Watertown Daily Times endorses Owens:Scozzafava Endorsing Dem?

[cal04]

A changed race
Owens is best-equipped to represent NNY
http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20091101/OPINION01/311019918/-1/OPINION

Dierdre K. Scozzafava's decision to suspend her campaign for the 23rd Congressional District seat is a shocking development in what had already been an extraordinary race.

In her statement Saturday morning, the assemblywoman explained the reasons behind her decision: "It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so."

During the day Saturday, she began to quietly and thoughtfully encourage her supporters to vote for Democrat William L. Owens.

Ms. Scozzafava finished a distant third in the latest Siena Research Institute poll with 20 percent support of likely voters. Her opponents, Mr. Owens and Conservative Douglas L. Hoffman, garnered 36 percent and 35 percent respectively.


Scozzafava Endorsing Dem?
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/11/scozzafava_endorsing_dem.php?ref=fpblg
The Times itself didn't leave much room for doubt about its views. The strongest line: "It is frightening that Mr. Hoffman is so beholden to right-wing ideologues who dismiss Northern New Yorkers as parochial when people here simply want to know how Mr. Hoffman will protect their interests in Washington."

[joeycola]

1. Dede was/is very much a social moderate.......

................Scozzafava took a beating for overher support for gay rights and abortion rights and her sympathy woth organized labor................

[KharmaTrain]

2. How Can This Not Help Owens?

The only way is that every Scozzafava vote were to either go to Hoffman or stay home...and that seems unlikely. The race will be close, but Owens should pick up a fair number of moderates who see Hoffman as both a carpetbagger and teabagger.

While I won't bet the rent on this race, I think Scozzafava's move wasn't as much to "unite" the rushpublicans (if so she would have endorsed Hoffman) but to give a little help, quietly, to Owens.

[imdjh]

3. I love that name. There are 100's of people named Scozzafava in the US, and I never heard it...

... until a couple of days ago. Superpages shows over 300 listings for Scozzafava.