Is Vito Fossella Plotting 11th-Hour Comeback?
The already topsy-turvy race for New York's 13th Congressional District could get even crazier. According to the New York Daily News, incumbent Rep. Vito Fossella, who was forced into retirement by a series of personal scandals, may be trying to maneuver his way back on to the ballot.
Furthermore, district residents have received polling calls from persons unknown, asking them about the possibility of a Fossella comeback.
Former Rep. Guy Molinari, an elder statesman of the Staten Island GOP, told Election Central that friends of his have gotten these calls. "They asked about the impact of his being arrested of driving while intoxicated, would that -- they asked about the affair he had, would that change your voting," Molinari said.
It's unclear exactly what impact this would have on Dem efforts to pick up this usually-Republican district. Democratic nominee Mike McMahon is favored to defeat Republican Robert Straniere -- but it's simply an unknown as to whether Fossella would be much of an improvement over Straniere.
Fossella's office gave a statement to The Hill that did not quite rule out the possibility of a return to politics this year: "I am deeply humbled by the outpouring of support that I have received from people throughout the district through these difficult times, but I am not a candidate for Congress."
The biggest obstacle here is New York's ballot law -- replacing a nominee is nearly impossible, and can only be done if the old nominee died, moved out of state, or was suddenly nominated for a judgeship. Of course, it's worth noting that both GOP nominee Robert Straniere and Conservative Paul Atanasio are lawyers, and could potentially be nominated for a judgeship if the party really wanted to play musical chairs.















If you have ever spent any time on Staten Island (Which I call "The Rock") then you will know this is entirely possible.
September 16, 2008 12:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Having grown up on Staten Island myself, I wouldn't even be surprised if Fossella gets re-elected. It's weird being a red borough in a blue city.
September 16, 2008 12:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great Article-
One of Them and One of Us
by Pat Buchanan
One wonders: What did Sarah Palin ever do to inspire the rage and bile that exploded on her selection by John McCain? What is there either in this woman’s record or resume to elicit such feline ferocity?
What did we know of her when she was introduced?
That she was a mother of five who had brought into this world a baby boy with Down syndrome, thus living her Christian beliefs. That she was a small-town conservative who had risen from mayor of Wasilla (Pop. 9,700) to be governor of a state twice the size of Texas.
That she was a reformer who had dethroned an Old Boys’ Network by dumping a sitting Republican governor. That she had taken on Big Oil, taxed the companies and returned the money in $1,200 checks to every citizen of Alaska. And that she had cut a deal with Canada to build a pipeline to bring natural gas to her fellow Americans.
And, oh, yes. She was “Sarah Barracuda” — a fierce high school athlete, a runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, a Feminist for Life and lifetime member of the NRA. Introduced by McCain, she praised Hillary Clinton and pledged to finish her work by smashing through the glass ceiling in which Hillary had made 18 million cracks.
What, in any or all of this, is there to justify the feral attacks within minutes of her introduction? What had she done to cause this outburst? Answer: absolutely nothing.
No. Sarah Palin is not resented for what she has done, but for who she is: a Christian conservative who believes unborn children are gifts of God, even those with birth defects, and have a God-given right to life.
Normally, the press is reluctant to rummage into the private lives of public servants, unless their conduct affects their duties or they preach virtues they hypocritically do not practice.
Yet, no sooner was Palin introduced, than the media went berserk over the news that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant. As one in three births in America is out-of-wedlock and Hollywood celebrates this lifestyle, why did The New York Times and The Washington Post splash this “news” on page one above the fold?
How does Bristol Palin’s pregnancy disqualify Sarah Palin to be vice president? Why is it even relevant?
They did it because they thought it would damage Sarah Palin in the eyes of a Christian community they do not comprehend.
So out of bounds was the media that Obama, in an act of decency, declared Palin’s family off limits and reminded the media that he was himself born to a teenage single mom.
If one would wish to see the famous liberal double standard on naked display, consider.
Palin’s daughter was fair game for a media that refused to look into reports that John Edwards, a Democratic candidate for president, was conducting an illicit affair with a woman said to be carrying his child and cheating on his faithful wife Elizabeth, who has incurable cancer. That was not a legitimate story, but Bristol Palin’s pregnancy is?
Why did the selection of Sarah Palin cause a suspension of all standards and a near riot among a media that has been so in the tank for Barack even “Saturday Night Live” has satirized the infatuation?
Because she is one of us — and he is one of them.
Barack and Michelle are affirmative action, Princeton, Columbia, Harvard Law. She is public schools and Idaho State. Barack was a Saul Alinsky social worker who rustled up food stamps. Sarah Palin kills her own food.
Michelle has a $300,000-a-year sinecure doing PR for a Chicago hospital. Todd Palin is a union steelworker who augments his income working vacations on the North Slope. Sarah has always been proud to be an American. Michelle was never proud of America — until Barack started winning.
Barack has zero experience as an executive. Sarah ran her own fishing fleet, was mayor for six years and runs the largest state in the union. She belongs to a mainstream Christian church. Barack was, for 15 years, a parishioner at Trinity United and had his daughters baptized by Pastor Jeremiah Wright, whose sermons are saturated in black-power, anti-white racism and anti-Americanism.
Sarah is a rebel. Obama has been a go-along, get-along cog in the Daley Machine. She is Middle America. Barack, behind closed doors in San Francisco, mocked Middle Americans as folks left behind by the global economy who cling bitterly to their Bibles, bigotries and guns.
Barack has zero foreign policy experience. Palin runs a state that is home to anti-missile, missile and air defense bases facing the Far East, commands the Alaska National Guard and has a soldier-son heading for Iraq.
Barack, says the National Journal, has the most left-wing voting record in the Senate, besting Socialist Bernie Sanders. Palin’s stances read as though they were lifted from Reagan’s 1980 “no pale pastels” platform. And this is what this media firestorm is all about.
September 16, 2008 1:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I know I don't stop by the comment areas often, but am I wrong in my opinion that this doesn't relate to the article about Vito "Family Man x2" Fossella above?
September 16, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
Unless Palin was part of one of Don Vito's families, I would have to agree with you. The comment seems grossly off-topic. I guess the imbecile didn't want to make it its own post so we could rip it apart. Better to hide it here and keep racking up points toward the McCain-Palin golf umbrella...
September 16, 2008 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dem BillC
The answer to Buchanan's question is hypocracy.
Plain and simple.
September 16, 2008 7:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
That and the Palin Bio is a complete fake, ran her own fishing fleet? Pat is drinking coolaid, by the gallon. She is not one of us even the education thing is fake, the afirmative action accusation if fake, but then again PAt Buchannan is a Holocaust appologist and raving anti semite/anti gay/ so called christian. not quite sure why he is given print/broadcast space
September 16, 2008 8:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Has anyone see this?
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/fundamentals_ad/
The best ad of the season so far!
September 16, 2008 8:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am a Staten Islander, I don't want Fossella back. Period.
"No way, No how, No [Mr. I-embrace-family-values-so-strongly-that-ONE-family-just-isn't-enough Fossella]."
September 16, 2008 8:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent. Strong, direct, and short enough for even the most inattentive CP.
September 16, 2008 9:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
OOps...was in reply to the geha714 post., (also not related to the article, so I guess I am too rigid here about posting to the article.)
September 16, 2008 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
The lawyers and judgeship thingie is a red herring . . . It is more likely that one person vacating the ticket will pull an Ann Coulter and move OR take a dirt-nap. Tony Soprano was a Bush43 fan . . . AND RICO statues would apply to the Republican Party in a heartbeat.
September 16, 2008 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here am I, your special island...come away, come away.
September 16, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Staten Island girl here, and this is just a desperation move because of the signs for McMahon up even in the most GOP neighborhoods. Straniere has no shot. Fossella may do better, but will still lose. NY-13 is a lock :)
September 16, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink