Shulman Dominates 2nd Debate; Garrett Unsure of Himself

October 23rd, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 23, 2008
Contact: Jeff Hauser, 201-767-8162, jeff@shulmanforcongress.com

Garrett continues to stonewall on several fronts as he shortens debate and rushes out

Haworth, NJ - In a debate that was previously scheduled for 90 minutes before Garrett insisted it end by 9:15, Democratic challenger Dennis Shulman kept incumbent Republican Scott Garrett on the defensive.

Scott Garrett needed a strong performance to shake off the sense among veteran national and New Jersey pundits that his messaging has becomes increasingly erratic and his political position increasingly untenable. Indeed, the national political bible “Politico” noted that “his latest ad suggests that he’s feeling the heat” while making the laughable case that the rabbi is closely allied with Islamic extremists such as AK-47 bearing Hamas terrorists. http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/1008/Garrett_ad_connects_blind_rabbi_with_Iranian_dictator.html#comments

Garrett didn’t resurrect his campaign last night— and yet Garrett’s weak answers were less notable than his silences. Here are some of the highlights:

* Garrett refused to pick up on his ad’s terrorist-loving allegations - clearly, Garrett is not honorable enough to stand by his ads, unlike Dennis Shulman.
* Garrett continued to stonewall any investigation into whether he is improperly taking a farmland assessment meant for real farmers.
* Garrett has still not matched Dennis’ pledge not to take contributions from the industries he is charged with overseeing in Congress; Garrett has taken more than $1,000,000 from banks and other special interests he is supposed to be regulating.
* Garrett refused to answer repeated, simple “yes or no” questions as to whether he stood by his TV ads’ allegation that John McCain’s immigration position placed McCain on the “lunatic fringe.”
* Pinned down repeatedly by Shulman’s insistence that Garrett stake a responsibility for his record as an enemy to alternative energy and as a crony of Big Oil, Garrett could offer nothing more than the clichés of an endangered career politician.
* After Dennis passionately railed against Garrett’s extreme position against choice - specifically, that he would deny a woman’s right to choose even in the case of rape or incest - Garrett declined a chance to offer a rebuttal, too ashamed to defend a position well to the right of George Bush and John McCain.

SOURCES:

NRCC TOP TEN MOST VULNERABLE INCUMBENTS: http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/1008/NRSC_Desperately_seeking_volunteers_.html?showall

POLITICKER ON OUTRAGE: http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/24745/more-drama-overheating-5th-district-congressional-race

POLITICKER CARTOON: http://www.politickernj.com/robtornoe/24702/flotsam-jetsam

Last 5 posts in Press Releases