Richard Codey

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, backing up Senate President Richard Codey's endorsement of Obama.

Obama Campaign State Director Mark Alexander knew it would be hard to pry Sen. Hillary Clinton’s supporters loose in New Jersey after her victory in New Hampshire.

This was a fight now, and Clinton’s people were solid.

"We have an opportunity here in Hudson - Hudson, Hispanics, Hillary and history," Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) cried to a North Bergen audience of mostly Latinos with Clinton on stage.

The response was near to deafening with Clinton standing on stage with Menendez, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-13) and state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex).

But that didn’t mean there weren’t other opportunities for Obama; in fact, one big opportunity, in the form of Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex), who was at the moment glumly serving as state director for the foundering campaign of John Edwards.

Alexander knew Codey. He also knew Codey was close to former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ), who had come onto the Obama campaign as an advisor.

Judge Michelle Hollar-Gregory swears in Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, left, as Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) looks on. 

ORANGE - The son of a former beauty queen and crusading Civil Rights attorney, Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., took the oath of office today as Mayor of the City of Orange in a well-attended and star-studded ceremony in the Middle School auditorium.

"On Day One of our new administration, I don’t say to you, 'Just watch what I can do in City Hall,'" the new mayor challenged the crowd. "Instead, I say, 'Get involved in every way that you can.' Together we will create new ways for you to participate in the building of a better and more prosperous Orange.

"And I say, 'Come with me to City Hall, and together, we’re going to turn our city around!' The future is now!"

Elected two months ago to replace the now convicted Mayor Mims Hackett, Hawkins literally walked up a red carpet rolled out onto the concrete in front of the school, and faced a sea of Orange residents and luminaries that included singing star Dionne Warwick.

Hawkins Chief of Staff Tai Cooper confers with Codey Chief A.J. Sabath 

ORANGE - In a packed auditorium at the Middle School this afternoon, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) saluted the newly sworn-in Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., and said he couldn’t go wrong with Tahirah "Tai" Cooper as his chief-of-staff.

Formerly Lautenberg’s Cooper senior project specialist out of the senator’s Newark office, Cooper is now officially with the Hawkins administration as the new mayor takes charge of Orange today.

One of the stars on stage paying tribute to the 29-year old Hawkins, Lautenberg sat in between Gov. Jon Corzine and Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex). In the audience were Newark Mayor Cory Booker and East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser.

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) would love Barack Obama to pick Codey’s old pal, former Sen. Bill Bradley, as his running mate.

He recognizes, however, that a Northeastern, blue state vice presidential candidate on the Democrats’ ticket probably wouldn’t be in Obama's best political interest.

As he stood with futility against a bill he believes would ravage his 39th GOP Assemblyman Vince PolistinaLegislative District, Assemblyman John Rooney took little joy in noting a personal milestone.

For while 2008 marks the Bergen County Republican’s 25th anniversary as an assemblyman, it is also the low point of his legislative career.

"My towns got destroyed last night," said Rooney, a day after the majority Democrats passed a $32.9 billion budget, which includes 25% cuts in aid to all of the 28 municipalities in Rooney’s district, and eliminations of property tax rebates for residents in the $150,000 to $250,000 income range.

Monday also brought the Democrats’ successful if ignominious - by Rooney’s reckoning - passage of a bill requiring the construction of affordable housing in affluent towns.

Not thrilled with some of the budget provisions, Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) presided over its passage. 

TRENTON - With a majority arguing that the state pension system needs to get on better financial footing, the Senate tonight passed a package of state worker pension reforms by a vote of 30-8.

Sen. Stephen Sweeney of South Jersey introduced the controversial proposal in what he described as a bipartisan vein.

"I make my living as a union leader," Sweeney told the Senate chamber. "You can go out of business if you don't manage your funds properly. These are modest not major reforms."

State Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex) on Wednesday stepped out in frontChris Christie of the back-static regarding a pairing of U.S. Attorney Jen BeckChris Christie with state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) for GOP governor/lt. governor in 2009.

"I think it's a dream ticket," said O'Toole. "If Chris Christie decides to run, I expect Jen Beck to be considered in what would be an ideal combination of law enforcement, ethics and government transparency."

O'Toole recalled as "gutsy" Beck's drubbing out of of office of state Sen. Ellen Karcher last year.

Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan in Newark on Tuesday night. 

NEWARK - They came together in Newark tonight in a public display of unity, the forces of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, all lining up behind Gov. Jon Corzine, who proclaimed his support for Obama in this governor’s fund-raiser for the Democratic State Committee.

"Yes, we can, and he will be the next president," shouted Corzine, echoing the campaign slogan of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

The Democrats raised over $500,000 tonight at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, according to party spokesman Richard McGrath, as part of a $5,000 VIP ticket, $1,500 per-person kick-start for what Corzine hopes will be blue state heaven for these Democrats come Nov. 4.

Mayor Cory Booker last night in the Central Ward. 

NEWARK - After his loss on Monday night, the last one of this cycle to draw his record to 0-3 in ward fights, Mayor Cory Booker walked outside in the Central Ward and was swarmed instantly by children.

"Mayor Booker!" they shouted. "Mayor Booker!"

They wanted to play in the middle of the heat wave that caused several power outages in the city on Monday, and Booker indulged them, even as his detractors seethed.

"He just got his butt kicked and he’s outside playing Simon Says," said a Newark operative.

U.S. Sen. FRank Lautenberg (D-NJ) exults with Gov. Jon Corzine and Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex). 

NEWARK - The Democratic Party allies of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg stood with their nominee tonight in the Gateway Hilton shortly after challenger U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) conceded in Cherry Hill.

After thanking his family, supporters and his defeated challenger for the congressman's offer of friendship, Lautenberg - who won by a margin of 61-34% - came out swinging in front of an animated crowd.

Hard economic times. The War in Iraq.