Candidate responses to Joanne Corzine are revealing

Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
Confucius

Let's consider how the candidates have reacted to comments made by Joanne Corzine about her former spouse. I read the following three articles:

• Campaign goes personal by Tom Hester (Times of Trenton)
• New TV ads throw some punches by Jeff Whelan & Josh Margolin (Star Ledger)
• Forrester trumpets a new ally: An ex-wife by Tom Moran (Star Ledger, op-ed)

Here are some snippets:

John Corzine:

Corzine yesterday would not discuss the breakdown of his marriage, news the couple's three children will undoubtedly be glad to hear.

-Moran

"I don't really think I can say much beyond the breakup of a marriage," Corzine said. "It involves two parties and children are involved and obviously it is filled with pain for everyone, including, by the way, my former wife."

-Hester

[Corzine] said the "breakup of a marriage can ... sometimes color how people might speak to issues. I totally disagree with the premises of them. That's the opinion that my former wife holds and she has a right to speak up."

-Whelan and Margolin

Doug Forrester:

But Forrester distinguished between those sentiments and the comments about Corzine letting his family down. Asked directly about that quote by a reporter, Forrester said, "I think that's private life."

He also ruled out using it in a television ad, saying: "Private life is just too complicated and I don't believe that it is appropriate to be brought into the political domain."

-Whelan and Margolin

The 15-second ad features a quote published in Wednesday's New York Times from Joanne Corzine, who divorced U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine two years ago after he had an affair with the president of the largest state employees union chapter.

"When I saw the ad where (Forrester's wife, Andrea) said, `Doug never let his family down, and he won't let New Jersey down,' all I could think was that Jon did let his family down, and he'll probably let New Jersey down too," the New York Times reported.

-Hester

That afternoon, Forrester stood on the Morristown green and made it official -- he promised he would not use that quote.

But strange things happen to candidates who are staring at defeat. What was a bright moral line suddenly become hazy.

Within 24 hours, Forrester broke his word. The campaign released a TV commercial that featured the very quote he promised not to use.

-Moran

Doug Forrester is trying to use Joanne Corzine's quotes to call into question Jon Corzine's character. In doing so, he as sunk to a new low, breaking his own promises along the way.

I think it's clear who the more trustworthy candidate is.

For more on this issue:

• DBK reports November Surprise a Big Phoney
• Xpatriated Texan comments on Enlightenslimen New Jersey
• Sharon GR asks, "So what?"