Menendez and Corzine tout each other as VP candidates; differ with Codey on apportionment of delegates

It was a Jon Corzine/Bob Menendez love fest today as each exclaimed the others’ qualifications to be second in command under a President Hillary Clinton.

Although Corzine has all but ruled out any possibility of working in Washington next year if Clinton wins the presidential election, Menendez thinks he’d be a splendid choice for Vice President.

“I think he’d be a great choice,” said Menendez in response to a question during a conference call with Corzine about Clinton’s New Jersey primary victory.

Menendez said that Corzine’s background makes him most suitable to tackle the “issues of the day” like the economy, universal health care and the war in Iraq.

“Jon Corzine has the experience on the issues of the day that few people in public life have that is how we get the economic underpinnings to turn this economy around,” he said.

But Corzine was quick to jump in and compliment Menendez, saying that he’s the one with the ascribed characteristics, and touting his national leadership in Clinton’s campaign.

“I think that if I was picking a vice president, Bob Menendez would certainly be on the short list,” he said.

On a more serious note, the two prominent Clinton supporters touted the large Democratic turnout last night as a great sign for the party, noting that they had brought thousands of new, unaffiliated voters into the fold – a number Corzine roughly estimated at 20% of last night’s electorate.

“It is what I’m most excited about other than the fact that Sen. Clinton won and won handily,” said Corzine.

Both politicians cast doubt on Senate President Richard Codey’s argument that the state’s 20 “super delegates” should be assigned proportional to the state’s popular vote.

“With all due respect to Senator Codey, he wouldn’t be saying that if the result was different,” said Menendez.