually have?
On one hand, the language of the endorsement could hardly have been stronger.
"Mr. Fossella has offered only lame excuses for improperly using his campaign funds for skiing holidays in Vail (including lessons and equipment), as well as vacations in Florida," the Times wrote. Harrison, by contrast, has a "good command of the issues" and "keen intelligence," according to the Times.
On the other hand, it was hardly the sort of surprising development likely to shake up this race, which hasn't been competitive enough to merit much in the way of public polling. As one consultant I talked to noted, "Anybody who listens to the Times wasn't voting for Fossella anyway."
Fossella, for his part, seems to agree: He didn't show up for the editorial board meeting.
-- Azi Paybarah
How many people are reading the Times in Staten Island anyway. After the Advance, my guess it's the Post and then the News. It will be a nice thing for Harrison to frame, though, right?
It would have been helpful if Harrison could have used it for more than just it's readership. If he could have done literature, mailers, or TV with it then maybe it would have been worth a lot.
The Times is not really much of a help in this race.
Considering how underfinanced Harrison's campaign is and how late he entered the race, he has done remarkably well against the unremarkable (and corrupt) Fosella.
Too bad the DCCC doesn't have the courage to stand up and fight the fights, like this one, that need to be fought.
If Harrison doesn't win, he deserves a great deal of credit for having the courage to stand up against Fossella. He also deserves the chance to defeat him in '08. (Translation: DiBlasio should stay in Park Slope and McMahon should just stay in his little hole collecting his City Council paycheck.)
The Times is a bunch of spoiled lowlife high falutin' a**holes who think their sh*t don't stink. If they thought Harrison would be helped by their editorial in Staten Island or Brooklyn, they are on some kinda high. If they wanted to help him raise money for his race, they should have endorsed him early on so it could have helped at least with his fundraising.
Times endorsed Harrison?
Fossella's numbers in Staten Island and Brooklyn just went up by 5 points!
The real shame is that Democrats who like to complain about the Republicans are sitting on their butts and not volunteering for Harrison. Put yer feet where your mouth is!
I once went to buy the Times on a Sunday in a deli called "Staten Italy." I asked the gentleman behind the counter if he had "The Times" and he looked at his watch and said 11 o'clock. I proceeded to walk out, laugh for 15 minutes, and seriously considered the notion of moving to a different borough. Needless to say, this endorsement is going to mean squat. Good job waiting till 8 days before the campaign to endorse a candidate with no money to parlay it into a mailer.