Cowardly Rothman is heading for a fall

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Many Democrats will be voting for Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, above, if Rep. Steve Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, opposes him.

In two straight days of Page 1 coverage, The Record didn't bother to interview any rank-and-file Democrats who think Rep. Steve Rothman is a coward and a traitor to his party by slinking away from a fight against the conservative values that are destroying the middle class.


I am not the only Democrat who plans to vote for his rival, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, to teach Rothman the 2012 election isn't about him staying in office now that a new congressional map was approved for New Jersey.


President Barack Obama is engaged in a titanic battle against Tea Party Republicans, racists and other arch-conservatives, such as Rep. Scott Garret, R-Wantage, and Rothman is a coward for not going head-to-head with Garret.


What chutzpah. Rothman even plans to move, possibly back to Englewood, where he was mayor and where visitors entering the city from Route 4 and Grand Avenue are greeted by a big "ROTHMAN REALTY" sign.


The editors, who have been in bed with Republican Governor Christie for nearly two years, love the prospect of Rothman facing Pascrell in the new 9th District, instead of Garret in the 5th District. 


Editorial 'glop'


An editorial, likely written by Editorial Page Editor Alfred P. Doblin, calls Rothman's decision "an interesting development." How lame.


On the front of Local, Road Warrior John Cichowski ran out of ideas for his commuting column so long ago he has to repeat himself endlessly, as in today's piece on roof snow (L-1).


Curiously, Cichowski doesn't ask why trucking companies aren't installing equipment to clear roof snow, which he refers to for the umpteenth time as "dangerous glop." 


And though roof snow killed only one driver in recent years, he has written far less about older drivers who have killed far more people.


Filling space


The assignment desk under Editor Deirdre Sykes is so desperate for copy, it doesn't care what Cichowski writes, as long he faithfully fills a lot of space three times a week.


Meanwhile, one assignment editor has another transportation reporter, Karen Rouse, reporting lane repaving on Route 80 rather than telling readers why NJ Transit refuses to replace decrepit, decades-old local buses (L-2).


However, the assignment desk is doing a great job of keeping readers abreast of utility pole news -- even when there are no injuries or power outages.


On a presumably busy news day, it found room for an L-2 photo reporting repairs to two poles knocked down by a truck in Lodi.


Wait for the handout


On the first Business page, a story reporting the closure of Sears and Kmart stores doesn't say whether the downtown Hackensack Sears is among the 100 facing extinction (L-8).


The Business editor is waiting for the next press release and not even bothering to list the number of employees at North Jersey stores that might be closed.


Cholesterol editor


On the Better Living front, Food Editor Susan Leigh Sherrill managed to corral several killers for her weekly recipe from one of those free cookbooks she loves to promote -- three and a half sticks of butter, nine egg yolks, nearly two cups of sugar and nearly one cup of heavy cream.


The result is "Crack Pie," which probably would be more harmful to your health than crack cocaine.