Corzine speaking out to get Menendez a chance at the podium

DENVER -- Arriving at the Inverness Hotel this morning, Gov. Corzine said that he’s heard no griping about the New Jersey delegation’s seating arrangement at the Pepsi Center or the fact that nobody from the state is scheduled for a speaking spot there.

The latter, however, could change.

Corzine said that, if New Jersey is to have anyone speak at the convention, it should be Bob Menendez, although he acknowledged that most attention will be focused on speakers from swing states. PolitickerNJ reported last night that members of the New Jersey delegation were pressuring national Democrats to give Menendez a spot.

Corzine apparently is one of those members.

“I think Bob would be a tremendous spokesperson for New Jersey and the country. I think it has a lot of the outreach for a very important community that goes beyond New Jersey. I think he’s the foremost spokesperson for Hispanic unity in the United States Senate, if not more broadly in the country,” he said.

Menendez was a passionate advocate for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and Corzine thinks that he’d also be a good advocate for Barack Obama.

“What we’re trying to do is give people and folks who helped win the elections on that podium. And I think bob Menendez is that individual and we will continue to speak out about that,” said Corzine.

And while the New Jersey delegation doesn’t have the primo convention center seats, Corzine noted that they’re in the same place they were four years ago, and doubted a press report that said it was likely because of the state’s near lock-step support for Clinton.

“It doesn’t mean they’re taking New Jersey for granted. We’re sitting in the same position that California is sitting, in front of North Carolina, which could be in play. The analysis is flawed, to say the least,” he said.