Oh no they didn't: Newsday endorses King

You have to wonder what is wrong with Newsday. Actually maybe you don't. Newsday endorses King but it was such a tepid endorsement you have to ask why they did it in the first place.
"3rd C.D.: Keep King: Wrong on taxes but he’s his own man
October 20, 2004
Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) is a unique individual. Newsday has sometimes endorsed him to represent the Third Congressional District despite disagreeing with him on a host of issues. He won that support because of his independence and uncommon strength of character. King, 60, is his own man. He'll buck anybody he thinks is wrong. He was a lonely Republican voice against his party's impeachment of President Bill Clinton. That strength won our respect. But that "Clinton effect" is wearing thin.
Democrat Blair Mathies, 48, of Babylon is trying to end King's 12-year run in Congress. He says President George W. Bush and Republicans like King have misled the country on the war in Iraq, Medicare, tax cuts and many other issues. There's a lot of truth in what he says. Mathies is a lawyer who spent his career investigating unethical and illegal sales practices of securities brokers. He wants Washington to eliminate the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, impose real fiscal discipline and shore up critical entitlement programs.
King does need to get real about taxes. He's a supply-sider who has never met a tax cut he didn't like. That may go down easy with voters, but it's the road to ruin for Social Security and Medicare. His dogged belief that tax cuts stimulate enough economic growth to pay for themselves is delusional.
King can also be intemperate. His comment that 80 to 85 percent of the mosques in this country are controlled by Islamic fundamentalists who constitute an enemy living among us was over the top. The incendiary language overwhelmed any message he may have wanted to deliver.
Still, King is positioned as a member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security to help deliver anti-terror money to New York. He has been an important voice and fund-raiser for improving security in the underwater LIRR tunnels into Pennsylvania station. And King has an extraordinary knack for remaining friends with people he opposes and forging relationships with people in power, including current and former occupants of the White House. Those are valuable talents in Congress. Newsday endorses King."

Pete King Watch has written to Newsday to express our dismay at the endorsement and point out Kings real record.

To the Editor,
I am perplexed by Newsday once again endorsing Peter King. I am glad to see that Newsday is tiring of the “King voted against Clinton impeachment” reasoning since that was merely a move of political opportunism. Newsday cites King for his “uncommon strength of character.” The fact of the matter is King is willing to do anything to curry favor and switches sides depending which way the winds are blowing. In 2000 King said Bush lacked a “moral compass” yet went on to support Bush after King’s chosen candidate John McCain lost the primaries. King also said Bush “probably thinks New York is another foreign country he needs to learn about."

King boasts that things are going well in Iraq and touts rebuilt schools, hospitals and firehouses as examples. That’s great for Iraq but in NYC, six firehouses have been closed, Long Island could use more school aid and Nassau University Medical Center which is invaluable to county residents is close to collapsing.

This goes to the heart of Newsday’s argument that because King is on the House Select Committee on Homeland Security he is effective. New York has been severely short-changed on anti-terror funding and there doesn’t seem to be a change coming any time soon. How effective is King if he can pose for pictures with Bush, envoking 9/11 but can’t get more money for New York?