PolitickerNJ.com

Yesterday's Daily Beast story on Barbara Buono's fledgling candidacy has state politicos - especially women - abuzz today over comments anonymous Democrats made about their gubernatorial standard bearer.

In one particularly low blow, one faithful party member - (Christiecrat maybe?) - talked about Christie's family jewels and likened Buono to the last female at the bar come closing time.

 “She kicked the governor in the crotch at every opportunity, and that is how she became known, but she is also the default candidate,” said one top Democrat. “It was 2 a.m. and the bar was closing, and Barbara was looking pretty good, frankly.”

Another slapped her for a perceived lack of social skills for not "hanging out" more when she was Senate Majority leader.

Women in the state, including the Women's Political Caucus are incensed over what they are calling the misogynistic comments from fellow Dems.  Their anger is understandable in that it's doubtful any male candidate has ever been compared to a 2 a.m. barfly.

“As the gubernatorial debate heats up over the next nine months, we hereby call on both the media and political establishment to demand a high-minded level of discourse about the future of our state and reject these types of remarks that do nothing but degrade women and reduce their success,” said Lisa Mizrahi Kaado, Excecutive Director of the WPC in  a statement.

But hardcore Democrats say the issue goes beyond just misogyny, which is bad enough, and borders on cannibalism.

"She may not have been the first choice of some of these guys, but the fact is, she's the candidate and it's time for this nonsense to stop," said one Democrat - a male who is among the camp that favored candidates other than Buono.  "Do you see that coming out of the GOP?  You never see public criticism of Christie. Never."

Indeed, one of Christie's main strengths over the past three plus years has been unification of the party, either through loyalty or fear.  Republicans don't chirp about their leader, even in confidence, for fear of angering the governor and being excommunicated from the fold.

New Jersey Democrats, long known for their factionalism, seem to take pride in private sniping and in knocking their own candidate down a peg, even as she struggles to gain traction.

"A lot of people thought we had a better chance with (Newark Mayor) Cory (Booker) or (state Sen. Dick) Codey, but neither one of them stepped up," said another Democrat. "Barbara did.  Why can't the party come together around her?  It's really discouraging to watch this."