Republican National Convention

U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson: Politicker file photo 

MINNEAPOLIS - In a charge-the-barricade speech at his last convention as congressman, U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson’s (R-New Providence) worked hard at the podium to draw a contrast between Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) And Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who’s scheduled to address the Republican National Convention tonight.

"Some of those glory days are ahead of us as long as we stand for what we believe in," said Ferguson, who promised to work behind the scenes in the coming months. "I’m looking forward to being part of those efforts in the future."

He savaged the media’s depiction - vociferously reinforced by Democrats, he said - of Palin.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Former Gov. Christie Whitman, who left office during her second term after she was appointed to head the Environmental Protection Agency, said this morning that she thinks John McCain is right on the offshore drilling question.

Whitman said that offshore drilling is worth looking into, as long as it’s up to the states themselves. 

“(McCain) did put a provision in his bill to allow states to have the final word, and that to me is the important thing,” said Whitman as she was leaving the New Jersey delegation’s breakfast.  “We’re the only industrialized nation in the world that is not using all of its resources.  We can not keep saying we care about the price of oil, we’re worried about our energy, where it’s going to come from, and we want to continue to grow.  But we can’t drill, we don’t want to have any coal, we can’t have nuclear, we really don’t like wind power off the coast of Nantucket.  We can’t keep saying no to everything.”

MINNEAPOLIS - George Bush’s face filling a screen at the Xcel Energy Center last night didn’t prompt a chorus of boos because most Republicans still like the president, said State Republican Chairman Tom Wilson.

"He’s liked by a lot of people - remember, the people in that room are mostly hardcore party activists," the state chairman said, "and last night he did what he had to do."

"I know his poll numbers are upside down but I think history will judge him well," said Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore. "No terrorist attack in seven years. We’re doing better in Iraq."

State Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (D-Parsippany-Troy Hills) agreed.

MINNEAPOLIS - The Republican Party can survive the appearance tonight by President George W. Bush broadcast via satellite from the White House, assured former Gov. Christie Todd Whitman.

With the help of the family dog.

On her way to do a CNN interview on the suite level of the convention center shortly before the president made his pitch on behalf of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Whitman said, "Sure," the party can bounce back from Bush.

Strategic Vision places the president’s job approval rating at 15 percent in New Jersey, but Whitman, Bush’s former head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said Bush's dog, Barney, is from New Jersey, joking that people will find a connection there.

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said he votes differently than the Bush Administration’s policies and his own party more than any other New Jersey Republican.

But Smith takes a measured tone when reflecting on what the legacy of the Bush era will look like.

“I think there’s a tremendous amount of anger directed at him.  He gets blamed for all kinds of things,” said Smith.

MINNEAPOLIS - Nutley businessman Carmen Pio Costa said he’s definitely considering another run for Assembly in the 36th Legislative District next year.

"I’m just seeing how things play out in the party right now," said Pio Costa, 29, who in 2007 lost by 2,400 votes in his shot against Democratic Assemblymen Fred Scalera (D-Nutley) and Gary Schaer (D-Passaic).

"I was very pleased with our result last time, especially considering our late entry into the game," said Pio Costa, speaking in a telephone interview with PolitickerNJ.com. "I would like to run with the benefit of the experience I received from running last time."

MINNEAPOLIS - Morris County Freeholder Doug Cabana of Boonton said he intends to run for the Assembly in the 25th District now that Richard Merkt announced his decision not to pursue re-election next year in favor of a gubernatorial bid.

"I’ve been getting quite a few emails in the district from people saying it’s your turn to go," Cabana told PolitickerNJ.com. "I called Richard Merkt to verify that he was in fact not running, and he’s not going to run, so I am."

Cabana’s designs on the seat mean the GOP primary next year could be a showdown between the 11-year freeholder veteran and Tony Bucco, Jr., son of state Sen. Tony Bucco (R-Morris), and Cabana's brother-in-law.

Cabana has no qualms about going against the younger Bucco - who’s never held elected office.

But he said he doesn’t want to run against fellow Freeholder John Murphy, who has not decided whether he intends to run for the Assembly seat, according to Cabana.

The Rev. Al Sharpton at the Hilton: Politicker photo 

MINNEAPOLIS - The front doors to the Hilton Hotel just slid open and the Rev. Al Sharpton walked in, nearly colliding with former Gov. Thomas Kean.

The two men went with a big, warm handshake before they kept going in opposite directions.

"I was just participating with Newt Gingrich in a bi-partisan forum," said the veteran civil rights activist and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate. "I stopped by the hotel to get something to eat."

Republicans yesterday held their fire on the Democratic Party while Hurricane Gustav bore down on the Gulf Coast. But now, with damage from the Hurricane apparently less than feared, Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson and Senate candidate Dick Zimmer let loose on incumbent Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg.

Introducing Zimmer to speak at the delegation breakfast this morning, Wilson took a shot at Lautenberg on rumors that he spends most of his time in Manhattan rather than his Cliffside Park condo.

“For 25 years, Frank Lautenberg has left his apartment in Manhattan and gone to Washington to represent New Jersey. And in those 25 years, he’s got three things to show for it: a train station with no parking, no smoking on airplanes and a 21-year-old drinking age. Two of those things happened when Ronald Reagan was president,” he said. “And since then, Frank Lautenberg has just been along for a ride.”