got a b.s. "Menendez is anti-Italian-American" postcard in the mail...did you? archived

First of all, I am no Menendez lover...I think once again New Jerseyans are left to pick a lesser of two evils than a better of two candidates. I am not sure my household was targeted/selected because of my last name or not, but the "Filangieri Society For Justice and Good Government" with an address in Monmouth Beach, NJ, sent out a mailer that "Bob Menendez BETRAYED His Italian-American Constituents" because he voted against Sam Alito and therefore opposed every major Italian-American organization in New Jersey. It goes on to explain that 20% of all New Jerseyans are Italian-American and Sam Alito was deserving of Menendez's support and since he didnt get it, it was anti Italian-American and we should vote for Tom Kean. I wonder how they feel about "The Sopranos".

With an election with a lot of people on the fence, I hope a mailing like this will do as much damage as it might do good. Maybe the pro-Italian-American group has slurred its own target market by assuming they arent bright enough to interpret this mailer as a pile of warm crap. As someone with some Italian roots, I am offended.

My kids noticed the postcard on the table and said how ridiculous it was...I hope more people who receive this feel the same way.

"This coming fall, we will remind Italian-Americans in Rhode Island and New Jersey that their senators failed to support a highly qualified Italian-American for the Supreme Court and to voice their displeasure at the ballot box.''

Since when should someone be given favoritism solely because of their nationality? As an Italian, this is complete stupidity. Because I share a nationality with him doesn't mean I should blindly support him for whatever he does. He probably doesn't even know much about his own culture...

today, I got a b.s. "vote for Kean, a friend of NJ Italian-Americans" recorded phone message, from political and entertainment powerhouse, Joe Piscopo. He said, "my party is no supporter of Italian-Americans in New Jersey so Im voting for Tom Kean". Oh, Im so torn now! Freakin' Joe Piscopo called me! I wonder how much Joe is getting paid for the gig...maybe Paulie Walnuts will call next.

Every mailer should contain a copy of the "badda-bing" commercial that the Kean campaign ran.

Wow, Joe Piscopo? THE Joe Piscopo? Oh yea, its not 1985 so I guess he doesn't matter anymore. Geez how desperate can they get. I guess Frankie Valli and Jon Bon Jovi didn't return the GOP's calls, huh?

I received a call from Topo Gigio stating that Mendendez was no friend of Italians or for that matter rodents.

Did Topo ask you to kiss him good night?

They want a NJ celebrity and all they can get is Joe Piscopo? We've got Springsteen.

If I vote for Kean does that make me anti-Hispanic? Is anyone who doesn't like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg an antisemite?

Posted By: LOSTIf I vote for Kean does that make me anti-Hispanic? Is anyone who doesn't like Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg an antisemite?

But of course. Keep it simple; know the drill.

I cannot friggin' believe how desperate the Republicans have become. It's actually very sad -- first they nominate an inarticulate, spoiled man-child of a famous father (sound like any other GOP pol you know?) and then they sink to this level. Kean is stupid, but whoever thought up this tactic is even stupider.

Posted By: tom

They want a NJ celebrity and all they can get is Joe Piscopo? We've got Springsteen.

Oh, yeah! :swingin: And his Italian mom, too!

Found the annoying message from Joe Piscopo on our answering machine when we got home last night. Nice to hear that he's continuing to encourage the "I'm from Joisey/Oh yeah, what exit?" image of our state.

You can "talk back", sort of, if you visit his website (http://www.joepiscopo.com/contact.html). Sure, it's a useless and unproductive waste of time, but then again, so are the phone calls.

Restraining orders in Piscopo divorce
Well, he'll have the wife beater vote!


Newscom

August 30, 2006

A New Jersey judge issued restraining orders against comic Joe Piscopo and his wife Kimberly after the divorcing couple both alleged domestic abuse.

The New York Daily News reported that Hunterdon County Family Court Judge Roger Mahon granted temporary restraining orders against both Piscopo and his wife Monday, after both appeared in his court claiming the other was guilty of domestic abuse.
Since Kimberly first filed for divorce from the Saturday Night Live alum on July 10, the couple and their children continued to live together in their home but both allege that last weekend the other got abusive to the point they each worry for the children's safety.
The couple met when Kimberly acted as nanny to Piscopo's son from his first marriage, They married in 1997 and have had three children of their own.
The paper said that in addition to granting the couple restraining orders, Mahon also ordered that Kimberly's father must move out of the family's home. The 5-foot-5 model reportedly had asked him to move in to protect her from her bodybuilder husband.

This has all the makings of an internecine war now...Mario Cuomo called me today to tell me Bob Menendez is a friend of Italian-Americans. He didnt give specifics as to why Menendez is a friend of Italian-Americans but he didnt give any embarrassing reasons either. I suppose if I had to choose one Italian-American mind over the other, Mario Cuomo would be like the American basketball Dream Team 1 tipping off against Joe Piscopo's Angola.

I got a call from Mario Andretti about an hour ago (or at least a recording of him) telling me what a great friend Kean is of Italian Americans. From the same group. This is getting ridiculous.

Topo called and asked for a kiss goodnight. Oddly enough, so did the Reverend Haggard.

I'd rather kiss the rodent.

:rolling::rolling::rolling:

and how is this any different from Menendez's postcard I received stating Republicans is are evil SOBs who have suppressed the minority vote for the last 20 years?

Well, I didn't receive it, but the previous occupant of my house who happened to be Black...

Enough said about that...

-SLK

SLK- That's what politicians do during election time....they target specific audiences with issues that may directly effect them....what is funny about this postcard is that Menendez is automatically catergorized as anti-Italian because he did not feel an Italian-American candidate was suitable for the Supreme Court...

"Menendez's postcard I received stating Republicans is are evil SOBs who have suppressed the minority vote for the last 20 years?"

Well, first of all Menendez probably has a proofreader so it didn't say "Republicans is" anything. Secondly, I doubt it said Republicans "are evil SOBs". Third, Republicans have suppressed the minority vote, but its for more like 150 years and not 20. I wish you hadn't gotten that postcard, the money could have been used on someone who didn't have their mind made up already. Oh well.

Isn't it an insult to Italian Americans for any politician to appeal to them by saying he is pro-Italian or his opponent is anti-Italian? And what could that possibly mean? What issue appeals to Italians as Italians?

You can court the Jewish vote by talking about Israel. You can probably court the Hispanic vote by talking about Immigration reform. But how do you court the Italian vote?

that is exactly my point, LOST...I couldnt believe that they would make such a flimsy argument to Italian-Americans (of which I guess I am half an Italian-American). It was insulting.

Now, Id have really been ticked off if the piece promised Kean would make NJ Transit run on time.

westside-

Oh, so now it is 150 years of minority vote suppression? God, it keeps growing and growing, and I am sure the Southern Democrats did no such thing....becuase you see it is impossible for Dems to be racists....yadayadayada...

other than my request to you to provide PROOF to your claims, it is pointless to discuss this with you.

I would have more respect for you if you weren't so blatantly biased in your views. In other words, put the left wing dictionary away turn Bill Maher off and start thinking for yourself.

-SLK

BTW, are you trying to say you were considering voting for Kean? Ummmm, right....

Not that the discussion matters now, since the election is over, but ...

FYI - The NJ Republican Party is under the oversight of a Federal Order, prohibiting racially-targeted voter suppression tactics which had been used in past state elections.

In other words, someone still has to keep an eye on them.

These posts are very funny.

And at first I thought I was reading above that it was Joe Pesce calling. I definitely need another cup of coffee.

I should have said "conservative" vote suppression, but if I have to provide you documentation to prove poll taxes, literacy tests, etc. were a big factor in voter suppression then you're really hopeless.

If you want a more recent example, just look at the Allen campaign calling people in minority districts telling them their polling place changed. Get your head out of the sand.... or wherever it is.

wetside, but... but.. but.. show PROOF that it was Allen's campaign called those people. Sure, I'm sure there are some bad apples, but PROVE that Allen knew about it and approved it. You can't, so it's a moot point. Besides, I know for a fact that Democrats have killed people who have tried to vote Republican. And you know what? That means it's now OK for Republicans to kill people who want to vote Democrat. Because, well, the Democrats did it too, dammit!!!

Yea, rastro, you're right and besides John Kerry said something about the troops that taken out of context could be a slur, and Robert Byrd was in the KKK, so how can we POSSIBLY point the finger at something that Republicans do?:tongue::wink:

Joe Piscopo's endorsement just wasn't enough to change my vote. :bigsmile:

Now if Julius LaRosa had called endorsing Kean, I think I would have voted for Kean.