NY Times Endorses Dennis Shulman

All week there have been rumors flying that Dennis Shulman has a big and unexpected endorsement breaking in the next few days. This morning the NY Times picked Dennis as the best candidate to represent northern New Jersey's 5th CD. Although the Times endorsed both democrats and Republicans-- or at least one-- for NYC Metropolitan area congressional seats, it is hardly a surprise or unexpected that they would throw their weight behind one of the most well-versed and wisest candidates running for Congress from anywhere in America. And that is doubly true when you consider the alternative, far right incumbent Scott Garrett, one of the most personally corrupt men left in New Jersey politics.

Residents in this stretch from northeast Bergen County to rural northwestern New Jersey are represented by Scott Garrett, one of the most conservative members of Congress. Mr. Garrett supports constitutional amendments to ban abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. He backs President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy and limited aid for the poor.

We endorse Dennis Shulman, a Democrat who is a rabbi and psychologist. Mr. Shulman says he would work to mitigate global warming. He would also take an interest in psychological counseling and educational opportunities for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Times must be exhausted after the stunning Obama endorsement a few days ago. But what this endorsement of Dennis lacks in depth and insight, TPM makes up for in their investigation into "New Jersey's Own Version of Michele Bachmann."

Intriguingly, the line of attack that Garrett has taken against his Rabbinical opponent is to accuse him of being a terrorist-hugging, Ahmadinejad-appeasing, scary extremist. Check out this ad that Garrett is running, alongside mailings that depict Shulman and the Iranian President along with masked gunmen. If this is beginning to sound like the vile and counterproductive excesses of Minnesota motor mouth Representative Michele Bachmann, then that is not coincidental.

Bachmann's Chief of Staff and Press Secretary both worked for Garrett earlier this year-Chief of Staff Michelle Presson left in March to take up the same position, while in July Garrett's spokeswoman Mary Vought left to become Bachmann's Communications Director.

Last night Dennis devastated the deceptive and sleazy Garrett during their third debate in Hackettstown. Right off the bat he threw Garrett off his game by asking him a simple question: "Do you have no shame? You cannot be that desperate to keep your job to make these kinds of accusations." Garrett nervously ignored the question and it sat their like a big turd on his head for the entire debate. Dennis went on to pulverize him on every issue that was brought up, from the veterans who Garrett has completely ignored (take a look at the very worst voting record on vets in the entire Congress) to the economic downturn over which Garrett has helped preside.

Blue America is offering two ways to assist Dennis win this tough race. The most direct is to donate directly to his campaign at the Blue America ActBlue page. Another is to put your own ad campaign together for the district at the SaysMe.tv campaign site. Just select the New York City media market, double click on Dennis' district, enter your name on the ad and pick the networks and times of day you want to run the ad. It's an expensive market-- $376 for one ad late at night on MSNBC or $289 on MTV or the SciFi channel. It would be cool if you could do one or two. If not, even $5 and $10 donations at the Blue America page ad up.

As for the "unexpected endorsement," come back on Monday.