What's the Truth?
Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

It is often said that the first casualty in a political campaign is the truth. That expression has never been more accurate than in the increasingly nasty and down in the gutter Republican Gubernatorial Primary. I have known and interviewed the two combatants (candidates), former congressman Bob Franks and Jersey City mayor Bret Schundler, over many years. Both of them are honorable men with distinguished public records. They are smart, articulate and engaging. But you wouldn't know that from this campaign. Both Franks and Schundler have gone out of their way to demonize each other with ugly, sometime scurrilous attacks. These attacks have not only been on issues but have gone to the integrity, honesty and character of the candidates.

A few examples; Schundler's campaign material charges, "Liberal Bob Franks voted with Jim Florio 90% of the time." This is a reference to Bob Franks' days in the State Assembly when Jim Florio was governor. I'm not sure what criteria Bret Schundler is using to define the word 'liberal,' but Bob Franks is no liberal. Further, Franks was one of Jim Florio's most vocal critics both during and after Florio's tenure. To try to tie Franks to Florio is a weak and unsubstantiated charge.

Not to be outdone, a Bob Franks campaign brochure claims, "Bret $chundler wants to be your governor! Hold on to your wallets!" In that same brochure, Schundler is lampooned as some sort of pickpocket trying to reach into a woman's wallet. We deserve better from Bob Franks who is more than capable of engaging in a meaningful dialogue and debate with his opponent. To characterized Schundler as a pickpocket even in fun is beneath Bob Franks. Further, using a dollar sign as a substitute for 'S' is immature.

And consider this. A current Schundler piece depicts Bob Franks as Pinocchio. Schundler's creative media-types have given Franks a long nose which states, "Oh, no. It looks like Bob Franks has been talking about Bret Schundler's record again." Sure the cartoon is catchy, but it is also demeaning not just to Franks but to Bret Schundler who has often told me that he went into politics to make a difference, elevate the dialogue and help inform voters. Again, we deserve better from Bret Schundler.

Like I said, it is very difficult to decipher truth in campaigns such as this. Bob Franks charges that Bret Schundler has raised property taxes in Jersey City by 79% as mayor. Fact is, taxes have gone up in Jersey City only 9% since Schundler took office back in 1992. What Franks alleges just is not true, but how would voters know that? Not to be outdone, Schundler, again calling his opponent "liberal," says that Bob Franks opposed President George Bush's tax cut. The reality is, while Bob Franks smartly opposed the President's $1.6 trillion tax cut, he has been supportive of the compromise $1.3 trillion tax cut which was recently signed into law. Lots of Republicans, not liberals, opposed President Bush's larger cut because they simply felt we as a nation could not afford it and that some money should be used to pay down on the federal debt. Franks still supported a massive tax cut for millions of Americans. How is that liberal?

What bothers me about all this is that it is rare that voters have the opportunity to select between two such thoughtful candidates. Both Schundler and Franks are attempting to connect with hardcore conservative Republicans who are likely to vote in the June 26th primary. Both candidates are better than their campaigns have shown to date but there is no reason to believe that they will elevate this nasty discourse any time soon. The problem is particularly significant for Franks who is the favorite to win this race and get the opportunity to face the soon to be Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim McGreevey.

If Franks does indeed win on the 26th, I firmly believe that this campaign will have hurt him. What people especially liked about Bob Franks in last year's US Senate campaign was the way he conducted himself as a gentleman and worthy adversary of multi-millionaire Jon Corzine. Portraying your opponent as a pickpocket who reaches into women's wallets for their money is not consistent with that public image. Some say that Bret Schundler doesn't have much to lose. I don't buy it. The fact is, he is a very young man who at 43 will still have the opportunity to run for statewide office in the future. While his campaign handlers may think that doing a cartoon of Bob Franks as Pinocchio is funny, it will do nothing to help Schundler make the case that he is a different type of politician who respects voters enough not to pander them or appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Bottom line? The Franks / Schundler campaign is another in a long line of disappointing races that only alienates voters and lowers our opinion of politicians. Maybe I'm naïve, but I thought this one would be different. What do you think?

Steve Adubato, Ph.D. is a commentator, lecturer and former state legislator. Dr. Adubato is also an Emmy Award-winning television anchor and syndicated columnist.
He can be reached by fax (973) 509-1659 or e-mail him at sadubato@aol.com.

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