Elections 2002: Does Scandal Really Matter?

New Jersey Torricelli's ethical lapses have put him in a swamp of bad publicity, but he's got money and a machine behind him

When Bill Clinton called Robert Torricelli on the phone, he had a simple message: "Keep on fighting." After all, if anyone can empathize with Torricelli, it's the ex-President. The local press corps is in a frenzy, feasting on the first-term Senator's ethical woes. When Torricelli addressed Hispanics in Newark last week, the crowd swooned to his riffs on taxes and jobs. After the speech, a TV reporter asked only about scandal. "There are real issues," said Torricelli with...

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