Paterson comes to Jersey City

JERSEY CITY – At an Obama rally here in the student center of New Jersey State University, New York Gov. David Paterson took aim at Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) repeated denunciation of Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) economic policy.

McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, refer in their down-the-stretch stump speeches to remarks made by a campaign supporter who told Obama that the Democratic nominee’s tax cuts sound like socialism.

Paterson put that on McCain’s home turf.

“Arizona receives $13.7 billion more than it receives in federal taxes every year,” Paterson told a pumped-up Jersey City crowd, who could sense a punch line coming.

“Isn’t that called a welfare state?” the governor asked.

The crowd of about 250 people loved it, having already been roused by back-to-back speeches by Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken).

Paterson cited the Bush administration’s record on Homeland Security funding, arguing that Wyoming – Vice President Dick Cheney’s home state – received four and a half times the resources per capita as New York and New Jersey.

“That is a sin so unpardonable that it probably should be prosecuted,” said Paterson. “But we’re not going to bother. We’re going to elect Barack Obama on Tuesday.”

Paterson’s been to at least two public functions in New Jersey this past week. In addition to his Jersey City appearance on Saturday, the New York governor spoke at an Essex County Democratic Party function on Thursday.

“I like it over here,” he said to a question about why he’s coming to New Jersey. “It’s just across the river. It’s not like I’m going to Egypt.”

He may come to New Jersey again before Election Day.

Paterson supports 5th Congressional District candidate Dennis Shulman, who, like the New York governor, is legally blind.

“I hear it’s about even over there in that race, so I may be swinging in on Monday to see if I can help out,” Paterson told PolitickerNJ.com.

Gov. Jon Corzine gave Paterson a bear hug as he entered the room on his way to the podium to deliver his own pro-Obama remarks.

“We have a great relationship,” Corzine said. “We’re working together – we’re going to make sure New Jersey comes first – but we’re working together because New Jersey and New York have a lot of the same problems.”