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NJ Governor Jon Corzine remained on a ventilator and in intensive care after extensive injuries from a Thursday night car accident on the Garden State Parkway. His doctors revealed his injuries were much "worse than initially reported" - the Times writes "the unbelted Mr. Corzine jettisoned from the front passenger seat in the back from the impact." Corzine lost half his blood, and he has not been able to speak due to the ventilator's tube. His children were emotional during a press conference: Daughter Jennifer said, “I think he’s going to be O.K.”
The impact of the crash caused his left femur to break and puncture his skin - a metal rod was put in his leg. Star-Ledger reports that doctors will be monitoring the next 48-72 hours carefully, as he may susceptible to infections. He is expected to be in a wheelchair for possibly months - and it's unclear whether he faces paralysis (one of his vertebra was broken). Here's a graphic showing all of the governor's injuries.
Now much of the attention is on how it's very likely that Governor Corzine was not wearing a seat belt at all. The Daily News' headline reads Gov Simply Would Not Buckle, with a "Cops tried - and refusal almost led to Corzine's death" while the Post puts Corzine's head on a crash test dummy, calling him BUCKLE HEAD. NJ state law requires all passengers to buckle, and violators can be fined $46, but even the governor's chief of staff, after a press secretary said it did not seem like Corzine was wearing a seat belt, said, "Those of you who know Gov. Corzine know he's not always amenable to suggestion." The Times spoke to former NY governor Mario Cuomo, who signed the country's first mandatory seat belt law in 1984:
"I remember the violent opposition it received. People didn’t like the idea of being forced to strap themselves in. When we adopted the seat belt law, it was the most unpopular thing I had done as governor.”Interesting fact: Cuomo apparently found seat belts uncomfortable at first. And the Daily News has an editorial wishing Corzine a get well - and reminding reader to buckle up; the Post's editorial emphasizes Corzine's Terrible Mistake.
NJ Governor Richard Codey, who has served as governor when Christie Todd Whitman left office early to work at the EPA and when James McGreevey resigned, said, "I’m a stand-in.” He also says he wears seat belts. The NY Times has an interactive graphic showing the accident. NJ State Police are still looking for the red pick-up truck that caused another car to hit the governor's SUV, which then spun off the parkway. The police do have the "black box" from the governor's SUV and will be examining its information.
Corzine is scheduled for two more surgeries and will face "grueling" and intense months of physical therapy.
Graphic from the Star-Ledger
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Anyone else notice Gothamist has been kinda graphic lately?
I blame Imus.
I always say that the only person who lived through Princess Diana's tragic accident was the guy in the front seat wearing a seatbelt. He was messed up to no end, but at least he lived. Corzine's injuries may have been lessened if he had followed the law and worn a seatbelt.
I hope that Gov. Corzine gets well soon. It sounds like it's going to be a long way back to health.
So he was riding shotgun. then there's no excuse.
I hate the NY Post, what a waste of paper. Can they have any less respect for someone in his condition?
Why should the Post sugar-coat it? The liberal nanny state types that push for seat belt laws and warning labels on cigarette packaging don't seem to have a problem with shock advertising to get people to comply with the law. Sounds like you're just looking for a reason to bash the Post because historically it is a conservative paper. I'd be willing to bet a substantial amount of money that you would not be offended if it were George Bush in the ICU and the Post ran this headline.
I doubt they ever find that red pickup. It is probably in a chop shop somewhere out in the midwest.
I pity the fool.
I'm kinda surprised, even six year olds know to wear a seatbelt.
why doesn't the post headline read "we're making fun of someone who's critically injured and almost dying because he's a democrat"
Technically Codey was always the "acting governor" although some media sources called him Governor after the post McGreevey thing.
New Jersey has no Lt. Governor post, so the Senate President steps in as acting governor. It can be confusing, but it is New Jersey, so it is par for the course.
This graphically proves poliicians think they are above the law, but they can't really make it past Mr. Darwin's law, can they?
Toby--if you want to get technical, NJ's acting governor gets to drop "acting" from his title after 180 days in office, according to N.J. Stat. § 52:15-5.
"The liberal nanny state types that push for seat belt laws..."
You argue that people should have a choice whether or not to wear a seatbelt, then you defend the Post for making fun of someone with life-threatening injuries...because he chose not to wear a seatbelt.
You can't have it both ways, bub.
Sounds like you're just looking for a reason to bash the Post because historically it is a conservative paper. I'd be willing to bet a substantial amount of money that you would not be offended if it were George Bush in the ICU and the Post ran this headline." - posted by you're a hack
#6 - You are a fool. What the hell does politics have to do with this? I hate the Post because they're always running trashy headlines to sell papers, making it no better than a gossip rag.
You'd lose that bet, by the way.
Leave it to the Post to hit the nail on the Buckle head.