New York, NY —
Corzine: I hope you?ll get out on November 7 and help me take that message to the congress, make sure we protect it going forward ?applause?yeah labor!Like most candidates days, John Corzine?s starts not long after sunrise, as at this rally in Jersey City, where he picked up the endorsement of the union represesnting State Workers. Then its on to the Parsippany Hills High School, where he speaks to students with the soon to be senior Senator of New Jersey, Robert Toricelli. In a moment of candor, Mr. Corzine lets on that these final days are tense, indeed.
Corzine: It is a nerve-wracking period of time, I?ve actually never been in a crucible of tension that?s quite like running up to see if the voters of new jersey have identified with the issues that I?ve put forward.
He?s for universal health care, universal pre-kindergarten, and a prescription drug benefit under Medicare, and college education?
Corzine: I find it mystifying that a society as well off as we are in total doesn?t believe we ought to make investments the way I used to invest in business and expect there will be dividends.
The democratic nominee is also in favor a pro-choice supreme court and licensing of gun owners and registration of individual guns, a position, as on many issues, that puts him to the left of Al Gore. But Mr. Corzine believes they will boost his standing with women in New Jersey.
Corzine: I?m proud to stand here with Senator Bradley and I?m proud of the support I?ve got from the million moms and I?ll tell you there? snothing better than a million moms supporting you on anything.
Mr. Corzine?s third stop of the day ? and it?s only 12:30 ? is at a rally for the Million Mom March organization in Morris County, where he accepts the endorsement of former New Jersey U.S. Senator Bill Bradley. One member of the audience stands up to say that she thinks Mr. Franks has a pretty good record on gun control, for a Republican, but Mr. Bradley is ready with a retort.
Bradley: When you?re in the united states senate there are all these subtle pressure that me to bear to have you pull back just a little bit and when you pull back just a little bit, the other size wins I think john corzine will never pull back when it comes to gun control
Two days later, breakfasting in the Empire Diner on Route 46, just a few miles from where Mr. Corzine met the moms, Congressman Franks defends his record.
Franks: 08 people simply need to look at my record, on every major issue I?ve taken my lead not from the republican leadership but from the people of new jersey
Mr. Franks says he?s one of 25 republicans, who voted for President Clinton's crime bill because of the assault weapons ban. He supported trigger locks legislation, and a ban on the gun-show loophole.
Franks: 9Its? not just on gun control on the minimum wage..when it came to hmo reform, I supported the real patients bill of rights?that allows you to sue your insurance company?on cf reform, many republian leaders enemies..i?ve been an original co-sponsor?
Mr. Franks says he?s the one whose ideas are in tune with New Jerseyans ? but his policies won?t break the bank. It?s been very hard for him to get that message across. Trailing in the polls, he?s been short of funds, and party support has been patchy. New Jersey doesn?t have its own broadcast television stations, forcing candidates to buy ads in the expensive New York and Philadelphia media markets, sending Mr. Franks out to search for voter in diner after diner.
16 hi folks have I said hello to you guys hello again! Hi folks I?m bob franks I?m running for the United States senate?.
An hour later, he?s in Morristown, walking the streets, going from department store to Starbucks.
21: Entering starbucks I?m bob franks?hi how you doing guys, tom gelubeck nice to meet you ?
After Mr. Franks goes on his way Mr. Gelubeck confesses he?s among the large number of undecided voters in this state.
22: Well, for the president, I?m definitely going to be voting for al gore I like al gore it?s not that I don?t? like george bush between bob franks and I got to think of theother gentleman?s name..corzine?corzine?I?m undecided I?m probably going to be making a decision at the last minute.
So far, Mr. Gelubuck says, he?s heard a lot of negative information about both candidates.
23 Mr. Franks is out to slash medicare and you hear that mr. Corzine has all these millions of dollars?you have to try and read through mr. Franks has parents?the other gentleman mr. Corzine is not out to buy the election.
Bernstein: 25t he New York times endorsed Mr. Franks, do you think that would influence your decision? Gelubeck: I wasn?t aware of that?it defintely would..It?s a paper I have respect for..
Franks:: I just literally opened the paper on Wednesday morning and it said bob franks for senate?
Last week, Mr. Franks picked up the endorsements of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the New York Times. The same day, a Quinnipiac College poll showed Mr. Franks within striking distance of Mr. Corzine. A day after that, the National Republican Party, which had been sitting out the New Jersey race, decided to pump $600,000 into Mr. Franks campaign, and local republican leaders were jubilant.
Official: 53 you know we had these expressions back in the early 80?s franks on a role we?ve been waiting a long time to use it, finally we can use it! Applause
Franks: 5 and I want to inaugurate this bus tour with a line that I?ve delivered about 163 times over the last five months ladies and gentlemen my name is bob franks and I?m the candidate for the u.s. senate with the experience and the values that money can?t buy applause, go bob go?music let run under me.
The odds against Mr. Franks are long. Mr. Corzine is still leading in all the polls, and a recent New York Times poll showed most voters don?t object to his lavish spending. In the noise generated by the end of the presidential race, it may be hard for Mr. Franks to get his message out. But New Jersey is a state where voters decide late, and observers who had once placed this race solidly in the Democratic column are taking a second look.
For WNYC, I?m Andrea Bernstein in Somerville, New Jersey.