Posted on 09/10/2006 3:35:17 PM PDT by Coleus
In the thick of a hotly contested U.S. Senate race, Republican Tom Kean Jr. has decided to make a sharp break from George W. Bush, saying the president has made "horrendous mistakes" in Iraq, is "dead wrong" on the environment and also wrong to limit stem cell research. Kean issued a scathing critique of his party's standard-bearer during an hourlong interview with The Star-Ledger. Kean labeled the federal response to Hurricane Katrina a failure and rebuked Bush for allowing federal spending to balloon without issuing a single veto.
Such criticisms might be standard fare for a Democrat but are as sharp as any yet from a Republican running in the midterm election under the cloud of the president's low approval ratings.
Kean, a state senator from Union County, sat down at a Westfield diner for an interview specifically to highlight his differences with Bush as he heads into the final lap of his close race with Democratic U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez. Kean spoke Thursday, the day his campaign unveiled a video ad on the Web that never mentions Kean's party affiliation and touts the 38-year-old son of former Gov. Tom Kean as an "independent reformer."
He said he was unconcerned about any partisan fallout from his comments. "If it means that I'm angering the White House, so be it," he said. Between sips of hot water with lemon wedges, Kean ran through a litany of issues in which he took exception to administration policies. "There have been horrendous mistakes made in the war in Iraq," Kean said. "The president should acknowledge that. He needs to level with the American people." Asked to cite examples, Kean said, "How much time do we have?"
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
...Bush was wrong to veto a bill this summer that would have allowed for expanded stem cell research, Kean said, adding he was disappointed Congress did not override the veto. "The president morally thinks it's the right thing to do," Kean said. "'I think he's wrong." >>>
No Junior, you are wrong.
I have never viewed Kean as anything but a RINO....right there with Snowe, Collins, Graham and McLame.
He is a lot worse then Snowe and Collins as those two women don't go running their mouths all the time and are probably the best we can expect from Maine. When chips are down, they are usually with us and don't around stabbing the President in the back all the time like the others.
Would never put Snowe and Collins in the same category as the backstabbers.
we don't need anymore douche bag pretenders
It this another RINO incumbent who the GOP is supporting 'cause they're an incumbent GOP person?
(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )
No, he's not an Incumbant. He's not really that harsh actually, his comments are taken out of context by the liberal press to make people like us call him a "RINO" and not vote for him (so he loses)
Kean looks like a strident conservative compared to Mr. Liberal Mendendez.
It's New Jersey, a deep blue state, so he's doing what he has to do. Republicans have to make some concessions to liberals to win Federal elections there.
However, IMHO, he's trying way too hard. Independence is all fine and good, but his tone is going beyond that. If he were running for Governor, I'd totally oppose him.
However, because he's running for the U.S. Senate, the only logical thing for conservatives to do is hold their noses and vote for him.
Leave New Jersey for a place where I could hope for decent representation.
The nut doesn't fall far from the tree.
I agree. There are at least 2 flavors of RINOs - backstabbers and survivalists. Not all are backstabbers.
The thing about New Jersey, is that we simply dont have a conservative base. Even the NJ Conservatives are more liberal than what we might call an FR Conservative. Tom Kean IS a representation of the people of New Jersey, most of the people here are upset with Bush's handling of things, but realize the gravity of the War on Terror and are economically on the right. (9-11 was right across the river)
Basically, NJ Politics has a center and a left, and that's it.
Exactly right and why I stand up for Collins and Snowe but not the others. :)
He was doing well, but now he will lose.
He really believes all these things he is saying and is still calling himself a republican; or
He is just saying all this stuff to get elected, and will be a different person after the election.
And what is with hot water with lemon wedges?
I think you are right! What a jerk he turned out to be!
Chafee redux? Both liberal nitwit sons of liberal nitwit RINOs
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