Democratic Menendez links opponent Kean to Bush

In 1982, Robert Menendez donned a bulletproof vest and testified against Union City mayor William Musto, helping convict Musto on charges of racketeering, extortion and fraud.

In the final few weeks before the 2006 midterm elections, Menendez, now New Jersey's Democratic junior senator, is pushing this story from his early career to defend his record on fighting corruption, while his opponent — Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. — alleges that he has become the "boss of Hudson County."

Menendez, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives before replacing New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine in the U.S. Senate in January, has consistently stressed the war in Iraq and healthcare as the real issues in this hotly contested campaign. He has also gone on the offensive against Kean, who he claims is too supportive of President Bush.

In an interview yesterday with The Daily Princetonian, Menendez said he seeks to bring about necessary change to the federal government.

"This election is about changing the direction of the country and about who will stand up to the President," Menendez said. "I stood up to him on the war in Iraq ... on transferring control of our ports to a foreign nation, Dubai ... [and] when he wanted to cut healthcare for New Jersey."

College students especially, Menendez said, should be active participants in the election and vote for him and his positions.

"I certainly believe that the war in Iraq is relevant to them, because if we continue the course that we are on and don't transition out of Iraq, I really believe that the administration may put us on a course where we have a draft versus a volunteer army," he said. "Also, one thing that college students don't often think about but need to is healthcare. When you're young, you think you're invincible, but if you have an illness it can dramatically change your whole life."

For college students to remain absent from the political stage, Menendez explained, "is to advocate [for] someone else to decide their futures."

Menendez also reiterated his stance on the war in Iraq — he did not vote for it and approves of a timeline for troop withdrawal — and laid out steps toward resolving the United States' involvement in the country.

First, he advocated transitioning out troops over the course of a year while finalizing the training and establishment of the Iraqi military and police. Then, the United States should send a message to the Iraqis that they need to compromise among themselves and form a stable, nonsectarian government without the assumption that the American military will always be present.

Finally, Menendez asserts that keeping a small contingent of troops in the region while creating an international summit to encourage other nations' participation will help create stability in the region and deter malicious actions by neighboring countries.

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) said in an interview with the 'Prince' that Menendez has been courageous on the issues that matter. "Both in the House and the Senate, he's been a critical vote and advocate for the kind of things that people in his state and my state believe in: job creation, not sending jobs overseas ... supporting campaign finance reform [and] protecting social security," he said.

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As the race remains close, commentators have noted increased stridency in the campaign. "I think basically his name is associated with a lot of corruption ads, a lot of bad commercials and advertisements," Katie Lawrence '08, who worked in Menendez's Washington, D.C., office this summer, said of his current status in the public eye. "Combating that is his biggest problem right now."

"I think people are tired of the personal attacks," Menendez said of the tone of the debate. "When I talk about my opponent, it's about the differences on issues. My opponent, however, since he's wrong on all the issues, focuses on the politics of distraction and the politics of smear. I regret where we are, but I always tell people ... my ads are about the issues."