June 03, 2005

Schundler claims Forrester avoids one-on-one talks

By PETE McALEER Statehouse Bureau, (609) 292-4935

Bret Schundler and Doug Forrester, the two favorites to win the Republican gubernatorial primary, will be in the same place this morning, but don't expect them to share the same stage.

Forrester plans to show up late this morning for a forum sponsored by the Garden State Coalition of Schools. The organizer of the event said plans were to have the two front-runners take questions from the audience at the same time.

"We're trying to accommodate both candidates as best we can within their constraints," said Lynne Strickland, the group's executive director. "We had hoped for a one-on-one question-and-answer session."

Schundler campaign spokesman Bill Pascoe accused Forrester, whose lead in the polls expanded this week, of avoiding a head-to-head confrontation. Three years ago, Forrester laid a similar accusation against U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, accusing the senator of avoiding a debate in the final weeks of the Senate campaign.

"The irony is mind-boggling," Pascoe said.

Forrester spokeswoman Sherry Sylvester said Forrester tried to fit the event into his schedule as best he could. She noted that Forrester has attended 46 forums involving all seven candidates and met with Schundler for two one-on-one events. One was an Associated Press event closed to the public. The other was a New York-based morning radio show.

"Doug will talk with anybody in New Jersey, including Bret Schundler, about property taxes and public policy," Sylvester said. "And he has. We have debated from High Point to Cape May."

Last week, Forrester ratcheted up the campaign with two television ads that slammed Schundler's record as mayor of Jersey City. Pascoe claims the ad is littered with false charges that Forrester does not want to defend in a one-on-one setting.

"Doug Forrester should be embarrassed that he had to be shamed into keeping a commitment with the Garden State Coalition of Schools," he said.

Strickland confirmed that earlier this week the Forrester campaign sent word it would not attend the forum at all and then changed to commit to arriving later in the event.

"We look forward to a conversation that has substance and a strong focus on education issues," Strickland said.

The Schundler campaign also tried to get Forrester to agree to a one-on-one debate on New Jersey Network. Sylvester said the offer was made a few days ago and Forrester's schedule is booked until Election Day.

Meanwhile, the Schundler campaign mulls whether to run its first negative ad against Forrester this weekend. The campaign's Web site offered four sample ads Thursday -three of them sharply criticizing Forrester's record as mayor of West Windsor - and asked visitors to vote for the best ad.

To e-mail Pete McAleer at The Press:

PMcAleer@pressofac.com