
EDISON - Against a landscape of Middlesex County Democratic Party strife, Vice President Joe Biden this afternoon stumped for Gov. Jon Corzine, arguing the international context of the recession, which he said Republican candidate Chris Christie has tried to pin solely on Corzine.
"Jon has said he governed in tough times," said the vice president. "Let's give him the chance to govern in good times."
Deadlocked with Christie, according to most polls, Corzine's handlers want him to repeat a double-barrel message from here until Election Day two weeks from now: remind people that he acted early to blunt the impact of the recession, and that the pro-unon, pro-choice, anti-gun incumbent shares the values of most New Jersey voters.
Biden was here to amplify that two-pronged argument.
"Isn't it great we have Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the White House?" Corzine asked the crowd. "Their values are our values, right?"
Called in to back up Biden and Corzine, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) gouged Christie over the Republican candidate's opposition to the public healthcare option.
"You know, the public option is opposed by the insurance companies - the same companies that gave Chris Christie's campaign $100,000," Pallone said.
Boos cascaded.
Prior to Biden's appearance, "Living on a Prayer" blared through speakers.
It vaguely had the feeling of a Jon Bon Jovi ego prop after Corzine's red-faced Friday night confession that he prefers the Boss to his old pal from Sayreville. If there were any 1980's area high school graduates nursing wounds from what had sounded to them like Corzine's selection of rock-and-roll hall of famer Springsteen over their local hero, blue collar Biden was here to ring the dinner gong for the county's suburban Catholics who might still not be feeling Corzine love.
"My Irish Catholic mother's 92, and she thought if she was a Republican she'd go to hell," Biden told a floor-full of backpack clad MySpace generation onlookers who showed up at the gym between classes here at Middlesex County Community College to blend in with some party types.
A few IUPAT (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades) signs danced above the crowd, and there were party regulars in attendance, including U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) (on a guns and mammograms message), Pallone and U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-Hopewell Twp.). But while they control the county, Middlesex ground-game Democrats hardly project a soaring chorus of Corzine unity just days after Biden appeared in Atlantic City in front of an excitable all-labor crowd.
The mayor of Middlesex County's largest towns, John McCormac of Woodbridge, was not in attendance this afternoon.
After not being consulted when the new regime landed in the state capital with Corzine, former state treasurer McCormac still feels dissed by the governor.
Edison Mayor Jun Choi was present, but subdued.
Once a fight-the-power figurehead here in Middlesex, Choi lost his primary in June. He campaigned over the weekend for the governor, but has been mostly underground as his nemesis, Councilwoman Toni Ricigliano, who defeated Choi in the primary, wades into a general election without his support.
"This is fabulous - so many Democrats," said Middlesex County Freeholder Carol Barrett, her voice echoing back from the cavernous nether half of the gym.
State Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) introduced Biden and Corzine, and Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) and Assemblyman Joe Egan (D-New Brunswick) roamed the bleachers.
Stung by her party as she tried to position her own candidate for the 19th District Assembly seat, Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Daiz also appeared in the crowd, which Biden worked after his speech.
"It wasn't a big crowd," admitted a Corzine ally, 'But it's mid-day. Just wait until tommorow night at Rutgers - Bill Clinton."
Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...
“We will work harder and smarter to protect consumers, to preserve civil rights, to effectively regulate the alcoholic beverage industry, to ensure that the integrity of New Jersey’s casino gaming industry continues, to keep drives, passengers and pedestrians safe on our streets, to assist victims of crimes, and to remember always the importance of juvenile justice on issues affecting the state." -- Attorney General-designate Paula Dow, at her Senate confirmation hearing.
- PolitickerNJ.com, 02/08/10Press releases are submitted by PolitickerNJ users, not by staff. They do not represent the viewpoint of PolitickerNJ.com.
I'm sure "Barbara Boner" was
I'm sure "Barbara Boner" was proud.
What You Talkin' About Biden?
"Jon has said he governed in tough times," said the vice president. "Let's give him the chance to govern in good times."
Can someone tell me what good times is our lovely VP is talking about??
This isn't a bid for the best candiate, this is a cluster-#$%@ of Dems getting high off each other. The Democratic administration doesn't want to see Democratic NJ obtain Republican leadership. Now, I am not one to base my vote based on party lines. Infact, to base your vote on your party line is the downfall of alot of the political arena. But if we were going to talk about party lines, NJ has been heavily ruled by a Democratic hand and we aren't exactly doing good here. It's a bit of a double-edge sword for Dems isn't it. They want to protray Republican leadership as not having any values or "evil". When it's Dems that have been leading our state quite heavily and have lead us into a rabbit hole.
Corzine has to get help from
Corzine has to get help from Biden, Obama and Clinton. If we vote for this guy we are all a bunch of Dumb Fools. All this for George Norcross
Good Rally
This was no "Town Hall," and the atmosphere was appropriate for the event.
Recall how far to the political right this country has come during the Bush years. The only way to return to the center is to give the other side a "fair and balanced" shot at governing.
Dum Arsed New Jerseyans
Yeah all you good Catholics voting for more baby killing abortionist Democrats. Joe Biden, you and the Abortionist-in-Chief may very well rot in Hell if you don't change your ways about abortion. There will be a lot of "good Catholics" who supported Democrat abortionist politicians there with you. Can anyone recommend a state that we can move to away from this socialist utopia called New Jersey?