Ron Paul

Assemblyman Michael Doherty, a West Point graduate and former Army Captain who has a son in the military, says people in the military support Paul because they are tired of the United States serving as the world's policeman.

Although he voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 - in part the first time because of the Republican candidate's promise not to nation-build - Assemblyman Michael Doherty admits the Bush administration has been an international disaster.

At the Ron Paul rally on Saturday, Assemblyman Michael Doherty denounces what he sees as the governor's secrecy around his asset monetization plan.

In Fort Lee's Monument Park, Joe Fisher of Wanaque likens the Ron Paul for president movement to the "second Revolution."

Led by prospective U.S. Senate candidate Murray Sabrin and roused by Assemblyman Michael Doherty, supporters of presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul held what they described as a liberty and freedom rally in Fort Lee today.

By throwing his support behind Ron Paul, Assemblyman Mike Doherty became the highest profile New Jersey politician to back the long shot presidential candidate.

This move wasn't surprising to people who have followed the career of the very conservative and outspoken legislator from Warren County, who tends not to equivocate on his political stances. But for a politician with aspirations for higher office, it wasn't the most practical choice.

While other legislators are lining up to hitch part of their political fortunes to Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain, Doherty chose a fringe candidate who consistently polls in the very low single digits. To Doherty, it's not so much about bolstering his own shot at a statewide seat someday as it is the principle of supporting the candidate he sees as most in line with old-fashioned, straight up conservatism.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination Susan Berkowitz of Parsippany has been on the street in front of the Morristown Green every Friday evening for six years, protesting war in the Middle East.

As part of her activist efforts, she attends nearly every area march or action. In Lincoln Park this summer she made cranes for peace for little Newark girls and walked after the 2004 presidential election from Pedro Francisco Park to the southern end of Broad Street to place shoes on the steps of City Hall in honor of the American dead.

"Where are you from," she's asked.

"Brooklyn," she says.

Figures.

"And I moved to Newark when I was 11," she adds.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has won the endorsement of Assemblyman Michael Doherty, one of the state's most conservative legislators. Doherty will join Paul during a campaign visit to New Jersey this weekend.  Paul also has the support of Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin, a former GOP U.S. Senate candidate and the 1997 Libertarian candidate for Governor, and George Ajjan, the 2004 Republican candidate for Congress in the eighth district.

It used to be that some had aspirations that a 24-7 media would lead to a general uplift in the culture, arts, and political understandings of the people. Such a promise seemed to fulfill Thomas Jefferson’s admonition that a people could not be both ignorant and free.  But what is happening is disappointing.  First, the major non-cable networks have moved their resources out of nightly news.  If one examines, for example, CBS Evening News with Katie Couric one will see a 30-minute show that gives us 22 minutes of news, but a good part is soft news which is entertainment not enlightenment.  Then CBS and the other two networks wonder why the number of people watching their news has significantly dropped over the years.

If it wasn’t for the gift of anonymity, it wouldn’t be wise for someone with an easily bruised ego to venture down to the comments section at the bottom of each of this Web site’s stories, where partisan punches tend to fly.

But in between blowing off steam, some frequent commenters have found that, on occasion, they actually have had some informative discussions, and that what they write here can sometimes impact campaigns and news cycle – whether it’s insider gossip or criticism of a reporter’s story.

Some have even developed personas and have gathered their own followings. Take DinoPCrocetti, the anonymous conservative commenter, whose alias is an homage to his idol, Dean Martin. He started his own blog, Dino’s Forum, after this site’s own pseudononymous administrator blocked his posts last summer. Under PoliticsNJ.com's new ownership he’s back.