In New Jersey, sympathy for Governor Corzine is mixed with resentment

NYT: In Wishing Corzine Well, Sympathy Is Mixed With Resentment
By WINNIE HU
Published: April 20, 2007

....as Mr. Corzine’s uncertain recovery stretches into weeks and possibly months, even some of his supporters in Hoboken, the Hudson River city he calls home, say they do not understand why he was violating both the speed limit and the state law requiring that he wear a seat belt.

Underpinning the outpouring of sympathy and well wishes, there was palpable anger and resentment among residents here and across the state over what they see as a serious lapse in judgment. Some said the accident has left New Jersey without its strongest champion in such pressing issues as crushing debt, flooding, school reform and legal challenges over civil unions....

***

A Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday, based on interviews last week both before and after the accident, showed virtually no change in the governor’s standing since a previous survey in February, with 51 percent of voters approving of how Mr. Corzine is handling his job, and 36 percent disapproving.

But in dozens of interviews across the state over the past two days, many residents expressed ambivalence about the turn of events.

There was worry over Mr. Corzine’s health, as well as tinges of frustration that for the fifth time in six years, New Jersey is in the hands of an unelected acting governor.

The concern over the state’s future leadership was mixed with annoyance at a perceived sense of entitlement by its leader.

These sentiments were echoed by voters young and old and largely cut across party lines to include Democrats as well as Republicans and independents....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/20/nyregion/20voices.html

and more money than you can count.

Are you privy to some inside info?

down in the southern part of the state!

i live 12 miles from where he crashed..and the speeds driven by all are in great excess of the speed limit!!

if you don't drive at least 85 you will be blown off the Parkway! just try driving 65 and you will be dead!

fly

it was Corzine's ridiculous decision not to wear his seat belt. I don't see how the accident wouldn't have happened even if Corzine's car was going 65, regardless, because the ding-a-ling driver in the red pickup thought he could turn into the safety lane and then immediately, without stopping, turn right back onto the Parkway into oncoming traffic.

Who thinks that he (and anyone not wearing a seat belt) should damn well have to pay his medical bills our of his own pocket? Why should the tax payers have to pick up an extra hundred grand or so because he thought he was above the law?

When people complain about having to be forced to wear a seat belt, here's what my proposal would be...Let them sign a waiver when they renew the driver's license. This waiver would force the "seat belt free applicant" to provide proof of a valide haelth insurance policy...That way we don't have to pick up the tab directly for someone's willfull ignorance.

folks they kill or maim?

How about the pain and anguish they'd cause those folks and their families?

It's not a health care issue.

The guy was STUPID not to be wearing a belt, and going WAY too fast and the public is ignorant by not demanding that the cops bust the assholes who are ALSO going way too fast.

I could never, ever, never, ever, never, ever ride in a car driven by someone else at 91 mph without putting on a seatbelt. Sorry, wouldn't happen. And this is coming from someone who has experienced 180 mph down rte. 5 in California. Yup, had a seatbelt.

because you express the sort of punitive, fault finding attitude that lies at the core of many of America's worst problems.

is a "the sort of punitive, fault finding attitude that lies at the core of many of America's worst problems", then I'll not only plead guilty but proudly so. Morons who cause injury and damage to others should be held accountable; there's nothing Progressive about not expecting adults to act like adults.

Having worked in medicine, I would guess the first 10 days cost atleast 300 K. Amd, depending on how things go medically/surgically after that, it can only go up.

However NJ needs him back. Unlike the drug dealers who shoot each other up and get equally good care.

with a heavy SUV going 91 mph down the road. Why were they in a high-speed that was dangerous to others on the road?

these type vehicles just weren't meant to be driven at those speeds. If he was in a crown vic or an ordinary state police cruiser the accident could have been avoided.

Ever go 90 in a Suburban? Its hard to even stay on the road under the best of circumstances.

It definitely shows a serious hubris and lack of judgement.

I can't leave the state trooper driving out of that equation, however. Doesn't matter who is in the passenger seat, you simply don't start the car until everyone is buckled up. It's the law, after all -- even the gov. is not immune from that.

They weren't just speeding to go with the flow of traffic. They had their emergency lights flashing so they could go past other drivers and have the drivers yield the right of way.

at high speeds is pretty, well, non-cautious. "Hey... look out for me!" And the fact that this high-speed trip was being done for an appointment in the Imus issue? Not exactly urgent state-related business, wouldn't you say?

I'm sorry about Gov. Corzine having to fight for his life, but this whole affair troubles me on many levels.

My point was that it's outrageous that they were going 90 and had their emergency lights on for something like this.

to get out of the way.

:headbang:
rocknation

Who among us hasn't bowed down in awe, tugging furiously at his or her forelocks, as one of the Great Ones sped by?

Such power! Such magnificence! Such reckless abandon!

Living in Washington wouldn't have been the same without it.

For those of you who don't remember, Derrick Thomas was an all-pro defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1990s. He was one of two passengers in a car that was being driven by a third person to the airport in winter. The car hit an icy patch and skidded off the road. The driver was okay, because she was wearing her seat belt. The other passenger died that day. Thomas, a world class athlete, was severely injured, but survived for a couple of months before finally succumbing to the injuries he sustained. He, too, wasn't wearing his seat belt.

Buckle up, people. Please.

It is sad.

and certainly deserves getting some scrutiny for his decisions. We all wish him well, if only to read his beads.

What is sad is that he is suppose to be an example as a public figure. How many rebels out there will now hold him up as an excuse for their speeding or lack of seatbelts?

Esp. when the State of NJ spends a lot of money to remind people to wear their seatbelts and posting speed limit signs that should be obeyed. I don't live in NJ, but I've driven through there a lot and seen a lot of crazy driving going on in general.

People , please! I try to remember to buckle up but many times as a passenger, I have forgotten.As a driver, I have risked my life to buckle upin an intersection! How dumb is that? Cut the Gov a little slack. None of us are perfect.

category as the Governor, be our guest. But don't presume that any of us would not put a seat belt on at 91 mph. I most certainly would. Also, you are not going to be held up as an example to the community like the Governor is, so no slack will be given.

My dad was an orthopaedic surgeon who operated on all those people who weren't wearing their seatbelts. :(
It was a rule: seatbelts on before the car would move. We were also not allowed to ride motorcycles, jump on trampolines or ride in go-karts.

And two of them are now driving. They're the first people in the car to remind everyone to put on their seatbelts when they're behind the wheel.

They did learn from me that the car would not move unless everyone was buckled in. Their HS drivers ed class also drove home (pun sort of intended) that education as well.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

no matter what the speed, no matter who's driving, no matter where I am. The second after I start the engine, I buckle my seatbelt. It's not so difficult, and it can truly save your life.

We did't go as fast, and there were fewer cars on the road... but the IDEA of seatbelts anywhere except in an airplane would have sounded really silly.

None of us are perfect.
However, none of us (or not many of us) are elected officials.

No, the governor does not get slack.
He's the highest authority in the state.
He was breaking one law, and riding in a car with a driver who was breaking another.
How in the world can New Jersey uphold seat belt and speeding laws when the very governor does not follow them?

He gets sympathy for his injuries.
His family gets our hopes and prayers.
And he gets our wishes for a speedy recovery.

But no, he does not get slack.

would be like forgetting to put your clothing on before you left for work in the morning. to many of us. Putting the safety belt on is just automatic anymore. And, I for one would feel naked without it.

Having said that, I do agree that there's no point piling on the governor.

also make a statement about the speeding, although I think many government officials abuse this in their use of police escorts etc.

to us in the Garden State.

Not that I'm complaining - it's just the chip on our shoulders is part of what makes us from Jersey.

(Gotta problem with that, bub?) ;)

Recipe for disaster. And I don't really care WHAT stretch of road it was or how fast everyone else goes, 91 is too fast --especially for a big-ass SUV. I say that as someone who has, on several occasions, driven well in excess of 100 ...

I guess he was really in a hurry to get to that Imus/Rutgers meeting.

Another senseless victim of Imus' racism!

Bake

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1176611640205100.xml&coll=1

A night of high-stakes drama
Phone call from the wreckage throws trusted aide into desperate scramble

The driver, state trooper Robert Rasinski, 34, was bruised and shaken but did not appear to be seriously hurt.


:wtf: A State Trooper was driving, and didn't demand that the gov. wear his seatbelt???

That trooper needs to be reprimanded by his boss. It doesn't matter WHO was a passenger in the car, the trooper KNOWS better...those guys are always seeing the results of accidents where seat belts are not worn, and they are the accidents where folks are gruesomely torn apart.

sheesh!

:kick::kick::kick:

required viewing for anyone who has to receive their drivers license.

After watching that movie, nobody will ever NOT put their seatbelt on again.

which is WHY you wear a seat belt -- inertia means the car stops and you keep going at the same speed you were before the crash -- then how is he smart enough to be Governor of New Jersey?
:wtf:
:wtf:


I have never NOT worn a seat belt. I was in a head on crash, by a hit and run driver who crossed two or three lanes in a four lane street, in 1977 in my first car, a little Subaru, and I had a lap and shoulder belt on. My glasses flew off, I banged my knees on the hang down air conditioner, banged my tummy on the bottom of the steering wheel, got a concussion on the left side of my head from hitting the top left side of the headliner, got a twisted ankle from being thrown around in place, and got bruised all over. I spent a month in bed.

I was hit by a drunk in a Ford LTD, big car. He slid into the ditch and sped off down a side street. A cop saw the whole thing, chased him down and "wheeled" him (Identified him as the driver).

I have no doubt that I would have been dead at age 22 and gone straight thru the windshield.

jeez.

As president of the Senate he's had to step in two times now when New Jersey governors do something stupid.

The first of course was when McGreevey had to resign in disgrace after it was discovered that he'd wrangled his male lover a six figure salary as be head of homeland security. He did a very good job and is extremely well loved. He probably would have won if he'd run as governor but Corzine had money to burn and Codey chose not to challenge him. He also did not want to run for Corzine's senate seat for the sake of his family--besides, his heart's in Trenton.

Now not only does Corzine get himself wracked up in a car crash but shortly after Codey took charge, the state gets hit with a nor'easter that put large portions of the Raritan valley underwater.

Some people just can't catch a break. Well at any rate, New Jersey's in good hands.

He first served as acting governor for about a week right after Christie Whitman resigned (two other state senators are took turns as acting governor during this time).

Codey had a chance to run in 2005, but was muscled out by Corzine's fundraising. Codey is to NJ as what Gerald Ford was to the country post-Watergate: an average Joe who didn't try to do things out of ego. Codey would have an easy time winning, and he left office with an approval rating in the 60's (or at least high 50's).

I'd love to see him get it for real.

have sympathy for him. Get well, Governor Corzine and show them what a tough dude you are.

I really am. There's a great post about him at MyDD by Stoller. He sounds like a very good man.

harping on someone like Guv Corzine when he's fighting for his health.

Yeah, he did something way stupid but I wouldn't rag on a loved one for it so why would I do it on a loveable Dem?

I'm sure he's going to be his own worst critic when he's able to get through this and address the citizens of New Jersey.

that he left the Senate, but I hate that this happened to him. I know people who know him, and he is a great guy. I'm about to post another article (unless it's a dupe) about how tough his rehab will be. I'm not trying to make statements. As with most of my posts, I'm just posting articles I think might be of interest here.

If Corzine had been killed, there would have been none of this carping. Only because he survived, he becomes a target.

He should've been. That is a misdemeanor, I think.

To expect our leaders to be perfect and never commit even a minor offense is unrealistic.

Having said that, I'll say that seems to me that some men just don't wear seat belts. Must be a guy thing.

scattering the peasants in the way so that he could meet with Imus. Some animals are more equal than others, I guess.

That the Governor is hurt and hope for the best for him. Having dealt with a previous Governor here who used his official car, with lights and CHP escort to go everywhere as if a minor lord I just detest imperial behavior by any public servant. I apologize if I offended anyone as I truly hope for the best for him, as we all do.

It is the law that if a vehicle with flashing lights comes up behind you, you have to pull to the extreme right and stop. The lights are not just a warning to drive carefully while you are passed.

What gives the Governor the right to demand that the ordinary citizens of the state pull over and stop while he goes by, just because he's on a hurry to get to his next photo op?