Mullings A Political Cyber Column By Rich Galen

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Schundler's Wrest

Friday, June 29, 2001

Jersey City Mayor, Bret Schundler, easily won the Republican nomination for Governor the other night, defeating former Congressman Bob Franks 57-43. He will now face Jim McGreevey, the Mayor of Woodbridge, New Jersey.

Schundler is a conservative Republican who largely ignored social issues in the campaign and concentrated on the issues of taxes and auto insurance rates.

There is probably no State in which the tax issue has had the depth, breadth, and endurance as a most potent political issue as it has in New Jersey, going all the way back to the defeat of Democrat Jim Florio after one term as Governor in 1994.

Schundler, as Mayor of Jersey City, improved services and cut taxes. If you don't believe taxes are still an important issue, consider this: On Jim McGreevey's web site what do you think the first on-line poll is about? Taxes. Should the State Legislature send (as McGreevey now endorses) tax rebate checks immediately or wait until later in the year?

Notwithstanding McGreevey's new support for the issue, it will be very, very difficult for him to wrest the tax-cutter mantle from Schundler's shoulders. Schundler owns it, it is very powerful, and there will be no wresting.

After this tactical shift doesn't work, the Democrats will do what they always do: Try to portray Schundler - whose manner is very easygoing - as a right-wing extremist, espousing risky schemes, whose policies will negatively target African Americans. Another race-based campaign.

We could write the Democrats' campaign plan today and be 90% correct.

Schundler has made a living allowing himself to be underestimated. He is a very, very skilled campaigner who, given the size of his win this week, will probably be the next Governor of New Jersey.

Speaking of State Government, the New York State legislature passed, and Governor George Pataki yesterday signed into law, a prohibition against using a hand-held phone while driving.

I don't understand what about using a cell phone is so dangerous. First, some studies released a few weeks ago indicated more accidents are caused by people fiddling with their radios, cassettes or CD players than by people talking on their cell phones.

Second. Using cell phones adapted as speaker phones is permitted, which means the danger must have been driving with one hand. When does the law outlawing manual transmissions go into effect? And what about the really cool people like me who drive with one hand resting on the gear shift which is on the center console of the Mullmobile?

Third. If the danger is a loss of concentration, being on a speaker phone doesn't add to, or subtract from the level of concentration as opposed to holding the phone to one's ear. So that can't be it.

Fourth. It is difficult to make a call on a cell phone without actually punching the numbers into the key pad. Punching the numbers in the keypad when the phone is in its holder causes you to have to look down away from the road; way away from the road.

Boy, this IS a good law.

The NBA draft took place the other day. Some of the players are so young - three of the first four players taken are in high school - teams are now planning "Diaper Night" as a give-away.

NBA Commissioner, David Stern has proposed a rule requiring a player to be at least 20 years old before he is eligible for the draft.

This limit does not apply to baseball players, to Olympic gymnasts, to professional tennis players, to actors, or musicians. Young basketball players are being singled out.

Rather than punishing the few young men who have the skills to participate at that level in an attempt to make some vague social statement, the league should step up and sponsor community programs to help the eight million kids who play hoops and will NEVER make it to the NBA understand they have to prepare for a real life.

There is no age limit for composers, either. What was the name of that kid who wrote all those long songs when he was, like, six?

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