For local Republicans, their suspicions have been validated as the Watertown Daily Times reports in an editorial that GOP Congressional nominee Diedre Scozzafava is now backing Democrat Bill Owens for Congress.
"During the day Saturday, she began to quietly and thoughtfully encourage her supporters to vote for Democrat William L. Owens," read the text in this mornings Times endorsement of Mr. Owens.
Yesterday, Ms. Scozzafava suspended her campaign after being given a sneak preview of the Siena College poll numbers showing her desperately behind Owens and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.
Many GOP regulars have been critical of Scozzafava's liberal views on some issues and her dalliances with the far-left Working Families Party. That is what led to the conservative insurrection upon her designation as the nominee by four county chairs at a meeting over the summer in Potsdam.
Her reported backing of Mr. Owens no doubt is also due to the bitter pill she swallowed in withdrawing from race four days before the election, a move that approaches the definition of "unprecedented."
Ms.Scozzafava considered Hoffman a Judas for not backing her after they both competed for the Republican nod. If todays Times editorial is to be believed, she is returning the favor.
21 comments:
Bill Owens is a thoughtful, well informed moderate- like DeDe. Hoffman is an extremist who will have no influence and no majority party for years to come. He can not help the district, does not live in the district, and might even jeopardize funding for Fort Drum. Voters will most certainly shift to Owens-
As I recall, residency was important to many last Summer, during the NYS Senate Coup.
One Senator, who switched to the Republican side of the aisle, was residing outside his District.
Many wrote about this as an issue.
Will those who wrote that they believed in residency then, vote that way now?
Will Mr Hoffman move into the Congressional District?
I, for one, am understandably curious.
I believe Hoffman has stated he'll move back to Saranac Lake if he's elected. It's only a few miles' move, and he's lived there before... if it weren't for some unusual gerrymandering he probably would live in the district.
DeDe's endorsement nicely hidden in editorial after she said she is a Republican
The best thing about Dede was she voted for the PEOPLE, not the PARTY.
This is why she has had much support from all parties - because she didn't specifically feel all party-related views were the right ones. Some of them certainly, but not all of them. She cared about the people. Her backing a Democrat isn't wrong - it simply relates to her caring about the people.
Ms. Scozzafava would have had my vote if she had been a Democrat. I just could not bring myself to support her as a representative of the Republican Party. I think she was terribly abused by her own party. It was disgusting to see them eat one of their own.
Anon. that same thing happened to us Republicans in CV when Republicans Chapman and Mason formed their own committee after our candidates were picked
and then voted to endorse the Democrats. This Republican will vote for Owens. Traitors suck.
Unfortunately for those of us left to make this decision, this is not about conservative vs liberal or Republican vs Democrat. This is not about who has the majority in Congress. This is about who can best represent us.
Putting all the political rhetoric aside, we need to consider the preservation of Northern New York, not big politics in Washington. Do you think that Fred Thompson and Sara Palin really give a damn about what happens to us. Do you really think that not accepting earmarks and letting them go to another state (and possibly military installation) will best serve the citizens of Northern NY. If you watched the only debate that all three candidates attended, it was very clear that Mr. Hoffman is by no means in touch with the needs of Northern NY and especially politics in Washington. Sending him there will only serve to further isolate us from the rest of the country. Believe it or not this is the United States of America and we do need to be part of it!
Unfortunately, we've lost the only person from our area who was really qualified to do the job and we only have Doug Hoffman and his Conservative cronies to blame. We have had excellent representation from John McHugh for many years and DeeDee was best qualified to continue that representation. Do you really think that we can continue to reap the benefits of that representation by sending an unknown, out-of-touch pawn of the national conservative movement who will have no cooperation from anybody to Washington?
Like it or not, we have to work with the system we have to protect and preserve what's left in Northern New York. Does the system need to change? Yes,I'm just not convinced that Mr. Hoffman is the one to do it.
Since we don't have DeeDee as a choice, we've been forced to look at two relative unknowns. It's clear to me that Mr. Hoffman is not the choice. As for Mr. Owens, like Doug Hoffman, he has military experience. He's also had experience in a geographical area that has had to recover from a major military base closure and that community has done an excellent job of turning those lemons into lemonade. As for Mr. Owens involvement, I'm sure those of you closer to the situation have the answer. As for the rest of us, at least he should have some background and should know where to go for answers if we are ever face with another BRAC study (and you know we will be). But, as for that fact, one of our goals for gaining proper representation is not to have the 23rd District experience that again.
A final word about Mr. Owens: the lawyer factor. This seems to bother a lot of people. I don't quite understand. There have always been lawyers in politics and there always will be. All the jokes aside, I have freinds who are lawyers, judges etc. and I for one don't have a problem being represented by someone with a good grasp for the law. After all, don't most of our basic laws orginate in the Constitution & Bill of Rights?
So here we are: at a crossroads of sorts. What is the real purpose of our decision on Tuesday? Are we there to please some big political faction or to gain effective representation in Washington? I'm hoping that we all realize that it is the latter. If you have any doubts, call Fred Thompson or Sara or even Rush and ask them where Vermontville is; or Number Four, Rossie or Cadyville. See what kind of answer you get...
I agree Blix. Above and beyond everything else, I think she wants her neighbors to have representation that is respectful of their personal liberties and their right to equality. That's not Doug Hoffman.
One of the outstanding attributes of people in the North Country is that they think for themselves. It does not appear that the Hoffman crew involves independent thinkers. Conscience is an important part of life and politics. Just because something might get you air time on Fox News doesn't make it right. Just because spouting a particular creed might get you funding from the Club For Growth ( i.e. funding from a rich guy in NYC, who bless his heart also funds Linoln Center and NOVA on PBS) doesn't make it right. Just because talking the talk gets you support from a former Representative who pushes home schools ( to the detriment of our locally controlled and locally funded public schools) doesn't make it right. An outfit obsessed with a homophobic agenda from Princeton NJ buying up all of the Google ads in the area for several days, doesn't make it right. If Dede Scozzafava is quietly encouraging people to think for themselves, that is definitely the right thing to do. Who can say that making up your own mind, rather than having it made up for you is wrong.
I also noticed all those disgusting homophobic Google Ads. An outside outfit from Princeton, NJ huh? That figures. Nothing about Hoffman is on the up and up.
I thought conservatives weren't supposed to throw other people's money at problems. He's a walking, mumbling metaphor for the bailouts.
Talk of Hoffman and not living in the District? Or Owens not being a legal-Dem yet... laughable... I've been saying this for months... consider the source, I guess?
Anyway, all you forum fans: Check the nearest mirror right now and tell me what you see?
This “PR race” is pathetic and has been since day one ...
The WDT blasts HOFFMAN who is reflective of the modern rabid rightwing of the GOP and the GOP overall shuns him, as they kick Dede under the bus. The GOP will no longer be the GOP until their so-called Big Tent is wide open in reality and not just rhetorically speaking.
This race more than anything exposes the ugliness of the rightwing of the GOP ... calling Hoffman an ideologue is correct. The only word missing is rabid ideologue and one not ready for primetime, either. If that is the rightwing of the GOP today, then guess what, Mr. and Mrs. America - THE PEOPLE GET IT and they are showing it.
And, for us around here, that is historical. — Dan Francis
FN: Owens is a very lucky man – very lucky. He isn't even a legally registered DEM until after the election, and Hoffman doesn't even live in the district. Talk about irony on top of the ironic? Remember to check that mirror.
Sounds like a lot of sour grapes to me. The district wants a conservative. You can call people names like "homophobe" etc. if you like, but that doesn't change things. This district is on the right side of social issues...and Hoffman best represents those views.
Hoffman is the only supporter in the race of not killing babies. Period.
Do you really think President Obama is going to appoint him to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade?
Or, do you think he's going to vote to defund Planned Parenthood despite the fact that it would be discrimination against an organization that is providing services that are constitutional in the eyes of the Supreme Court?
Dede has shown her true colors. She is the same radical leftist that Mr. Owens has announced himself to be. She just tries to paint herself as a moderate.
Now we have the choice stand for our traditional convictions or support the socialization of this nation. This nation did not become great by looking to our neighbors for support we became great by standing on our own two feet. This is not the time to change from that way of life. Mr. Hoffman will stand firm against the Washington insiders (V.P. Biden and others) that are bankrolling Mr. Owens.
Dede was not abused by the Republican Party. The Republican Party is totally separate from the Conservative Party. The only reason they're linked is because we only had two choices. D or R. Now, we have an option. Conservatives backed their candidate. That is all. If that sends a message to the Republicans, The Dem's and the country. Great.
@Anon 1:02
Dede doesn't support "killing babies" either - she supports abortion, or at least the right to (under circumstances). Killing is killing no matter if it's an innocent baby, an innocent adult, the enemy taliban or Adolf Hitler. I for one don't want to see any of my friends have abortions, but if they NEED to then they should have the ability to do so - need being designated by them, not by outside sources. If you don't believe in abortion, then just don't get one.
@Anon 1:27: Dede's shown her true colors? What was wrong with her colors, exactly? She's not a "radical" by any means - she's just different than the traditional. Which, if you may want to take into account, the "traditional" has led us up to this point in American History (a mere what, 300 years?) Change is required to survive. There is nothing wrong with her being progressive and wanting certain things different than shown in the party she represented. Like I said above, she cared about the people.
Hoffman will not lead us anywhere, and his extreme conservative views are going to restrict the rights of citizens in many ways. HOFFMAN IS NOT THE WAY TO GO IN THIS RACE.
Dede will be doing the clarke howard show now, doing stock picks of the week.
Dede drops out yesterday "for the good of the party"
The next day she endorses the Democrat. How is that for the good of her party? What a flip flopper!
Hoffman wants to stop the out of control spending that is heaping Hugh debt on our children and grandchildren.
I've had enough of the bail outs for millionaire CEO's.
I'm voting for Hoffman.
"I've had enough of the bail outs for millionaire CEO's."
So now go and vote for one. People are amazing.
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