Trump called 'the most dangerous nominee in our lifetime'

GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump doing a good imitation of a demagogue.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The Bridgegate trial jurors presumably are deliberating in secret again, and the distraction of the World Series is past, so in five days voters will decide the fate of our nation.

The Record and other news media should be ashamed of themselves for devoting so much time to the hysteria of GOP racist Donald J. Trump, and for printing AP trash like the story on Page 1 today:

"Some Republican lawmakers ... are threatening to block [Hillary Clinton's] Supreme Court nominees, investigate her endlessly or even impeach her."

Over at The New York Times, OP-ED Columnist David Leonhardt calls Trump "the most dangerous nominee in our lifetime."

Recalling 1964 GOP White House hopeful Barry Goldwater, who "mused about using nuclear weapons in the Cold War," Leonhardt said:

"For Republicans today, Trump is scarier than Goldwater.... He is racist and sexist -- having refused to rent apartments to African-Americans, retweeted neo-Nazis, besmirched Muslims and Latinos and boastfully molested women.

"For years, Republicans have been frustrated by liberal sensitivity on race and gender. Comes now Trump, spewing bigotry."

And anti-women rhetoric against Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton, who is leading in the all-important state polls. 

Local news?

For another comprehensive Law & Order report, turn to The Record's Local section today.

Murder and mayhem are mixed liberally with election news from the 5th Congressional District, where The Record has endorsed Democrat Josh Gottheimer over Tea Party radical Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage (A-10).

Staff Writer John Seasly continues his one-dimensional coverage of Hackenack (L-2).

Today, he reports City Attorney Alexander H. Carver III will "reluctantly" resign when the City Council picks his replacement, set for Dec. 1 (L-2).

Seasly hasn't covered a single Hackensack Board of Education meeting, even though school taxes represent 44% of residents' bills (another quarterly property tax bill is due on Nov. 10).

He hasn't reported the board is asking residents "to take an active role" in the selection of a new superintendent of schools or that a forum is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the high school.

And he hasn't bothered to report that more than 3 months ago, city officials halted work on a 14-story residential-retail project, the biggest so far in the renewal of downtown Hackensack.

Trump's anti-women, anti-black rhetoric will never prevail

On Wednesday night in Las Vegas, GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump showed how truly ugly he is during the third and final debate with Democrat Hillary Clinton, who was the clear winner, above and below, though you won't see that reflected in The Record's Page 1 coverage today.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

In anti-women and anti-black comments on Wednesday night, GOP White House hopeful Donald J. Trump again showed he is a truly ugly, unapologetic male chauvinist pig.

His attacks during the final presidential debate ranged from calling Democrat Hillary Clinton a "nasty women" to pledging to appoint right-to-life justices to the Supreme Court to denying reports from women that he groped and kissed them against their will.

In a parting shot designed to appeal to his racist supporters, the wacko billionaire claimed electing Clinton would be the same as returning our first black president to office. 

Today's coverage

Clinton said Trump "thinks belitlling women makes him bigger" (A-4).

"He goes after their dignity, their self-worth," she said.

His "trickle-down economics on steroids," as Clinton called it; his getting away with not paying federal taxes; his business losses of nearly a billion dollars in one year -- all show his economic plan is a sham.

"We have undocumented immigrants paying more in taxes than a billionaire," Clinton said (A-1).

Kelly on Kelly

Columnist Mike Kelly appears to have set a record with his Page 1 profile of Bridget Anne Kelly, Governor Christie's former deputy chief of staff and a defendant in the Bridgegate trial.

This is not only more than he has written about any one person, but it certainly eclipses anything the editors have published about Clinton's long public service and her policy positions in the presidential campaign (A-1 and A-6).

Kelly's largely sympathetic portrait of the defendant, who grew up in Ramsey, clashes with her being portrayed as a central figure in the George Washington Bridge lane closures to punish Fort Lee's Democratic mayor for not endorsing the reelection of Christie.

No one knows how Bridget Kelly, who is scheduled to testify before a federal jury, will try to explain away her infamous email to Christie crony David Wildstein at the Port Authority:

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee."

Zisa editorial

An editorial claims Hackensack taxpayers will have to shoulder a $3 million payment to former Police Chief Ken Zisa because of the "mistakes of their city fathers" (A-10).

One so-called mistake was not having Zisa's back pay "accumulating in an account," but the editorial doesn't list any others.

Although all of the charges in a Bergen County grand injury indictment against Zisa have been dropped, the editorial neglects to mention no court or jury has ever said the former chief didn't commit a crime.

Stale news

The front page on Wednesday carried a stale headline.

"Hackensack plans

 $3M payment to Zisa" 

Eye on The Record already reported the payment on Oct. 5, and the Woodland Park daily's John Seasly followed with his own report two days later.

The news is that the City Council on Tuesday night proposed a $3 million appropriation raised through selling bonds "to fulfill a court-mandated payment" to Zisa (A-1 on Wednesday).

Seasly continues to ignore plans by Zisa and other members of his family's political dynasty, which ruled Hackensack for decades, to run a slate and try to regain power in next May's municipal election.

Zisa allies have long controlled the city's Board of Education.

Christie critic

Staff Writer John Cichowski is the latest staffer to pile on Christie since the fatal Hoboken train crash, revelations in the Bridgegate trial, and the biggest bugs up the veteran reporter's ass -- computer breakdowns and long lines at Motor Vehicle Commission offices.

His Road Warrior column on L-1 today breaks years of silent acquiescing to Christie's anti-mass transit policies, and refusal to raise the gas tax to pay for road and rail improvements.

Cichowski even blames Christie for rising traffic deaths this year "after three decades of decline" (L-2).

Columns such as Cichowski's ring hollow in view of The Record being the only major daily paper in the state that didn't call for the GOP thug to resign after he endorsed Trump.

Whole Foods

On Wednesday, retailing reporter Joan Verdon was incorrect in saying the new Closter Whole Foods "will have features not found in other stores, including a juice bar and coffee stand."

The Whole Foods in Paramus has both.

She also omitted mentioning that Costco Wholesale has expanded its organic and natural-food selection far more than the Whole Foods competitors she lists: Fairway, Trader Joe's, Walmart and Target.

Editors equating Trump sexual assaults with Clinton emails

These cartoons appear on Cagel.com. This one is from Alen Lauzan, a cartoonist who lives in Chile.

This one is from Adam Zyglis of The Buffalo News.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

The Associated Press -- a cooperative news and information service owned by 1,400 U.S. daily newspapers -- has always been known for one thing: Speed.

Accuracy, perspective, knowledge of issues -- not so much. 

So it's no surprise The AP story leading The Record today equates the scandal over GOP wacko Donald J. Trump's sex assaults with Democrat Hillary Clinton's emails (A-1).

What is a surprise is that the Gannett-owned daily continues to rely on The AP -- also known as The Associated Mess --for coverage of the presidential race instead of using stories from The Washington Post or its own USA Today.

"With Election Day four weeks away," today's AP story begins, "both presidential candidates [on Tuesday] dealt with their own troublesome issues:

"Donald Trump in a pitched battle with his own party as his candidacy nears collapse, and Hillary Clinton grappling with leaks about her long-criticized private email server."

"Troublesome issue" hardly comes close to describing the disgust over Trump's predatory attitude toward every woman who comes within reach.

And "troublesome issue" doesn't do justice to Trump's endless lies -- and lies about his lies -- in the first two debates.

Today's AP story shows the danger of the generalized lead loved by all wire service reporters.

Governor Christie

Get a load of the photo of Governor Christie leaving his state police helicopter on Tuesday, when he attended a Trump fundraiser in Ridgewood (A-7).

Christie, who is sticking by the GOP presidential predator, looks rumpled, overweight and stressed out over always having to defend Trump.

Breaking four days of silence, the GOP thug said he is "embarrassed" by Trump's "vile language," but won't withdraw his support from his fellow racist, State House Bureau reporter Dustin Racioppi says.

Christie also has been beaten up by continuing revelations in the Bridgegate trial (A-1), including testimony he knew about the retaliatory George Washington Bridge lane closures as they were happening in September 2013.

"I'm the fucking Governor of this state," he told a Monmouth County freeholder who described Christie as a "fat fuck," according to other testimony.

Hilarious.

Wrong-way Cichowski

Today's Road Warrior column speculates on whether gas selling for $2.25 a gallon will discourage people from driving and cut traffic deaths (L-1).

That's ridiculous. 

Staff Writer John Cichowski doesn't even mention drivers may switch to more efficient cars to negate the 23-cents-a-gallon hike, which he says will take effect on Nov. 1.

For example, most minivans have more cargo space than 7-passenger SUVs, and get better gas mileage.

Bridgegate trial testimony so far: Christie, Christie, Christie

The cover of today's New York Post sums up testimony by Bridgegate trial star witness David Wildstein, a crony Governor Christie appointed to a powerful position at the Port Authority, owner and operator of the George Washington Bridge.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Despite Governor Christie's denial -- repeated on Tuesday -- the weight of the evidence in the Bridgegate trial places him at the center of the plot to punish the mayor of Fort Lee in September 2013.

Christie wasn't indicted in the George Washington Bridge lane closures -- five mornings of gridlock designed to retaliate against a Democrat who refused to endorse the GOP thug's re-election.

Still, only his sworn testimony before a federal jury would effectively answer the accusations from prosecutors and David Wildstein, described by The Record today "as the admitted mastermind of the plot" (A-1).

Wildstein pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against two Christie allies who are on trial in Newark, but the judge will consider a reduced sentence only if the former Port official tells the truth.

On Tuesday, Wildstein said he and his boss, defendant Bill Baroni -- then deputy executive director of the Port Authority -- looked forward "to telling Christie of the traffic jam and unheeded pleas for help from their target," Mayor Mark Sokolich (A-1 and A-4).

They did so at the 9/11 ceremony on Sept. 11, 2013, as attested to by a photo of the trio that shows Christie laughing.

Two of three local access lanes to the bridge were shut down from Sept. 9, 2013, the first day of school; to Sept. 13, 2013.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Cortes asked Wildstein if he and Baroni were bragging to the governor.

"Yes," Wildstein testified, "... I was pleasing our one constituent. I was happy that he was happy" (A-4).

Other news?

Usually, Staff Photographer Tariq Zehawi's gee-whiz photos of non-fatal accidents end up on L-3 to fill holes in the local-news report.

But today, his Page 1 photo captured the aftermath of a crash of a large SUV that rolled backward, hit a utility pole and pulled down electric wires -- all of this after a woman parked and got out of the vehicle on Van Schaik Lane in Wyckoff, leaving her 2-year-old son inside.

"The mother did not wish to be identified," the photo caption says of the seemingly irresponsible woman.

Clinton won debate

After not committing to either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald J. Trump after their first TV debate, an editorial today says Clinton "commanded" the stage (A-8).

"One candidate prepared to talk about the issues, while the other was prepared to talk about himself."

"Hillary Clinton obviously won Monday's debate in a rout," said NYTimes.com Op-Ed Columnist David Leonhardt.

Local news

In a rare story about Hackensack, Staff Writer John Seasly reports that city officials celebrated the start of construction on a new Performing Arts Center (L-1).

Under that is the obituary of J. Herbert Leverette, 87, a Korean War veteran who was elected Hackensack's first black council member in 1965.

News media always delight in exploiting political divisions

The easiest way to ruin a beautiful day is to try to drive through downtown Englewood, where construction and a blocked lane slowed traffic today at Palisade Avenue and Dean Street, above and below.

This afternon around 1, as the temperature reached a comfortable 75, one Englewood police officer directed traffic as two others leaned against a traffic-light repair truck that blocked a through lane, bullshitting. Now, residents know one reason why the city's property tax bills are so high.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

After the nation's first black president took office in 2009, the racially inspired gridlock in Congress was evident to everyone.

And the news media couldn't have been more delighted, replacing any reporting about issues and what's good for the country with story after story about our political divisions.

A year later, Republican Chris Christie was sworn in as New Jersey's governor and faced a state Legislature controlled by Democrats.

Would he compromise? Fuggedaboutit!

The GOP bully unilaterally cancelled expansion of rail service under the Hudson River, and began vetoing every bill in sight -- from a tax surcharge on millionaires to hikes in the minimum wage to using tax money to purchase open space.

Again, the news media were delighted to report all of the conflict, and The Record's Charles Stile wrote column after column explaining Christie's every word, belch and fart in political terms -- even as the vetoes topped 500 and set a record.

Clinton v. Trump

Today, Columnist Mike Kelly repeats a frequent theme of his column -- that allegedly we are no longer united, as we supposedly were after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on America (A-1).

And once again he points to "an increasingly polarized presidential campaign."

But that's nothing new, just as the media's relentless focus on politics in the nation and New Jersey isn't new, and likely won't end in the foreseeable future. 

9/11 ceremonies

Today's front page, Local front and Better Living cover are dominated by stories related to the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

That's eight straight days of coverage, but I didn't seen anything on the hijackers who lived in Paterson, and obtained phony I.D.'s and licenses in the weeks leading up to the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Conventions are over, but not mindless political coverage

On a sweltering Thursday, we boarded NJ Transit's No. 165 Express in Hackensack and arrived in midtown Manhattan in about 30 minutes. The regular round-trip fare in $9, but seniors pay only $4.10.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Just when you thought all the shouting at the political conventions was over, The Record continues to waste the front page on boring politics.

If Charles Stile's column on Hillary Clinton's New Jersey supporters doesn't have your eyes rolling, a USA Today story on Donald J. Trump should really put you to sleep (A-1).

The news media keep on trying to make the wacko racist New York businessman sound intelligent, but try as they might, he keeps shooting himself in the foot.

Trump -- who has never served in the military, but wants to ban all Muslims from the U.S. -- complained about the speech at the Democratic National Convention made by the father of a Muslim-American soldier killed in Iraq.

Khizr Khan said Trump has "sacrificed nothing for his country" (A-1).

Trump's rebuttal is that he's "made a lot of sacrifices" by building "great structures" and creating construction jobs.

None of the reporters interviewing Trump asked how putting up buildings is a "sacrifice."

Local news

Editor Deirdre Sykes' front page does have two local stories today.

The main element is a plan to remove a traffic bottleneck on Kinderkamack Road in Emerson, but there are so many other traffic nightmares in Bergen County the paper's so-called Road Warrior columnist has ignored for more than a decade.

The second local story is the obituary for a Clifton woman who was such a big fan of Amelia Earhart that she moved to Atchison, Kan., the aviator's birthplace.

Bergen County readers find five major stories from Passaic and Morris counties in today's Local section, and a column about a "momentous" event in Paterson on the Opinion front.

Hackensack readers looking for news about their city should take a look at what the Hackensack reporter was doing on Saturday -- covering police news in Butler (L-1).

Lying down on job

Readers who wonder whether there is a dress code in the Woodland Park newsroom find the answer today on BL-3, where a photo shows Staff Writer Jim Beckerman lying down or at least semi-reclining on the job.

I guess the veteran feature writer was just taking a load off as he gathered information on "Bergen County's long-awaited dine-in multiplex" in Fort Lee (BL-1).

The Better Living cover is The Record's third and most elaborate plug for iPic, which hasn't even opened yet, so it's no wonder the owner has got a big, fat smile on his face, as readers can see from another photo on BL-3.

Aircraft noise

Saturday's front-page story -- "Flight-path test sputters" -- is the latest in what has to be one of the most bungled and biased reporting jobs in recent memory.

Residents of Hackensack, Teaneck and Englewood have been complaining about noise from Teterboro Airport for years, but that was rarely, if ever, reported in The Record.

Then, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a new flight path for business jets that would prevent them from flying over Hackensack high-rises and the nearby medical center to land, starting in April.

The shift of the flight path over Route 17 communities had them howling, and The Record quoted their officials extensively on the front page and elsewhere in the paper.

Con man Trump is called the 'risky, reckless, radical choice'

"I'm a New Yorker, and I know a con when I see one," former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, now an independent, said of Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump. (Photo credit: The Associated Press)

Editor's note: I have revised and expanded Michael R. Bloomberg's comments on wacko racist Donald J. Trump, and added other comments about food coverage and duplication of coverage from the Democratic National Convention.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Editor Deirdre Sykes of The Record continues to cheat readers by omitting key moments in her coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

On Tuesday, she failed to publish a word of first lady Michelle Obama's stirring call to the voting booth on behalf of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

And today's paper contains too few sentences from billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg's scathing attack on his fellow New Yorker, Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump (A-6).

In the most forceful take-down of the wacko racist so far, Bloomberg labeled Trump the "risky, reckless and radical choice" in the November election.

An independent

Bloomberg, who served as New York mayor from 2001-13, told the delegates on Wednesday night he has been a Democrat and a Republican, and is now an independent, "because I don't believe either party has a monopoly on good ideas or strong leadership."

"Today, as an independent, an entrepreneur and a former mayor, I believe we need a president who is a problem solver, not a bomb thrower," Bloomberg said.

"Someone who can bring members of Congress together, to get things done. And I know that Hillary Clinton can do that....

"There are times when I disagree with Hillary [Clinton]. But whatever our disagreements may be, I'm here to say: 

"We must put them aside for the good of the country. And we must unite around the candidate who can defeat a dangerous demagogue," Bloomberg said in a pointed reference to Trump.

Fuzzy reporting

On the Better Living cover today, the Now Open feature reports Hudson Mediterranean Grill in Edgewater serves "Turkish branzino" (BL-1).

Later, Staff Writer Sophia F. Gottfried quotes the Turkish owner as saying he is "passionate about high-quality ingredients ... and he's sourcing all produce and fish from local farms and fishermen."

Branzino or Mediterranean sea bass is a farmed fish that took Manhattan restaurants by storm a decade ago before invading New Jersey years later.

Most branzino is farmed in Italy and Greece. What's "local" about that?

Too much of bad thing

Only a die-hard politician searching for his name in print could possibly wade through the mind-numbing coverage of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

A reader questioned why The Record on Wednesday ran both a political column and a news story on the same delegates breakfast sponsored by Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who is expected to seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2017 (A-1 and A-9).

What a waste of valuable space.

In a gun-loving America, news media must get off the fence

Too many lives are being lost while The Record and other news media hem and haw over the need for more gun control. (Photo credit: Sauk River Review@blogspot.com)

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

What exactly is the point of today's front-page column framing the gun-control debate from the warped perspective of a shooting range owner who enabled two suicides?

The Record's Mike Kelly is supposed to be an opinion columnist, but you won't find a single opinion on the slaughter caused by easy accessibility to guns, including military style assault weapons.

Kelly claims the owner of Gun for Hire shooting range finds "himself straddling two powerful currents in the fractious debate over firearms" (A-1).

But the veteran columnist, the newspaper he works for and other news media have themselves sat on the fence for far too long as the blood of innocent Americans runs in the street.

Readers no longer have the time or temperament for Kelly's tedious assemblage of quotes from both sides of the carnage in what amounts to little more than another he said/she said account.

Hillary Clinton

Much of the front page today is devoted to Democrat Hillary Clinton, who is the first woman to lead a major party ticket in a presidential election (A-1).

And the state Supreme Court said another woman, who lost her child in a custody battle, has a right to an attorney, even if she cannot afford one (A-1).

Meanwhile, an email circulating among Democrats contrasts the convention in Philadelphia to the Republicans' attempt to divide and conquer in Cleveland:

"The RNC convention was a hate-fest. The DNC is running an inclusive convention; one that has the most progressive platform ever thanx to Bernie Sanders. As a Jew, I could not be prouder of Bernie. I never thought I would see what he achieved in my lifetime. 

"I have never looked at my life as if it is about me. We live in a country in which we are a part and should contribute. I feel I have a responsibility to bear that in mind, which is why I often go out of my way to give a hand up and pay it forward. I believe a rising tide raises all boats. 

"As long as anyone can buy a gun anywhere and anyhow they choose, this fight isn't over. As long as people are not treated equally, this fight isn't over. As long as obstructionist Republicans control the House and Senate, this fight isn't over. (There are many more reasons why this fight isn't over, but I will stop here.)

"Yes, I am passionate about this. Enough is enough with the failures in DC. This is a moment in time when real change is possible. I hope we do not let it slip by. 

"Yesterday, Bernie Sanders spoke to his supporters about unifying behind Hillary and was booed by many. Bernie told them that if Trump wins, those that are booing will have to be the ones to tell that to their children. I pray I never have to have that conversation."

Governor Christie

In a letter to the editor today, Steve Becker of Wayne refers to the possibility Governor Christie could become the next U.S. attorney general.

Becker says "anyone who thinks that our beloved governor had no knowledge of [the George Washington Bridge lane closures] is more than welcome to make an offer on a bridge over the Hudson River" (A-12).

Clinton has 76% chance of winning election, Times reports

HARD-LUCK ROW: A small American flag flies on this row of long-vacant storefronts on Main Street in Hackensack. Gold Ray Jewelers, the only operating business, closed in June, below. Across the street is C.J. Lombardo Co., where Jerry Lombardo also serves as chairman of the Main Street Business Alliance, which has been trying to polish the image of the city's forlorn downtown.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Despite all the bluster from Governor Christie -- who served as Donald J. Trump's attack dog on Tuesday night -- Democrat Hillary Clinton has a 76% chance of winning the November election.

"Our elections model suggests Hillary Clinton is favored to win the presidency, based on the latest state and national polls," The New York Times reports today.

On Tuesday night, wacko racist Trump was formally nominated at the Republican National Convention as the party's presidential candidate, The Record reports on Page 1 today.

Christie called Clinton a "deeply flawed candidate whose use of private email has disqualified her for the presidency" (A-1 and A-8).

But the GOP bully didn't mention his own emails and texts were erased, and his cellphone went missing for about two years in the Bridgegate scandal.

Local news?

Editor Deirdre Sykes again devotes an enormous amount of coverage to the Republican Party's suicide mission in the November presidential election (A-1, A-5, A-7 and A-8) -- much of which will never be read.

Most newsroom workers at the Woodland Park daily haven't seen a raise in years, but Sykes wasted scarce resources to send Columnist Charles Stile to Ohio, where the political reporter proves he is as boring to readers on the road as he is at home (A-7).

If you are looking for local news today, you're out of luck.

The gee-whiz collapse of a crane onto the Tappan Zee Bridge is on A-1 today as Sykes and Road Warrior John Cichowski continue to ignore worsening traffic congestion in North Jersey.

Puppy update

See the front of Local today for the latest update on the puppy mill controversy (L-1).

A feature on the healthy, sustainable food grown on Fresh Roots Farm in Mahwah is welcome (L-1), but readers turning to the Better Living section will find a completely different message.

Jersey blueberries

On BL-4 today, freelancer Shelby Vittek mars the New Jersey blueberry by providing recipes that add artery clogging butter, and cream and ricotta cheeses, as well as cups of sugar, to the glorious fruit.

The headline -- "Birth of the Blues" -- sounds clever, but the blues are all about heartbreak and misery, so the play on words doesn't work here (BL-1).

Unless that's a reference to getting heart disease from a steady diet of sugary Ricotta Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote washed down with a Blueberry Smash Cocktail.

And another feature claims a new Park Ridge restaurant, 103 Prime at Valentino's, has added "more healthful fare," but leaves readers in the dark on whether the pricey restaurant serves grass-fed beef and other naturally raised or grown food (BL-1).

Trump ducks AARP questions on plans for Social Security

On his HBO show Friday night, satirist Bill Maher unveiled a mock issue of Us Weekly revealing the "25 Things You Don't Know About" Donald J. Trump, the Republican Party's candidate in the November presidential election.

 

No. 4. "Mar-a-lago is Spanish for "House of Douche." See more below.

Editor's note: In writing this post, I confused Mike Pence and racing driver Mike Spence, who died in a practice crash leading up to the Indy 500 in the state where Pence is now governor. That doesn't augur well for the Republican Party, which is expected to crash and burn in the presidential election.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

You can kiss your Social Security goodbye, if wacko racist Donald J. Trump is elected the next president of the United States.

AARP, the leading advocacy group for Americans who are 50 and over, asked Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton for their positions on Social Security, noting, "If our leaders don't act, future retirees could lose up to $10,000 a year."

Trump and Clinton were asked to answer two questions: 

"What will you do to make Social Security financially sound for future generations? What specific plans do you have to ensure that Social Security provide adequate benefits to meet the needs of future retirees?"

In a 600-word statement in the July-August issue of AARP Bulletin, Trump's campaign evaded both questions, and answered in generalities:

"The key to preserving Social Security ... is to have an economy that is robust and growing. For too long, Americans have had a great deal of uncertainty in their lives, and the reforms I will bring to D.C. will ... restore confidence in the American economy." 

Asked for specific plans, Trump repeated his first answer:

"As was stated above, I will work with Congress to ensure we have a pro-growth agenda in place."

Hillary Clinton

Clinton's campaign, on the other hand, didn't pull any punches on how she planned "to guarantee dignity in retirement for future generations"

"Hillary understands that there is no way to accomplish that goal without asking the highest-income Americans to pay more, including options to tax some of their income above the current Social Security cap, and taxing some of their income not currently taken into account by the ... system."

She also pledged to fight Republican attempts "to gamble seniors' retirement security on the stock market through privatization," to reduce annual-cost-of-living adjustments and to raise the retirement age."

Asked for specific plans, the campaign said:

"Hillary will expand Social Security for those who need it most -- including women who are widows and those who took significant time out of the paid workforce to take care of their children, aging parents or ailing family members."

No. 7. "I saved the box Melania arrived in so I can return her when she turns 50."

No. 8. "I never actually believed Obama was born in Kenya. Because I thought the name of the country was Kanye."

No. 22. "I cry at movies. Because they're integrated."

Today's paper

You'll search The Record in vain today for any discussion of the future of Social Security or any other issue at stake in the presidential election.

Thanks to Editor Deirdre Sykes, Columnist Charles Stile and other Trenton reporters, this Sunday edition is a journal of partisan politics, as has been the case so many times before.

Since Governor Christie took office in early 2010, Stile has transformed himself from a hard-nosed Trenton reporter into the GOP bully's personal groomer.

Who needs to read yet another Page 1 column on Christie's "decline" after he dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Trump, but was denied the chance to be the racist's vice presidential running mate (A-1, A-6, A-8)?

Also on A-1 today is a dated story on Trump's selection of Gov. Mike Pence, a crackpot Christian conservative from Indiana, as his plus one in the November election.

Pence has waged war against the LBGT community and food-stamp recipients in his state.

"Exciting, huh?" satirist Bill Maher commented Friday night on HBO. "Nobody knows who this guy [Pence] is. Chris Christie is crushed. Today, his chair said, 'Now you know how I feel.'"

Failed coup

Even given the large number of Turks living in North Jersey, leading the paper with a failed coup in their native country is a huge waste of the front page in a local daily paper (A-1).

Of course, that doesn't mean readers of Local will find any real news of their towns today.

Teterboro Airport -- the source of so much annoying noise for residents of Hackensack, Teaneck, Englewood and other towns -- has its image burnished with photos of a 5K run to benefit the Bergen County United Way (L-1).

The larger photo shows runners "cooling down by standing in mist after the race," raising a question:

Is this one of the sprayers used to de-ice business jets in winter, and if so, was any chemical residue sprayed on runners?

Better Living

Don't bother looking for food news in Better Living today.

Elisa Ung, the paper's chief restaurant reviewer, devotes her entire Corner Table column today to a bake shop in Hawthorne that is high on the "not recommended" list of the National Institute of Diabetes (B-1).

Don't complain

In a letter to the editor today, Moshe Schuldinger of Hackensack puts the battle over raising the gasoline tax in perspective (O-3).

Schuldinger says Bergen County residents have only themselves to blame for high taxes, because they resist the kind of consolidation of services found in Virginia and other states.

Residents of Fairfax County, Va., pay much lower property taxes than Bergen residents, because they have one countywide police department, one fire department, one sanitation department and a school system with one board of education.

"Compare that with Bergen County's roughly 70 town boards, police departments and multiple local boards of education and school districts."

"It's their choice," he says of apathetic voters and others who don't want to get involved. "They shouldn't complain."

On the front of the Opinion section, does Columnist Mike Kelly expose one of those do-nothing police chiefs or school superintendents in Bergen County?

No. Instead, he praises the police chief in Dallas (O-1).

9. "I can peel a banana with my feet."

18. "When I get bored around the office, I make Chris Christie dance around a diaper."

24. "The original name for Trump Tower was My Big Shiny Penis Building."