Despite a federal probe, polls show Cuban-American Senator Bob Menendez with a small lead in the New Jersey Senate race.
So when Republicans are caught with their hand in the cookie jar all hell breaks loose while Democrats just get a leg up in the polls.
I dont care if Menendez is of Cuban descent or not, a crook is a crook, and if found guilty, not only has he done a great disservice to his constituents, but to the Cuban-American community as a whole. And his latest campaign attack ad against opponent Tom Kean, considering Menendez’s predicament, is all out, full fledged hypocrisy and disgusting, to say the least.
Val, you’re right. This guy has ‘Cuban’ blood (his family came over pre-1959 I understand), and has voted the ‘anti-Castro’ line to get elected/re-elected in N.Jersey, but is an out-and-out RAT the whole way. He’s part and parcel of NJ politics and everything that smells about NJ politics.
This guy supports all the RAT causes:
In 2003, Menendez was elected chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, so you know what kind of things this guy has to support to get that post.
Menendez came out of Hudson County. Every politician here has some skeletons in his closet.
To be fair, Kean began the attack ads; the latest ones you mentioned are Menendez’s retaliation. The debates have just been awful, with both candidates pretty much attacking each other and avoiding any of the actual issues.
Sigh. Maybe I’ll vote Libertarian again.
What is Kean’s stand on Cuba? The fact that he’s a Republican doesn’t automatically make him one of the good guys on the Cuba issue…
Kean is pro-embargo, but I don’t know much else.
gotta love it:
the dems want to throw menendez under the bus cause he’s a Cuban.
and the Cubans want to throw him under the bus cause he’s a dem
He’s a Democrat. ‘Nuff said.
If Menendez were a conservative, he wouldn’t be thrown under the bus: he’d be thrown overboard in the high seas.
Just because you’re pro-free Cuba or vote correctly on Cuban issues doesn’t mean you’re above the rest of the law.
Give me a break, you guys. Bob Mendendez has been a great supporter of the Anti-Casto movement for decades. A questionable real estate deal is NOTHING compared to decades of taking a strong stance in the federal government against that bastard fidel!!!!
Get past the democrat/republican thing. Neither party cares much for us Cuban exiles. And both parties have crooks. Neither party is immune to criticism. And let’s face it, the republicans are not in the best position to talk about scandals right now.
Are we REALLY going to trash a fellow Cuban, who has been one of the few faithful voices in support of our small community?? Don’t forget what Lincoln said, A house divided against itself cannot stand. Are you REALLY going to trash Bob Menendez because his family came over pre 1959? What about Marielitos? Are we really going to be so snobby? Give me a break!
Look, we need all the help we can get, and Bob has been Nothing but an ally to the Anti-Castro cause. So wake up, people, and see the big picture. A questionable real estate deal is NOTHING compared to decades of taking a strong stance in the federal government against that bastard fidel.
Because of his proven record of strong anti-castro work, and solidarity for our exile commuinty…. democrat or not, Bob Menendez has my full support.
Menendez hasn’t been convicted of anything yet, has he?
Is a man no longer innocent until proven guilty?
Dave,
Don’t know where you live, but I live in NJ, and I don’t care if this RAT’s even willing to go directly to La Habana to put a stake through the heart of that bloodsucker, this RAT hack will not get my vote.
I’ll let his record speak for itself…
05/26/2006 N – Michael Hayden Confirmation
01/31/2006 N – Samuel Alito, Assoc Justice
07/12/1996 N – Definition of Marriage Amend
06/07/2006 N – Same Sex Marriage Resolution
07/25/2006 N – Child Custody Protection Act
09/07/200 N – Media in the Middle East Amendment
03/16/2006 N – National Defense Funding Amend
07/10/2002 N – Arming Pilots Against Terrorism Act
07/13/2006 N – Firearm Confiscation Prohibition Amend
10/20/2005 N – Firearms Manufacturers Protection bill
04/09/2003 N – Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act
07/28/2005 N – Malpractice Liability Reform Bill
07/19/2005 N – Obstetric Fistula Amendment
07/12/2005 N – Independent Review of OSHA Act of 2005
05/12/2004 N – Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004
03/25/2004 N – Medical Malpractice Liability Limitation bill
06/30/2005 N – Eminent Domain Amdendment
04/27/2005 N – Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act
10/02/2003 N – Prohibit Partial-Birth Abortion bill
06/04/2003 N – Prohibit Partial-Birth Abortion bill
06/29/1999 N – National Day of Prayer Resolution
06/17/1999 N – Ten Commandments Amendment
03/05/1997 N – Display of the Ten Commandments
He’s got my vote, for 2 reasons, he’s been firm on his opposition to the Iraq invasion, and has been a strong advocate for urban public school teachers and education in general.
He’s a Democrat. ‘Nuff said.
Hey Piruli. I am actually born and raised in NJ, I grew up in Bergen County and Union City was a second home to me. I lived in NJ all my life.
I totally respect that you disagree with many of his votes. I’m with you on the 10 Commandments thing. I disagree with many of his other votes.
But there’s a difference between a RAT (or a rat bastard, like that bastardo, fidel) and just someone you disagree with. Bob is an American, who happens to have different views than you. And in America, we have the right to disagree with each other, unlike in Cuba.
So I would say fine, you don’t agree with his politics. That’s your right.
But nonetheless, it saddens me for us Cuban exiles to cannibalize our own. If you disagree, fine, but calling him a “Rat” goes too far.
I’ve got bigger fish to fry than same-sex marriages, or medical malpractice tort reform. An entire country, 11 million of our brothers and sisters, are suffering under the rule of a bastardo and his bastardo little brother, and the fight against that needs as many allies as we can get.
My focus is on spreading a message against fidel, and I am willing to set aside my differences on the Obstetric Fistula Amendment in exchange for putting the anti-Castro message in the United States Senate.
I agree 110% with Dave Sandoval! Come on folks! Let’s get over this Republican/Democratic divide and look at the big picture. Like Dave says, we’ve got bigger fish to fry! Think of it this way, as a ranking democrat, Menendez’s anti-Castro stance takes more courage and conviction than Diaz-Balart’s or Ros-Lehtin’s simply because he is breaking with the majority of his party. I saw him during the Elian debates and he was outstanding! He spoke on major news programs on TV in favor of Elian staying in the USA even though his party and his president wanted Elian to be returned! We cannot forget this. Besides, Kean hasn’t made any public statements on Cuba. In fact, he is distancing himself from Cuba and Cubans and just riding the crest of his Republican image in hopes that Cubans vote for him because we are seen as knee-jerk reactionaries who always vote for Republicans. What’s more, sadly, if you look at Kean’s campaign, there is a subtle anti-Cuban tinge to his attacks against Menendez. And the liberal press is salivating for Menendez to loose. Yes, he is a liberal democrat, but Cuba is such an important issue to them and they hate Cuban Americans so much that they are willing to sacrifice Menendez in order to get him out of office. The New York Times has yet to endorse any of the candidates, but from their coverage of the candidates, [and as a New Yorker, I’ve been following it], it seems that they are leaning towards Kean. This is indicative of how hopeful they are that Menendez loses. I remember after the Elian debacle how the NYT’s gloated that Cuban-Americans had lost their power, how we had been humiliated [as they gleefully stated it] , etc… They see Menendez’s lost in this election as part of that goal!
One more thing, this entire corruption scandal is very flimsy and is nothing more than mudraking.
Like Dave says, lets not canibalize our own.
I don’t live NJ and don’t know much about Mr. Menedez. But, If his record is as stated above, I would not vote for him.
Since this is America, I have the right to vote for whomever I choose and the fact that we are from the same country should not be the most important issue. I also have the right to call him a “rat” without fearing reprisals. That is what is really different from Cuba…a regular guy can call a member the the establishment names and no one will come knocking on his door to question him.
While Cuban issues are very important to me…I have to live with what these politicians do here at home, so I don’t consider it “cannibalizing” one of our own when I disagree and choose to vote against him.
It’s good to have Cubans in public office…but do any of you really believe that they are going to help get rid of castro??
Mavi, “ditto”!
Miami also has had Cuban-Americans who engaged in corrupt behaviour (and who opposed Castro), should that fact alone cause you to excuse their behavior and vote them in again?
Nuff said!
By the same token, we should not “blindly” vote for Menendez just because he’s of Cuban descent . . . how about his voting record?
The following link is great to learn about the voting record of all our elected officials in Congress, etc. it’s worth checking … so we can make an “educated” decision in voting on November 7th!
http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm
I wish you well! 🙂 Melek
“As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.” ~ A. Carnegie
The problem of “one-issue voting” has gotten us into trouble before. As it goes, once the politician gets into office, our “one issue” often disappears from the radar scope of important items on his agenda, and must compete with everyone else’s issues in a representative govt. like ours.
Add to that the historical reality that corruption in “conservative” or gobiernos derechistas in Latin America often drive the masses to embrace left-wing propaganda. It’s a vicious cycle. If Menendez has broken the law, he does more damage to the cause he claims to espouse — he’s not doing us any favors. We cannot afford to look the other way just because he is on target when it comes to Cuba. That’s the ugly truth. Let’s deal with it.
The New York Times has a massive debt to settle with the Cuban people for its role in promoting Castro at a critical time (the Herbert Matthews bullshit) and in persisting, more or less openly, in aiding and abetting the interests of the Castro regime, either actively or by omission. The single fact that it has yet to repudiate and condemn what Matthews did and apologize to the Cuban people for the harm that caused is very telling. As far as I’m concerned, the NYT is beneath contempt, but hubris eventually comes around.
So because this guy Menendez is (1) a Democrat, and (2) doesn’t vote on social issues that line up with your ideology, but (3) has a proven anti-Castro stance you choose to ignore (3) and run with (1) and (2)? Some of you really sound crazy.
Ron Paul may have an (R) next to his name but I wouldn’t draw a line through his name if I lived in Texas. Hell, I wouldn’t cross a line through Goldwater’s name. If he were alive and in his prime members of his own party, or at least the talking heads from the Christian Coalition, would call him a baby-killing, faggot-loving, godless liberal today.
Menendez is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The same goes for Foley, Don “I may or may not have strangled my ex” Sherwood, Weldon, and anyone else implicated in a scandal. If Democrats/Republicans supporting members that are being investigated by the FBI offends you so much, get in touch with Ken Mehlman and tell him you want the House and Senate Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to adopt a new rule requiring congresswo/men to step down if they’re even being investigated by the FBI or risk censure. Let’s see how that sits with the party in power.
Lesly,
Perhaps you missed the piont where Menendez was regaled by Carole King alongside those bastions of INTEGRITY Bill Clinton, ted kennedy, Hilllary Clinton, et al?
Puleeze…For every “party in power” Republican in legal trouble I can tit for tat you with a Democrat.
Val,
Carol King is a singer, an entertainer, FFS. I’d pay her as much attention as a pimple on my ass. How much does her status as a celebrity affect U.S. policy? “Oh no, Hollywood is gearing up for another D.C. takeover by campaigning for Democrats!” Because we all know in a democracy the campaign warchest is the difference between winning and losing.
That’s not true? I didn’t think so either.
Puleeze…For every “party in power” Republican in legal trouble I can tit for tat you with a Democrat.
Which is why ruling Menendez out on the basis that he is a Democrat makes no sense unless you rule out Republicans too. But puleeze, don’t let me stop you from drafting a lengthy tit-for-tat post. Supporting your party through anything and writing off the Other party (e.g. partisanship) promises to continue supporting corrupt politicians. Don’t rock the boat. Something bad might fall out.
Lesly,
Youll forgive me if I am disgusted that a Cuban-American politician, a Senator, no less, has no qualms or cumpunctions about being regaled by the very same woman who serenaded fidel castro with “Youve got a friend” and accepts the suport of one ted “chappaquidick” kennedy, hillary “whitewater” clinton and bill “i dont care what elians father said, the boy goes back to cuba” clinton, etal.
You want Cuban-Americans to vote Democratic? Tell you what, get rid of the leftist fringe that’s controlling the party, the same fringe that’s destroying their own (vis a vis vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman in 2000) like praying mantises and then we can talk. till then, Im afraid, you baying falls upon deaf ears.
Oh, and perhaps and most important, tell the Democratic party to find a PLATFORM other than the finger pointing bullshit theyre doing now.
Val:
you’re right about the party having been kidnapped by the left. their platform is now to close down walmart, abortions and gay marriage. sad.
but, as a special interest group seeking to influence policy on Cuba I think we’re better off having 2 senators and three congressman of our own with 2 being on the other side of the isle. precisely because the dems are so far left and because they might gain control of the house,( so far left that our enemies need only quote them to make their point), i think we’re better off with someone on their side fighting agaisnt castro.and pushing a little to the right.Menendez and Sires may support the dems in their other nonesense but not when it comes to Cuba.
Post after post, I keep reading comments from people who are taking Kean’s scurrilous attacks against his opponent Menendez at face value. I live here in NYC and Kean’s campaign commericals are aired on local TV. You know what this unsubstantiated corruption is all about? A political advisor, Donald Scarinci, who worked for Menendez was taped using Menendez’s name in order to curry favor. How do we know that Scarinci had Menendez’s authority to do that? The Kean campaign keeps on hammering this in and people are taking it for the bible truth, but fact is we do not know the truth. Sacrinci might be nothing more than some loudmouth braggard using a powerful friend’s name in order to curry favor. How many times in our personal lives have we not seen this? Someone saying, OH BECAUSE I KNOW SO-AND-S0. And you know that he is just BS’ing and trying to impress and trying to get his way through a relationship with an important person that might not even be that close to him!
So, folks, let’s give Menendez the benefit-of-the-doubt. He has been a strong ally for a free Cuba. Whether he allowed Carole King to sing next to him shouldn’t prejudice us.
Did you all know that Celia Cruz once kissed Nelson Mandela–who loves Fidel Castro– on stage?
Should we hate her and disown her memory for that?
Guys, I share many of your views, and I still can’t get over the fact, for example, that Clinton shook hands with the murderous tyrant.
And you all have the right to make your opinions heard, and Val has been gracious enough to give us all a forum to engage in a debate of ideas, which is what America is all about. Freedom to express your own views. (Thanks, Val.)
But here’s an analogy: don’t you feel sad, hurt, and upset when you see Cuban-Americans, living or born into the exile, who are PRO-FIDEL? Doesn’t that make you sad, when you see someone turn a blind eye against his OWN PEOPLE?
That’s sort of what I feel now. Yes, you disgaree with him on some issues, because he’s a Dem. Fine. That’s everyone’s right.
But don’t TRASH one of our own! I have been following Menendez’s career, and he HAS stood up for the Cuban-American community, and he’s not an opportunist, he is an outspoken, real-deal critic of the castro regime. Let’s not trash someone who has stood with us on the most important issue: Cuba, Nuestra Cuba. Not fidel’s.
My priorities are different, maybe. I just feel that we NEED to have a voice in the US Senate, and in as many parts of the federal government, as possible. FNCA has lost Mas Canosa, the exile community is shattering because of STUPID IN-FIGHTING! My priorities lie with the suffering of el pueblo cubano.
Our strength comes from our UNITY. So let’s stand by our man. We may not agree with everything he does, or most of what he does, but when it counts, he is, and always has been, ANTI-FIDEL, and that’s why he has my support.
Allegations of shady real estate deals be damned.
Republicans are taken to task for scandals because:
1. Most media lean left.
2. Republicans are more open to charges of hypocricy because they tend to care more about personal behavior.
3. At this time, Democrats are more opportunitic than Republicans, although I don’t feel completely comfortable with making sweeping generalizations.
My blog
I live in New Jersey about 10 minutes from Union City-Jersey City-Hudson County area. New Jersey is often thought of as a laughing stock in regards to its corrupt politics-party boss John Lynch being the most recent caught with the hand in the cookie jar. When Jim Mcgreevey resigned his governor’s office using his homosexualtiy as a catalyst to avoid being the next politician in the crosshairs of an investigation (Jim would rather be gay than be in jail-though being gay in jail might have some advantages); John Corzine, jockeying for position to become the next governor of the great state of Jersey struck a deal with Bob Menendez known as the “boss” of Hudson County the most corrupt in NJ. In exchange for Menedez’s help/influence Corzine would appoint Menendez to his (Corzine’s)open Senate seat. Now anyone who lives in New Jersey and follows the political landscape knows that Menendez comes with alot of baggage. Just as an aside it was hilarious to see local news outlets speculating on who Corzine would pick to fill his open senate seat. Many of these same outlets had already reported the Corzine/Menendez deal (also it was not a big shock to alot of people in New Jersey that Mcgreevey was gay). John Corzine knew, the party machine knew, anyone who really follows politics in NJ knew that appointing Bob Menendez would mean that the seat would be in jeopardy come election time. Had Corzine appointed virtually any other politician without hint of scandal (maybe tough in NJ) this seat, with the political make up of New Jersey would be a safe seat for democrats. Even Bob Toricelli, the disgraced ex senator of New Jersey suggested at the time that Menendez might be unelectable. Who would know better than the ‘Torch’? But despite all of this Corzine appoints him as NJ representative in the Senate. Ask yourself. WHY? Bob Menendez has long had a reputation as a sleazy, corrupt politician one whom you would not want to cross. This is just a fact. That someone like this would be appointed to an open senate seat in an election where the senate is up for grabs speaks volumes about machine politics in New Jersey. If elected the investigations will not stop. Six years from now if still viewed as a liability Menendez will be thrown out-not by the voters- but by the party machine. Just ask the ‘Torch’. This has nothing to do with Menendez’s Cuban heritage or his staunch support of Cuba’s freedom. It is what it is.
My point is different:
I say that I don’t care about the local NJ politics. I care about putting an anti-Castro voice at the highest levels of the US government. That’s my priority.
The worst that anyone has come up with on Menendez is an alleged shady real estate deal. The jury is still out on its propriety.
So if that’s the WORST you can get on the guy, then that’s not so bad in the big picture. Otherwise, it’s all just speculation and partisan politics.