Lautenberg Digs at Cory Booker in Senate Race

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey says Newark Mayor Cory Booker is entitled to run next year for the seat he now holds but is not yet revealing his own plans.

However, talking with reporters Tuesday in Washington, he warned Cory Booker that he likely wouldn't be the only candidate "drooling at the mouth" over the job.

Lautenberg's comments on his fellow Democrat's announcement he is weighing a Senate run came in interviews with The Philadelphia Inquirer and Gannett's Washingon bureau.

According to Gannett, when the 88-year-old senator was asked if there was a chance he wouldn't run in 2014, Lautenberg said, "I don't see that. But who knows?"

When Lautenberg was asked about whether Cory Booker was being disrespectful, the Inquirer says the senator talked about how he gave his children a spanking when they were disrespectful and "everything was OK."

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.