Is Fossella Scared of a Bridge?

When I saw the 'wacky' article yesterday in the SI Advance I was a little confused. It quotes Rep. Vito Fossella as saying Stephen Harrison's (D) bridge proposal was 'wacky.' The reason why this is confusing is because this story has been out since August 31, when the Advance first made reference to the proposal and Fossella's 'alternative' plan.

It is not difficult to realize that Fossella is running his campaign as if it is a non election year. If he ignores his opponent and doesn't screw up he is on his way to keeping his job for two more years. If he doesn't debate Harrison he knows the media market is too expensive for his challenger to get his message out. But Stephen Harrison had to go and offer a plan for the Verrazano bridge that called for Express EZpass just like Fossella helped implement on the Outerbridge, and then had the wit to suggest that a toll seperating Brooklyn and Staten Island breech state law and would like to do away with residents having to burden this cost. And so Fossella attacked. And attacked. And attacked. And attacked.

Clearly this was not Fossella's plan to have to acknowledge his opponent or any of his proposals. Fossella has never countered Harrion's National Security Speech. In fact Fossella won't mention Iraq, he has nothing to gain from a public so adverse to the situation. Fossella has not countered Harrison's Energy Policy speech. Again he has nothing to gain from acknowledging he has supported energy bills that have gasoline at $3 a gallon. Then all of a sudden Harrison suggests eliminating the toll on the Verrazano and using one of Fossella's old plays, Express EZpass and now Fossella is worried.

It has been 21 days since both of their plans for the bridge have been public. So why is he so vigorously attacking this plan still, when the rest of his play book says keep quiet. Maybe it is easier than explaining his connections with Rep. Bob Ney.