Someone told me it was the local and state party politics, not the White House, that messed Schundler's race up. The White House was preoccupied with the recent terrorist attack at the time, but Bush okayed a mailer endorsing Schundler to go out under his name as I recall.
It was too soon after the September attacks for the President to jump into partisan politics. It was unfortunate, but not because they could have cared less.
But with just two governor races last year, by the end of October the WH could have dispatched Rep. Senators in the President's name to help Bret. Nothing. Not one party leader helped. It was a giveaway to the Dems. Now we are living with the fallout. McGreevey is well on his way to becoming this state's worst governor. And he's been on the job less than three months.