Christie Todd Whitman Is Fighting Back

She just waited too long to quit. She should have quit instead of parroting the conclusion of 'the scientists' that the air in Lower Manhattan was 'safe to breathe.' We know what New Source Review (NSR) is but not many members of the public do. She quit over the NSR issue. AAEA also opposed the NSR reg proposal but because of different reasons than Whitman's. We knew it would lead to more litigation instead of cleaner air. AAEA suported the Clear Skies Initiative because we believed (and still believe) that not only would it be superior to NSR, which only spawned litigation, but would lead to clearner air because it was modeled after the universally agreed upon success of the Acid Rain Program.

Earlier this week, Gov Whitman testified before a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on the Post 911 air issue in Lower Manhattan. Whitman is a fighter. Again, she should have used common sense instead of 'the scientists.' No way was that ouside air safe in Lower Manhattan for at least months and probably longer indoors. However, we respect that she did not pursue Marsha Coleman Adebayo as her predecessor Carol Browner did in the EPA racial discrimation case. And that picture of her with Secretary Powell is better than the one of her frisking an alleged perp in New Jersey. (The Washington Post/photo edited)

Nicole Gelinas defends Whitman in New York Post