DNCC

Former President Bill Clinton addressed the Democratic National Convention tonight, pledging to help elect Barack Obama: Getty Images Photo
DENVER - The Clinton legacy took a battering in the recent Democratic Party primary, but Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) says most of the landed blows are unjust, and argued that only the former president could convincingly argue on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) the way he did tonight.

"In 1992, the Republicans called Clinton too inexperienced and that’s what they’re trying to say now about Barack Obama," says Wisniewski in the Spotted Dog bar at the Inverness Hotel, paraphrasing one of Clinton’s key arguments from his speech at the Democratic National Convention tonight.

"Clinton proved to be one of the best presidents of the 20th Century," added the assemblymen, who is poised to begin his term as a Democratic National Committeeman at the end of this week, where he is interested in examining possible reforms to the system.

President Clinton balanced the federal budget, and created surpluses approaching a trillion dollars.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) and his wife, Debbie.: Politicker photo 

DENVER - The crowd crams into the Spotted Dog for Assemblyman John Wisniewski’s (D-Sayreville) convention watch party, which includes three other recognizable elected officials packed cheek by jowl into this low-ceilinged underground Inverness Hotel hangout: Assemblyman Gordon Johnson of Bergen and West New York Mayor Sal Vega and Plainfield Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs.

Wisniewski’s been attending conventions going all the way back to 1976, when his father served as a member of the New Jersey delegation. Now he has his own daughters here and they’ve already been on the floor of the Pepsi Center.

"It’s a relaxing atmosphere down here, in a way even better than getting on and off the bus to go out there to the Pepsi Center," says Wisniewski, chair of the state Assembly Transportation Committee.

"At least I know New Jersey’s not the only place with gridlock," he says.

Edward M. Kennedy after defeating Jimmy Carter in the New York and Connecticut Democratic presidential primaries in March 1980: Getty Images Photo
DENVER -- Essex County Freeholder Pat Sebold supported Ted Kennedy for the Democratic nomination against Jimmy Carter in 1980 because she didn’t think Carter could beat Ronald Reagan.

She was right.

28 years later, Sebold supported Hillary Clinton. But she doesn’t have the same fears about Barack Obama as she did about Jimmy Carter.

“It’s a new era. One doesn’t have to do with the other. Times change,” she said. “Barack Obama is not going to lose.”

DENVER --If U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) does go back on his pledge and returns to his House seat, don’t expect U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) to welcome him back.

When asked whether he would “forgive and forget” Andrews’s primary challenge against Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park), Pascrell said “I look at it this way, who am I to forgive anyone?”

It’s the scenario that won’t die, no matter how many times Andrews denies it.  South Jersey sources here at the convention continue to speculate that there’s a slight chance Andrews will return to the seat – the ballot spot for which is being held by his wife.  Even the revelation that Andrews is in job negotiations with Goldman Sachs hasn’t extinguished the idea. 

To U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), the lack of any primetime speakers at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions is just another example of both parties using the Garden State cash machine before abandoning the state to its own devices.

“I think it was an insult to the state of New Jersey because a lot of money comes out of this state for both political parties, and a lot of support for both political parties. So there’s no excusing it,” he said.

Responding to a Star-Ledger report that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) was eventually offered a speaking spot but turned it down because it wasn’t primetime, Pascrell quickly responded that they only offered it “after the fact.”

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate for President, will visit New Jersey on Thursday: Getty Images Photo
Libertarian presidential candidate former GOP Georgia Congressman Bob Barr will make a campaign stop this Thursday in Rahway as part of a three day swing through the tri-state area

After media appearances on CNN, The Colbert Report, and The Glen Beck Show, Barr will attend the town hall meeting. The event will be held at 8 p.m., at Luciano's located at 1579 Main Street in Rahway, according to Barr spokesman Lou Jasikoff.

"As part of a coordinated broadcast with similar events throughout the country we will be cutting away for comments from Wayne A. Root in Denver on the Democratic convention, along with other remote locations throughout the United States," said Jasikoff. "This will be an attempt to communicate our message to as many people as possible via the Internet."

Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and Gov. Jon Corzine during the 2007 campaign.: Politicker photo
DENVER -- Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) made the calculations and passed up a run for state Senate against Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton) in District 14 last year. But with all the buzz surrounding Baroni’s future if John McCain is elected president, there may be a short cut to the Senate for Greenstein.

Baroni, who’s leading the McCain campaign in New Jersey, would likely be a leading candidate for U.S. Attorney under the McCain Administration (providing current U.S. Attorney Chris Christie leaves the post). That would allow Greenstein, a popular incumbent, a legitimate shot at the higher chamber in a special election.

“I would like to move up to the Senate. Obviously if the people of my district would like me to,” she said.

DENVER - The perceived indignity of standing in a crush of bodies behind the Island of Guam in that gaping blue glow of the Pepsi Center, coupled with the ongoing grind of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s (D-NY) loss, didn’t do much to boost the spirits of the delegation, as coming in here they hung their last hopes on a podium appearance by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Union City).

"No comment," state Party chairman Joseph Cryan said when poked about Menendez’s chances of speaking.

When it finally didn’t happen, the bulk of Garden State Democrats looked again for sustenance in Senator Clinton, who won by nearly ten points in New Jersey, whose presence on stage could keep the painful tensions of every silently suffering delegate alive for a few more hours - building to some end that was as yet unknown.

And yet when she spoke on Tuesday, Clinton put a larger political conflict in very stark terms, attempting to uplift to battle stations a mood that could easily go straight to a meltdown with the wrong tone.

GOP presidential candidate John McCain with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, an Asian-Indian and possible VP pick: Getty Images Photo
DENVER -- Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, the first Indian-American to serve in the state legislature, said that if McCain chooses Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal as his running mate, many of the state’s Indians would be tempted to vote for him.

But while New Jersey has one of the largest Indian populations in the country, Chivukula (D-FranklinTownship) said that there aren’t enough of them to change the statewide tide.

“I’m sure it will have some impact, yes. But Indian-Americans are not a large percentage, so it’s not going to be that much,” he said.

DENVER -- Essex County Executive Joe DiVencenzo may have said last week that he would consider running for Governor if Gov. Corzine left office early or decided not to seek reelection, but since arriving for the convention he’s been assured that won’t be the case.

“There’s no question Jon is going to be running for reelection. He’s been working this delegation very, very well.   He assured me that he’s going to be our candidate whether Obama wins our not.  He’s not interested in going to Washington,” said DiVincenzo.