Jim Hooker

The first gubernatorial debate between Democrat Jon Corzine, Republican Christopher Christie, and independent Christopher Daggett will air on New Jersey Network (NJN) tonight at 8:00 PM.  The 90 minute debate will be broadcast live from NJN Studios in Trenton. 

NJN News anchor Jim Hooker will moderate the debate, and candidates will take questions from three panelists: Michael Aron of NJN News; Bob Ingle of Gannett New Jersey; and Cynthia Burton of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The debate will be simulcast on NJN Public Radio and will be available on the web at njn.net. The debate will also be aired on C-Span.

PolitickerNJ.com's Matt Friedman will live blog during the debate at www.PolitickerNJ.com.

The debate over debates is great political theater, even to political insiders, even though real voters are hardly ever influenced by these kinds of process stories.  Rob Andrews and Dick Zimmer, in the Democratic primary and general election, respectively, tried to make a huge deal about the reluctance of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg to debate in 2008.  Lautenberg eventually debated, both times during the final week of the campaign, and his voters didn't hold his initial hesitation against him.

The move by New Jersey Network to move the gubernatorial debate from October 1 to October 22 was seen an beneficial to Gov. Jon Corzine, who is not required to participate in the two official debates sanctioned by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission because he is not accepting public financing.  Corzine preferred late debates, but now says he'll be part of the debate whenever it is held.  Republican Christopher Christie and independent Christopher Daggett, both the recipients of matching funds, strongly opposed NJN's petition to change the date of the debate as a carrot toward Corzine's participation. 

Representing NJN, anchorman Jim Hooker confirmed that the request to move the debates was done without consulting the other two sponsors, Gannett New Jersey and the Philadelphia Inquirer.  At some point, expect ELEC to change their sponsorship application process to ensure that all sponsors are on the same page. 

The four ELEC commissioners rarely vote along party lines, but they did that on Monday in a 2-2 vote on a motion to change the debate schedule.  Democrats Jerry Fitzgerald English and Albert Burstein, both former legislators, voted to move the debate to October 22, while the normally less partisan Republicans, Peter Tober and Amos Saunders, voted against any changes.  Saunders, a retired Superior Court Judge who hasn't been involved in partisan politics for decades, was especially strong in his opposition to any adjustments to the calendar. 

New Jersey Network lost a bid to move the first gubernatorial debate from October 1 to October 22 after a New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission vote was deadlocked 2-2 along party lines.

About an hour after ELEC's meeting concluded, Gov. Jon Corzine's campaign indicated that it would be willing to participate in both of the commission's debates regardless of the date.

"The Corzine campaign reiterates its position that the public is better served having the two gubernatorial debates later in October," said Corzine spokesman Sean Darcy.  "Our position notwithstanding, we are prepared to participate in both ELEC sanctioned debates regardless of whether or not the NJN debate is rescheduled for October 22nd."

Corzine's agreement to participate is likely to make an ELEC meeting set for Wednesday to revisit the debate schedule issue moot.  NJN Public Affairs Producer Ed Rodgers, who testified at the meeting, could not immediately be reached for comment, so it is not yet clear whether the network will continue to pursue the date change.

NJN Interim News Director Michael Aron sought the date change after the Corzine campaign told him that the Governor would not attend the October 1 debate.  Although the Corzine campaign implied that the incumbent would attend the debate on October 22nd, they never formally agreed to it - a sticking point for the commissioners today, along with the fact that the Corzine camp has not said why they can't attend on the originally scheduled day.

"Is no one really as deeply disturbed as I am by the fact that the Corzine committee has given us no reason for their inability or unwillingness for October 1?" said Commissioner Amos Saunders, a retired Superior Court Judge from Passaic County.  "I don't know what's going on, but I would hope at least for the courtesy of a reason.  I don't know if there is a reason, if it's not political gamesmanship."

The proposed change would also force a change in the debate for lieutenant governor, which currently scheduled for October 8 but is required to take place between the two gubernatorial debates.  It would also compress the debate schedule into a one week time frame ending less than two weeks before Election Day.

Retiring NJN anchor Kent Manahan is expected to be named as Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Network.

The New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority will hold a special meeting on Thursday to appoint retiring NJN news anchor Kent Manahan as the Acting Executive Director of the New Jersey Network.  Manahan would replace Elizabeth Christopherson, who announced last month that she was resigning after fourteen years. 

Zachary Fink has been a general assignnent reporter for the New Jersey Network since 1998

New Jersey Network reporter Zachary Fink was named on Friday as the new statehouse correspondent for NJN News.  Fink replaces Jim Hooker, who has been elevated to anchorman for the NJN Nightly News, replacing the retiring Kent Manahan.  Both appointments were made by senior political correspondent Michael Aron, who is the Acting News Director. 

Jim Hooker

State House Correspondent Jim Hooker will succeed Kent Manahan as anchor of NJN News effective January 2009, according to Michael Aron, interim director of NJN News and Public Affairs. 

“After careful deliberation and consultation, I am pleased to name Jim Hooker as anchor of NJN News Aron announced. “Jim is a seasoned journalist with deep background in the issues and politics of the state and credibility in the state capitol. He has represented NJN nationally and abroad, and at forums around the state. He brings weight and years of experience to the anchor chair. Jim also will be managing editor of the news and will be influential in the overall direction and tone of the newscast.”

“As NJN News State House correspondent, Jim Hooker brings two decades of award-winning reporting to build on the legacy that Kent Manahan has established as anchor,” said Elizabeth Christopherson, executive director of NJN Public Television and Radio. “We are delighted to recognize other members of the NJN award-winning team: Mike Curtis, the current producer of NJN News, who has been promoted to executive producer, and Peggy Micucci, assignment editor, who will be executive editor.”

John Adler and Chris Myers debate on NJN this weekend. Jim Hooker was the moderator.
Tonight on Reporters Roundtable, NJN political reporter Jim Hooker will host a discussion of the Assembly Economic Relief Bill, Gov. Corzine’s economic stimulus speech, the latest New Jersey presidential polls and Bryant Trial testimony.

Discussing the issues will be Kevin McArdle of Millenium Radio; Cynthia Burton of the Philadelphia Inquierer; The Bergen Record’s John Reitmeyer and The Press of Atlantic City’s Derek Harper.