"No brainer": Wingnut "Defense Fund" exposes Chris Christie

A group of wingnuts based in Washington DC who call themselves "Freedom's Defense Fund" announced they are taking sides in the New Jersey GOP primary race for Governor between wingnut poster boy Steve Lonegan and establishment favorite Chris Christie. They've unveiled a website called Christieexposed.com which is intended to support a direct mail and television advertising campaign which highlights recently reported pay-to-play and no-bid contract controversies during Christie’s tenure as U.S. Attorney.

“As a leading advocacy group in the conservative movement, we have a responsibility to weigh in when choices are clear in Republican primaries,” said Todd Zirkle, Chairman of the Freedom’s Defense Fund. “In New Jersey, we have an ethically challenged candidate versus a principled conservative in Steve Lonegan. It’s a no-brainer to get involved.”

It's also a no-brainer these clowns will squeal like stuck pigs after Christie wins the primary and then loses to Jon Corzine in November.

How many suckers will spend $1000 to meet "Joe the Plumber"?

Wingnut conservative Steve Lonegan is still behind in the polls against his opponent, former US Attorney and establishment favorite Chris Christie, for the NJGOP gubernatorial primary but now he's really getting serious by bringing up the heavy artillery.

Who else but "Joe the Plumber" to plug the leaks in a campaign that seems to be going down the drain. In a recent press release the Lonegan campaign announced that for only one thousand dollars donors to the Lonegan campaign will enjoy a private one hour meeting with Joe and Steve, undoubtedly to talk about fixing toilets and leaky faucets.

I may have spent a few hundred dollars on a plumber for one hour's worth of work, but one thousand seems a bit much. I just hope whoever pays that much doesn't end up wading through a pile of manure.

This proves you don't have to be a wingnut to be nuts

Pastor Shannon Wright of Plainfield on Saturday officially announced her entry into the New Jersey gubernatorial race as an independent, according to PolitickerNJ.com. Pastor Wright is an ordained minister who co-founded the online Faith, Grace and Mercy World Outreach Ministries with her husband, Michael.

Formerly the campaign manager of Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. Levine – a Republican candidate for governor - Wright bailed on Levine last month amid disagreements within his campaign about its direction and the weekly bad news out of Republican conventions suggesting the candidate was freefalling.

She won’t reveal how she intends to finance her run for governor, but promises to run hard and campaign in every county. “It’s time to put the bloom back in the Garden State,” proclaimed Wright. “It's an honor and a privilege to have this opportunity. If I become an example for young girls, proving that they can be anything they want to be, then I've done my job. I'm looking forward to doing what it takes to get New Jersey back on track and it would be an honor to be the first African-American woman in a position to do that."

Wright’s 18-year old son, Michael, said as he observed Levine tanking, he encouraged his mother to run for governor so she could help improve New Jersey's economy. “I was trying to coax her into doing so, in part because it’s been extremely hard for me to get a job,” he said. “I told her I wanted a job, so she needed to run.”

If she wins it will be interesting to see what kind of job he ends up with. Maybe State Treasurer or Attorney General.

Alan Keyes fears Obama will scandalize young Catholics

Alan Keyes was near the Notre Dame University campus in South Bend, Indiana to protest the school's invitation to President Obama to speak at this year's graduation. Keyes said he speaks for all Catholics in calling the university's invite a contradiction of the church's beliefs. "To hold that up as somehow worthy of honor at a catholic institution before the minds and hearts of young catholic students whom you will be in fact scandalizing, you'll be betraying them with a falsehood that might confuse them and lead them down a road that ultimately risks their spiritual well-being," said Keyes.

I don't know about spiritual well-being, but if Alan Keyes is any example I'd be more concerned about emotional maturity and psychotic behavior.

Alan Keyes says "Show me!"

Appearing at a tea party in front of the White House on tax protest day, Alan Keyes was asked by a reporter if he had a message to send to Obama. With all the issues of unemployment, taxation and national bankruptcy, it seems the only thing on Alan Keyes' mind is Obama's birthplace as he told the reporter, "Show us your birth certificate!"

Maybe someone's been putting kool-aid in the tea Alan's been drinking.

Fox News drinking the kool-aid

Fox News host and senior vice president of Fox Business News Neil Cavuto suggests bias is keeping mainstream media from covering anti-tax “tea party” rallies with the same enthusiasm they devote to civil rights protests and anti-war rallies.

Fox News is offering extensive coverage of the nationwide rallies, dispatching Cavuto and three other top anchors to various cities. Cavuto was reporting from Sacramento, Greta Van Susteren was in Washington, Sean Hannity was stationed in Atlanta, and Glenn Beck was appearing at the Alamo in San Antonio. “I know why we are there,” Cavuto told listeners. “I’m not quite sure why they are not,” he said, speaking of other media outlets. “Apparently these populist protests don’t count that much for them. Millions concerned they’re being taxed to death counts even less for them,” he said.

Maybe Fox News isn't taxed enough if they can afford to send these clowns all over the country just to report on some circus side shows.

Today New Jersey; tomorrow the World!

GOP gubernatorial candidate and professional wingnut Steve Lonegan stepped up to the mike at the podium on the front steps of the State Capitol in Trenton to address the true believers at one of the "Let Them Drink Tea" parties sponsored by various rightwing groups across the country. “You heard them talk about ‘Yes, we can’ last year and what that turned out to mean was apologizing to Europe for the greatness of America, it meant “Yes, we can” create more government,” yelled Lonegan as American flags waved among the crowd of Tom Paine and Patrick Henry wannabees who want to turn the clock back to 1776. “We will tell them, ‘Yes, we will,’” he cried. “America will be better than anyone on the planet, and the answer doesn’t come from the Whitehouse or this Statehouse, it comes from you, the people!”

Lonegan knows about planets. He's been to so many of them it must be hard to know which one he's on.

Steve Forbes shows real chutzpah

Steve Forbes is back in the news, though barely noticeable, as he endorsed (surprise, surprise!) Chris Christie for Governor of New Jersey. Wingnut supporters of Steve Lonegan are heartbroken, however, but Steve Forbes is no fool and obviously wants to have some influence on the general election campaign as well as a Republican administration if Christie is elected.

In his endorsement of Christie, Forbes indulged his usual hyperbole to describe the current economic situation in New Jersey. Of course everything bad is the fault of New Jersey Democrats. According to the sage from Far Hills, "New Jersey's woes are all self-inflicted. Debt has ballooned, from about $3.5 billion 15 years ago to more than $33 billion today.

Now that's chutzpah. Forbes has got the nerve to bring up the last 15 years during which more than half the time Republicans ran the State and he was their economic guru. But then what does one expect from a horse's ass who'd spend millions of dollars of his family's fortune making a fool of himself in the 1996 and 2000 Republican presidential primaries.

Steve Lonegan gives new definition to "wingnut"

It seems marital status and divided loyalties have become an issue in New Jersey's GOP primary for Governor, according to the website PolitickerNJ.com. Rightwing extremist Steve Lonegan is fighting an uphill campaign to gain the nomination from establishment favorite, the former US Attorney Chris Christie. Recently in a TV interview he accused Rick Wright, a staff employee of the Assembly Republicans who endorsed Chris Christie, of disloyalty for having an Obama sign on his front lawn last year. Wright responded that the sign belonged to his wife who works for the Corzine administration. Lonegan's answer to Wright's explanation was, ""Let other people decide what that means... The question becomes does all of this influence of Jon Corzine on his household's income impact the advice he gives the Republican caucus?"

I guess if Lonegan wins the election Republican Party employees will be required to answer, "Are you now, or have you ever been, married to a Democrat?"

This should make Chris Christie wet his pants

The New Jersey Conservative Party State Chairman is urging voters who have registered as members of his party to change their party affiliation to Republican so they can vote for Steve Lonegan for Governor, according to the PolitickerNJ.com website. By doing this, State Chairman Stephen Spinosa is effectively calling for the end of his third-party movement in order to boost Lonegan's chances.

"The reason I take this action is because in these times of great economic turmoil, it is vital that all of us do their part to see to it that the best man for the job gets elected. I believe that Steve Lonegan is that man," said Spinosa. "The prosperity, the solvency and the security of our state can only be served by nominating him in the primary, and then electing him as our Governor this November."

Last year, there were 45 voters registered as members of the Conservative Party statewide. That says it all.

NJ-GOP debates and global warming

Professional wingnut Steve Lonegan is performing his usual shtik, this time demanding that his opponent in the NJ-GOP gubernatorial primary, Chris Christie, join him in opposing the League of Women Voters as sponsors for their debates. Lonegan claims the LWV is a "left-wing political lobby" that advocates abortion, gun control, higher income and property taxes, and more government spending for health care and welfare.

Lonegan noted that in 2005 "when ELEC ruled that the LWVNJ was to moderate, I had no choice but to participate," Lonegan said in his letter to ELEC, noting that he was one of seven candidates in that race. "But this year, I am one of two. The debate cannot occur without my presence."

If the debate doesn't occur, at least there will be a definite reduction in the amount of hot air and gas polluting New Jersey's atmosphere.

Sarah Palin takes Alaska's "birthright" off the market

Sarah Palin doesn't want us to forget she's still around and cooking something up for 2012. This time she got up on her high horse and in an opinion piece published in the Anchorage Daily News proclaimed she would not accept some of the stimulus money offered to the state by the federal government. However, like the police captain in "Casablanca" who says he is shocked there is gambling going on while someone hands him his winnings, Sarah tosses verbal darts at the federal government while pocketing most of the money she claims is so costly. According to the sage from Wassilla, "My job is to help Alaskans count the cost for the long term, not sell our birthright for short-term gain."

I don't suggest she sell Alaska's birthright. But selling some of those expensive threads she got last year might be a good start.

Send in the wingnuts

Former presidential candidate and Republican congressman Tom Tancredo is keeping himself in practice with his usual immigrant-bashing and xenophobic rhetoric. This time he wants to reenact the US-Mexican War with real soldiers and live ammunition. He held a conference call with anti-immigration activists and said he wants President Obama to send in the Marines to secure the border with Mexico and stop the flow of all those guns, drugs and people which he thinks will destroy America. He's also concerned that US politicians will use the violence in Mexico as an excuse to take guns away from Americans. "This issue of ‘It’s our fault just as much as their fault’ is a lot of crap, to tell you the truth,” he said. “It’s just another way to go after guns by this administration and also to let Mexico save some face.”

Maybe instead of troops Obama should organize a Wingnut Brigade, appoint Tom Tancredo commander and send them to the Mexican border. They'd be just as likely to shoot each other as any invaders from Mexico, but at least they'd be playing with themselves and leave the rest of us alone.

Buried wingnuts

Six days before the deadline for filing petitions, PolitickerNJ.com reports that a South Jersey wingnut is trying to put together a slate of candidates to run on the same ticket with GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan in the June primary. Seth Grossman, who claims to be an attorney, is sending emails soliciting candidates for county and legislative races in six South Jersey counties.

Grossman is a longtime Lonegan supporter who succeeded in getting himself arrested, along with Lonegan, for protesting at a townhall meeting in South Jersey featuring Governor Jon Corzine. He also hosts a radio talk show and is a former Atlantic County Freeholder.

In his email Grossman warns, "We must give Steve Lonegan good ballot position even if we fail to get endorsements. We can do that by getting other candidates to run for office, and then bracketing their names with Steve's. If we don't do this, Chris Christie will have a full slate of candidates below his name, while Steve Lonegan will have no candidates with his name, and his name will be buried with losing candidates with no other bracketed candidates."

Considering recent polls, county endorsements and widespread support for Chris Christie, Lonegan and the other losers who may run on his ticket are already buried so deep they'd need a backhoe to dig themselves out.

NJGOP candidate forgot to register to vote

A candidate for the New Jersey GOP State Assembly nomination was not registered to vote in New Jersey according to a report posted on the PolitickerNJ.com website. Robert Villare, a surgeon, signed his voter registration card at the Gloucester County Board of Elections four days after seeking the Cumberland County Republican Party's endorsement for an assembly seat at their convention.

Villare lost the Cumberland County convention to former Cumberland County Surrogate Arthur Marchand and Greenwich Township Mayor George Shivery, who are running as a team. Shivery said that he also heard rumors that Villare was not registered to vote in New Jersey, but "it was so far out there I didn't believe there's any truth to it. I don't even have the words. If it wasn't so ludicrous, it would make a sitcom on television."

I can't think of any better sitcom than a Republican primary in New Jersey.

Bullies and big tents

Former Republican New Jersey State Senator Dick LaRossa is complaining in a recent column on PolitickerNJ.com that former US Attorney Chris Christie, the frontrunner in the GOP gubernatorial primary, is a bully for using pressure tactics to gain county endorsements. He cites the recent Gloucester County endorsement of Christie as an example of party officials caving into pressure from the Christie camp to endorse their candidate over rival Steve Lonegan. Dick also brought up charges that Christie took donations from lawyers whose firm received a multimillion dollar no-bid contract.

Dick describes Christie as "uncomfortable with policy". He then goes on to say, "Moderates like Christie, always talk of big tents. Some genuinely believe it and enthusiastically work with conservatives, traditionalists, and libertarians. All this has done for statewide Republican candidates is produce losers over the 12 years. That’s why tents belong in a circus."

Of course Dick is an expert on losers having lost in four different elections. He sought the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in 1996 and lost the in the primary. The following year he was defeated for re-election to the State Senate. He subsequently lost races for Mayor of Ewing, NJ in 1998 and 2002.

As to tents, they do belong in a circus. Along with clowns like Dick LaRossa.

NJGOP Food Fight - Wingnuts v. RINOS

The Republican gubernatorial primary in New Jersey is turning into a food fight between RINOs and wingnuts as frontrunner Chris Christie widens his lead over megalomaniacal challenger Steve Lonegan, whose mouthpiece is veteran political operative Rick Shaftan. The latter recently threatened a primary challenge to Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce who has endorsed Chris Christie. This elicited a response from Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson, who wrote a letter to Lonegan defending DeCroce and asking the anti-establishment Republican to distance himself from Shaftan who said that DeCrcoce was “happy to be a big fish in a small pond”

Lonegan said in response to Wilson's request, "I don't care what Tom Wilson says or thinks. Tom Wilson and Alex DeCroce are the duo that is responsible for the failure of the Republican Party to stand up for Republican principles and values, and they have done nothing but overseen the demise of the party. It's time for both of them to go."

I'd guess that Wilson and DeCroce would rather be big fish in a small pond than roadkill like Lonegan on June 2.