HACKENSACK – The Bergen reformer’s fear is someone disgraced or incarcerated will be running the party, giving orders via cellphone or BlackBerry to drones working in the service of a political patronage system that grinds forward unchanged even as the feds expose and prosecute the upper eschelons. 

But it’s also an election year – for governor, no less – and in that all important, 70-community county of Bergen, which Democrats or Republicans must win in order win it all in 2009 – tampering with the Democratic Party infrastructure and leaving it depleted or less than muscular could give the GOP that one opportunity they’re seeking. 

Indeed, even as Joe Ferriero wrote his letter of resignation as chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO), former U.S. Attroney Chris Christie – the man whose office last year indicted Ferriero on federal corruption charges – filed his papers to run for governor against Democrat Jon Corzine, setting up that most dramatic contrast of party plot lines, which the GOP wants to translate into crumbling utterly the Dems’ most vulnerable fault line here in Bergen. 

Trying to repair their party, Democrats spent this weekend trying unsuccessfully to reach an armistice to diffuse a building showdown between the forces of Ferriero and longtime nemesis state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) as the party looks to the post-Ferriero era. 

Already engaged in his own battle to save his reputation, Ferriero, who resigned Friday, leaves a party divided between those willing to support his hand-picked successor, Paramus-based developer and party fundraiser Michael Kasparian, and those backing Weinberg ally and local union business manager Richard “Buzzy” Dressel. 

Party leaders tried to get the two sides to consider some consensus candidates, and right now, U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman’s (D-Fairlawn) preference of state Sen. (and Wood-Ridge Mayor) Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) remains a possibility. 

In the interest of party unity, sources say Dressel would go along with party man Sarlo as an interim leader. But Kasparian – who can assume the loyal party infrastructure Ferriero leaves behind – isn’t yet ready to concede. 

Despite Kasparian’s close ties to Ferriero, Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney and other allies chose another of his contacts now enjoying the upward motion of the political pendulum swing on a much bigger scale to build what they see as a credible and compelling storyline for Kasparian: President-elect Barack Obama. 

“Mike’s a longtime Democrat, and as a huge supporter of Obama’s he’s obviously looking for a change,” said McNerney. “This is a man who served on the National Finance Committee for Obama. He had Obama at his house (during the primary campaign). He’s clearly the right choice for the future.”  

This past Friday, McNerney said he would call other members of the party’s executive committee – about 19 members in all – and advise them to back Kasparian. The Record’s Charles Stile reported last week that Ferriero’s already been working the phones, and word is Kasparian has the support to get elected.  

On Sunday afternoon, his forces battled onward in the face of Rothman’s and others’ efforts to unite the party in the interim behind Sarlo, an affable alternative who gets along with Weinberg and Dressel.  

“If it is all handled well, I’m hoping this can be the start of putting a lot of unfortunate feelings behind us and coming together to reform our party and move ahead,” said Rothman, who’s known Ferriero for 28 years. 

“Our relationship has had its ups and downs to say the least,” the congressman added of the former BCDO chairman, who faces a September corruption trial date. “I wish him and his family the best.” 

As for Sarlo, “I know he will be successful with helping unite every faction of the party,” Rothman said, “including those who are standing with Joe Ferriero to the end and those who are not. He has that kind of talent and rank.”  

Sarlo insists he would succeed Ferriero only on an interim basis and only if the party committee agrees to elect a permanent chair to assume office at the beginning of next year. 

“The senator is very flattered by the dozens of party leaders at state and county level who have asked him to do this,” said Chris Eilert, Sarlo’s chief of staff. “As someone who is a team player and party person he’s interested in reforming, stabilizing and uniting the party.” 

Union leader Richard “Buzzy” Dressel could be persuaded to delay his own pursuit of the chairmanship if Sarlo stepped into no man’s land for 2009. Weinberg and her 37th District mates Assemblyman Gordon Johnson (D-Englewood) and Assemblywoman Valerie Vaineri-Huttle (D-Englewood) could also accept Sarlo – with conditions. 

“Who the person is is not as important as what the person stands for,” said the state senator, and leader of the Real Bergen Democrats. “I certainly along with Gordon and Valerie have to meet with our supporters before we go along with anything. I don’t want to have a new leader presiding over the same organization.” 

In order for Weinberg to back Sarlo – or most anyone, for that matter, with the exception of Kasparian, whose closeness to Ferriero would literally drive her out of the party, by her own admission - she would need to see evidence that a new chairman would be committed to fundamental changes.

Like Kasparian, Weinberg backed Obama, too; but she wants it on the record that she has very specific opinions about what would constitute "change" at the BCDO.  

She would need a plan of departure from the patronage system she says is currently in place; she would need to see treasurers’ reports and the result of an outside audit. And more.

She also doesn’t want the BCDO to proceed with a Jan. 22nd convention date to pick Ferriero’s successor. 

If, in the eyes of Kasparian/Ferriero allies, Dressel suffers from too cozy a relationship with Weinberg, they are likewise less than thrilled by the prospect of Sarlo. 

“He’s employed by the largest single contractor with the county,” Freeholder David Ganz said of Sarlo’s relationship with transportation and construction contractor Joseph Sanzari.  “Now I’ve never had a problem voting for a Sanzari contract,” Ganz added. “He works cheaper and faster than anyone could expect, but for the party chair to work for him – that could create a conflict that could be seriously damaging to the party.”  

Ganz also pointed out that Sarlo’s status as a dual office holder – state senator from the 36th district and mayor of Wood-Ridge – doesn’t fit the profile of a reform-minded party leader.

Then there’s Dressel, who with Weinberg said he would help form another party if the BCDO chooses Kasparian as the next party chairman. 

“My problem with Buzzy – and I have enormous respect for Buzzy, by the way – but Buzzy primaried me and supported McNamara over McNerney," said Ganz.

Regarding Dressel’s explanation that he supported at least one Republican candidate because Democratic Party leaders - including former Gov. James McGreevey and jailed former state Sen. President John Lynch (D-Middlesex) - told him he should, Ganz said, “You can be a lemming or you can stand up and be counted, and all I would say is it’s convenient that people who are disgraced or incarcerated told him to do something.” 

Failing a clear-the-decks candidate, talks continue.