Ken Dalton is the President for the New Jersey chapter of Veterans for Peace. He is a veteran of the US Navy.
On August 14 of this year, representatives from Military Families Speak Out met with State Senator Tom Kean, Jr. During this meeting, in which he looked into the faces of United States citizens who have family members currently serving in the US military, he refused to answer their direct questions about what his plans were for our troops abroad if he were to win the election in November. Let's make that clear: A man who aspires to the United States Senate refuses to answer the family members of the troops he's willing to send into harm's way. He insisted at the time that he would put his answers in writing, but later changed his mind about that because he was too sure it would be used against him and MFSO wasn't going to vote for him anyway. How can we trust Baby Kean to stand up for us in Washington if we can't even trust him to keep a simple promise to answer questions to the families of the people he wants to send away to die?
His refusal to provide answers to the families of those serving in Bush's illegal and immoral war in Iraq is in and of itself ignorant and arrogant on his part. Does he believe that he would not have to represent these people and only represent "Big Money" Republicans from places like Morris and Somerset Counties? Knowing Baby Kean's background, I can see too clearly where his arrogance grows - since neither he, nor people of his "upper class constituency", will ever have to bleed or even make the slightest sacrifice for this country. They just reap the economic benefits of Bush's war and policies. I believe he has only disdain for the class of people who serve in the Armed Forces, whether they enlist for patriotic or economic purposes.
Like many from that strata of society, they believe that being a senator or governor is a birthright, not something they have to earn. It's telling that Baby Kean never has won an election - neither to the State Assembly nor to the State Senate - before he's been appointed to it. By refusing to deal in good faith with the military families, he is acting like a little Lord Fauntleroy that always had a silver spoon in his mouth. This is certainly not the behavior of someone who deserves to be a U.S. Senator.
This morning Tom Kean Jr showed up at a stem cell research lab, presumably to call for the US Senate to override Bush's expected veto of stem cell funding. It's hard to know for sure what the purpose was, since only one reporter cared to show up. A tracker from the Menenedez campaign wrote:
9:34 AM – Kean, Jr. walks up the steps to the facility’s entrance. I get no acknowledgment as he passes by. The lack of press appears to have put him in a grumpy mood.
9:37 AM – I make my way towards the podium to get in position for the press conference. Usually, I have to fight to get a good camera angle. Today? Not a problem.
Apparently they don't have time for such transparent pandering. Even though he voted against funding stem cell research three times in the State Senate to appeal to conservatives in the 21st district, Junior insists that he supports it. Senate President Codey reminds us:
"Tom may want to convince voters that he's made an election-year conversion, but with a record that shows he didn't stand up for stem cell research in Trenton, we can't count on him to stand up to George Bush and support it in Washington."
What's the strategy behind this stem cell research binge? His declining fundraising numbers indicate that his base is already losing hope in him. A Roll Call article (subscription required) quotes various Republicans concerned about the campaign:
"It's been hard to figure out what their strategy is," said one longtime New Jersey Republican familiar with the campaign. "Everyone, from rank and file to major contributors, are very disappointed with the Kean effort so far."
....
"I'm hearing they're having a hard time raising money and that the campaign is not organized," said a Republican operative now based in Washington, D.C., but with ties to, and extensive experience in, New Jersey.
He's already lost his base, so he didn't have too much to lose by coming out for stem cell research. But if his plan was to make up for the disappointing fundraising by relying on free media coverage, his campaign will prove to be as effective as funding stem cell research with platitudes and pandering.
Tom Kean, Jr. - fresh from his dual debate spanking by Bob Menendez - is now being haunted by his past. He writes (ok, someone wrote it FOR him) on his campaign site:
Tom is committed to keeping the promise of Social Security for current recipients and those nearing retirement. At the same time, changes will be required to keep the program solvent for future generations. This problem can only be solved through bipartisan cooperation. In the U.S. Senate, Tom will work with Republicans and Democrats to find bipartisan solutions to the long-term challenges facing Social Security, so that this important program can continue to provide retirement security for Americans far into the future.
The problem is that the Kiddo only last year voted against a bill that would tell President Bush to keep his greedy paws off our Social Security funds - twice.
This is part two in an ongoing series of debates between Tom Kean Jr and Tom Kean Jr. Today, they debate the controversial issue of stem cell research.
Last November, Tom Kean Jr was asked his position on embryonic stem cell research and was indecisive, saying only:
This is a very emotionally charged issue; clearly it needs to be given a lot of thought.
A month later he had made up his mind. Tom Kean Jr, who sat on the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, voted in favor of a measure which would provide $350 million in funding for stem cell research facilities. His position was unmistakably clear:
Asked if he now favors embryonic stem cell research, Kean added simply:
"Yes."
On a recent visit to Israel, he again expressed his support for the research and even talked about the difficulties preventing the research from moving forward:
Kean, visiting Hadassah at the culmination of a weeklong trip to Israel, told hospital officials that he supports such research and reported about problems obtaining approval for state initiatives in New Jersey.
It's likely that he was referring to those Senators in his own party who vote against measures to fund stem cell research facilities. Senators such as Tom Kean Jr, who yesterday voted against $250 million in funding for stem cell research facilities:
All 10 no votes yesterday came from Republicans, including Sen. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union), a U.S. Senate candidate.
This debate will probably continue for months, but one wonders if they'll be able to find a middle ground. With Tom Kean Jr supporting $350 million in funding for stem cell research facilities, and Tom Kean Jr's opposition to a smaller plan providing only $250 million in funds, it will be an interesting debate to watch. And that's what politics is all about: two sides, with seemingly irreconcilable positions, pandering there way to a solution. Stay tuned.
Methinks a Flim-Flam artist walks amongst us.
