Posted on 02/08/2005 5:51:18 AM PST by Calpernia
State lawmakers have the governor's back.
Less than two weeks after acting Gov. Richard J. Codey said he wanted to challenge a shock jock to a fight for insulting the state's first lady, an Assembly committee voted Monday to reprimand the radio personality.
The Telecommunications and Utilities Committee voted 5-0, with two abstentions, to release a resolution denouncing radio host Craig Carton for "cruel, insensitive and highly offensive comments" made about the depression that Mary Jo Codey suffered after the birth of her son 20 years ago.
The acting governor confronted Carton on Jan. 25 in a hallway at the Ewing Township studios of NJ 101.5, WKXW-FM, a day after Carton made disparaging on-air remarks about women with postpartum depression, reportedly saying women should smoke marijuana to "relax instead of putting their babies in a microwave."
A reporter who witnessed the confrontation said Codey told Carton, "I wish I weren't governor, I'd take you out."
The next day, Codey clarified the remark: "I didn't say I would take him out, I said I would take him outside."
On Monday, Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo, D-Essex, called Carton's depression-related comments "a new low even for him," and said his "insensitivity shows just how much ground we need to gain in educating the public on issues such as depression."
Millennium Radio officials, including Carton, on Monday said lawmakers seemed to be wasting valuable time with concerns over an old story.
"We were very surprised by the action this morning, very disappointed," said general manager Andy Santoro. "We were shocked it has gotten to this point. With all the problems facing New Jersey -- taxes, the budget shortfall, auto insurance -- we can't imagine our politicians spending time, money and effort on this."
Carton said he agreed that the vote seemed like a waste of lawmakers' time.
NJ 101.5 Program Director Eric Johnson defended the talk-radio genre.
"Talk radio by its very nature has strong opinion. It's our first amendment right to do that. It was hypocritical of the committee today to say they believe in the first amendment, then to go ahead and censure Craig," he said.
The resolution next goes to the Assembly speaker for a possible floor vote.
Codey has made treatment of the mentally ill a priority in his administration, in part because of his wife's bouts with depression.
The acting governor, meanwhile, is enjoying job approval ratings not seen by a New Jersey governor in 20 years. Seventy-six percent of registered voters approve of the way Codey is handling the job, according to the latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll.
The last governor to score higher was Tom Kean, whose job approval rating hit 81 percent in 1985. Christie Whitman's rating peaked at 56 percent; Jim Florio's never rose above 45 percent; and James McGreevey's didn't get past 46 percent.
Codey announced last week that he would not seek a full term. U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine is the only declared Democratic candidate; seven Republicans are running.
Craig is a bit of an idiot to say what he said. I do, however, think the governor and his wife played "look at me I am a victim" with this whole post-partum depression issue.
Dennis & Judi are 100 times better than the Jersey guys. NJ1015 were fools to pull them apart.
You're also not too swift if you pick a fight with a guy who is on the air for hours every day.
If you just ignore him, so will everyone else.
Carton is annoying. No questions.
But what about this entire committee vote to censure? That is abuse of power.
They aren't even trying to censure that cop killer that Rutgers has speaking: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1326011/posts
The fact that Codey called this entire committee together for a personal grudge is FRIGHTENING.
I've had a chance to catch him occasionally on my ride home and there are some things that are absolutley hysterical as I thought the same with Opey and Anthony and on aoccasion, Stern. However, we both know that if this was a republican gov. we were talking about or if Laura Bush had this happen we would be screaming bloody murder against this guy.
I'll admit it, I am a biased republican... ;)
Who are Dennis and Judi, by the way?
good ole 'Buffalo Dick Codey'.
You're right. We ripped TeRaysa when she dissed Laura about not having a job.
Dennis & Judi are on NJ1015 from 10am to 2 pm.
Something to keep in mind here is that the radio guy didn't make these comments about a "private" medical/personal problem that affected the governor's wife. The governor and his wife had embarked on a very public campaign about her issues, which in my mind meant they were fair game.
Maybe it's just me, but anyone who makes public statements about how she felt like sticking her baby in a microwave oven ought to be kept out of public view at all times. She's not serving as an "advocate" of any kind . . . she's a damned freak-show.
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