Sen. Frank Lautenberg's Fierce Battle with Talk Radio Icon Detailed in Book

Online, June 8, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Sen. Frank Lautenberg, the legendary New Jersey Democrat who passed away this week, endured many fierce battles during his long political life. Among the most intense was against iconic talk radio personality Bob Grant who once dominated the New York and New Jersey airwaves.

The Right Frequency: The Story of Talk Radio Giants Who Shook Up the Political and Media Establishment by Fred V. Lucas (History Publishing Co.) tells the story of how Lautenberg went on the offensive against Grant to prevent being swept away by the Republican tide of 1994.

The previous year Republican Christie Whitman credited Grant for her upset victory over New Jersey Democratic Gov. Jim. Florio, who complained "how can I win with Bob Grant beating my brains out every day?"

Lautenberg was determined not to suffer the same fate.

"Lautenberg, whom Grant regularly called 'Senator Lousenberg' became uptight when he was up for reelection in 1994, a year that looked promising for Republican candidates across the country," The Right Frequency explains. "His GOP opponent Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian was getting much attention from Grant's radio show as well. So to take two opponents out with one shot, Lautenberg said Grant was racist and tied the radio host's racially insensitive comments to his Republican opponent. Lautenberg's campaign used this to mobilize black voters in the closing weeks of the campaign."

Lautenberg was reelected using what had been the New Jersey GOP's greatest strength against it, proving talk radio can be a double-edged sword for conservative politicians, as it can motivate turnout of the base but can also discourage swing voters.

Lautenberg's strategy -- not that different from the Democrats 2012 strategy of leveraging Rush Limbaugh comments against Republicans - is one of many anecdotes explored in The Right Frequency, which topped two Amazon Best Seller categories in May.

For more information or to interview the author, contact Don Bracken at [email protected] or (845) 398-8161.