Sister Souljah in Bay Ridge?

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

The best thing about the 1960s, at least according to this columnist, was that they ended before he was born. Despite all the oft-repeated flowery nostalgia, I always envisioned it to be a particularly anti-intellectual decade: heavy on chanting and marching and light on reasoned discourse.

Now the ’60s are back, at least in Bay Ridge, as a new anti-war group calling itself “Bay Ridge Neighbors for Peace” has seemingly dusted off the old tie-dyed playbook and have targeted Rep. Vito Fossella (R–Bay Ridge) for his support of the war in Iraq. But while these activists succeeded in living up to the worst of my stereotype, one pol transcended the chants — call it Bay Ridge’s very own Sister Souljah moment.

You remember Sister Souljah, of course. It was back during the 1992 presidential campaign when the rapper indicated that she didn’t have a problem with black-on-white violence. At the time, many politicos had trouble condemning the comment — mostly because they were afraid to appear insensitive to the black community. But then-candidate Bill Clinton waited until he was speaking before an African-American audience to rebuke the rapper. The move helped Clinton position himself in the center, and also show white voters that he was not, like other Democratic candidates, willing to betray his principles to please a minority community.

Cut to the present. Lefty lawyer Steve Harrison was invited by the Bay Ridge Neighbors for Peace to attend their anti-war rally at Fossella’s Bay Ridge office. Like the group, Harrison is very much opposed to the War in Iraq (in fact, linking Fossella to the Bush-led war was a major part of Harrison’s 2006 campaign — and may have played a role in getting him an impressive 42 percent of the vote).

The group brought signs and T-shirts calling the president a terrorist-minded, baby killing, Satanic SOB. That’s fine, I suppose. Free speech allows us all to attack our leaders, the pope, or even Tom Glavine (make that especially Tom Glavine).

But when one of the organizers of the protest berated two police officers, Harrison couldn’t hold his tongue.

“Those police officers, I know them personally, and I don’t want this group to alienate them,” said a visibly angry Harrison. “Everything they have ever done in this community is appropriate and what they deserve is a thank you.”

The moment lasted all of one minute before Harrison moved on to his stump speech, which (unlike the Dems running for president) called for an immediate end to the war and used all the usual anti-war hyperbole in condemning his opponent and the current administration.

But it was Harrison’s “Sister Souljah moment” that stood out. A reach? Perhaps, but unlike Clinton’s attack on the rapper, at least Harrison’s “moment” wasn’t pre-scripted. And that made it even more effective, because it showed that Harrison is a stand-up guy.

He may not have gotten this columnist’s endorsement (chalk it up to a difference in world views), but the move shows that Steve Harrison has a backbone, which is refreshing in this current political climate. Matthew Lysiak is a writer who lives in Bay Ridge.

The Kitchen Sink
Mike Long’s Conservative Party won’t announce a presidential endorsement until someone becomes the nominee. And Long claims to be leaving the door open to native son Rudy Giuliani, but the odds of Rudy winning over the conservatives are between slim and none. The party is leaning towards Fred Thompson, who is the guest at the party’s fall reception on Oct. 15 at the Sheraton in Manhattan. …

Vito goes green: Rep. Vito Fossella (R–Bay Ridge) recently pushed local officials to plant nine new trees and six new shrubs on Dahlgren Place to help reduce air and noise pollution for residents living near the 92nd Street exit ramp off the Verrazano Bridge. …

Sen. Marty Golden will be hosting an Oct. 23 luncheon at the Bay Ridge Manor to honor Col. Tracey Nicholson, Commander of the Fort Hamilton army base, for her recent designation as a 2007 New York State Senate Woman of Distinction.

Recchia seeks Fossella’s seat, but he’d have to move to get it

By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper

Councilman Domenic Recchia, who once talked about running for borough president, will instead go after five-term Rep. Vito Fossella (R–Bay Ridge).

The Sheepshead Bay Democrat hasn’t made a formal announcement, but didn’t waste any time coming up with his campaign theme: linking Fossella to deeply unpopular President Bush and his ongoing troubles in Iraq.

“The Republicans gave us this war in Iraq and this is not what New Yorkers deserve,” Recchia told The Brooklyn Paper this week. “The Bush-Fossella team got us into this war and we need to get us out.”

Fossella’s team didn’t waste any time in focusing on Recchia’s Achilles heel: the fact that he lives far outside the boundaries of the 13th Congressional district, which contains all of Staten Island and a small piece of Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. He does not have to live in the district to run — but does if he wins.

“It’s mind-boggling why Recchia wants to represent our community when he chooses to live in another congressional district,” said Fossella political director Georgea Kay. “Think about the absurdity — Recchia doesn’t think we’re good enough to be his neighbor, but he thinks he deserves to be our representative in Congress.”

Kay was just warming up.

“Recchia’s going to have a tough time convincing Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst residents to support a liberal, tax-raiser who lives outside our district,” added Kay.

Recchia declined to respond to Kay’s charges. But he did say that he would file papers establishing a congressional committee early next month.

Before he can take on Fossella, Recchia will first have to dispense with Democrat Steve Harrison, who ran well against Fossella in 2006, getting 43 percent of the vote, despite spending just $109,000 to Fossella’s $1.3 million.

Recchia said he would not experience Harrison’s fundraising woes.

“My track record speaks for itself,” boasted the Councilman. “I know Steve and he did a great job last time, but I will go out and raise the money.”

For his part, Harrison believes this election will be tilted by Staten Island, which is home to the bulk of the two-borough district.

“No other candidate has the name recognition that I do, especially in Staten Island,” said Harrison. “I also learned a lot from the last election and am confident that this time around I will be in a better position to win.”

Harrison to challenge Vito again

By Matt Lysiak
for The Brooklyn Paper

The campaign may only be a few hours old, but the gloves are already off.

Two years after Democrat Steve Harrison lost to Rep. Vito Fossella (R–Bay Ridge), the Bay Ridge lawyer is looking for another shot at the conservative law maker. He said this week that he would again be a candidate for the seat representing Bay Ridge and Staten Island.

He and Fossella have already begun to set the tone for the debate, and it looks like it is going to be war — literally.

Harrison plans on using the war in Iraq as his rallying cry to counter the hawkish Fossella.

“I am running because I believe we have to build a majority of Democrats in Congress to stop this ill-conceived war,” said Harrison. “I absolutely believe the war in Iraq was wrong, and I would prefer to not even use the term war on terror.”

In 2006, the city’s lone Republican congressman held onto his seat with 57 percent of the vote, beating the under-funded Harrison.

Harrison made the announcement that he was again taking on Fossella at a press conference at Staten Island’s Arthur Von Briesen Park on Thursday. The announcement came two weeks after Harrison formed the Staten Island–Brooklyn Civic Association, a group dedicated to bridging the divide between Brooklyn and Staten Island.

The divide Harrison will now have to bridge is 14, as in the number of percentage points that separated the two candidates in 2006

Like Harrison, Fossella also plans to center his campaign on his opponent’s stance on the war, and his camp already isn’t pulling any punches.

“‘Surrender Steve’ may be the only person left in America who doesn’t believe that we’re fighting a war on terrorism,” said Fossella political director Georgea Kay. “Harrison’s denial that terrorists are trying to murder us explains why he opposes the ‘Terrorist Surveillance Program’ and other key tools that are keeping Americans safe.”

But Harrison bristles at the notion that Iraq had anything to do with terrorism, and wants to know why his opponent supports a policy he believes was doomed from the start.

“What are we doing in Iraq?” Harrison asked. “Saddam is dead, we found no weapons of mass destruction, and we know that Iraq didn’t attack us — we need to get out.”

Kay believes that Harrison’s position, and problems with the term “war on terror,” would fit in better at a Grateful Dead concert then in a seat partly responsible for national security.

“I can guarantee you that Brooklyn residents don’t share Harrison’s tie-dyed view of the world,” said Kay. “If Harrison doesn’t believe that we’re fighting a war on terrorism, Brooklynites can’t trust him to keep us safe.”

The issue of war may be driving this campaign, but there are also some practical matters that need to be taken care of — namely, money.

Harrison said the last election taught him a valuable lesson on economics. In that contest, he began his fund raising months behind his opposition. Harrison ended up raising a mere $109,000, while Fossella’s war chest overflowed with more than $1.3 million.

“In 2006 I learned how essential money is to a campaign, especially for the last month,” said Harrison. “This allowed Fossella to wage a campaign of distortions, and we had no way of responding.”

Fossella’s camp had its own take on campaign ethics.

“It’s taken Harrison less than four seconds to begin his campaign with negative attacks and smears and nothing positive about the future of our community and nation.”

In the last election Fossella ran ads on cable television and radio, while Harrison couldn’t afford mass mailings. Harrison’s pleas to the Democratic National Campaign Committee, which underwrites many congressional races, went unheeded, as did his appeals to the local party.

“I think I was viewed as a sacrificial lamb last election,” said Harrison. “That won’t be the case this time.”

Earlier this year, The Brooklyn Paper reported that the DNC would be putting a bull’s-eye on “ethically challenged” representatives — naming Fossella as one such target — by infusing cash into his Democratic challenger’s campaign.