Dworkin's Bergen County conflict
By Wally EdgeBefore he passed away last year, Rider University Professor David Rebovich was the most quoted man in New Jersey politics. The media, including PolitickerNJ.com, depended on Rebovich nearly every day for his thoughtful, independent analysis of New Jersey politics. His successor as Director of Rider’s Institute of New Jersey Politics, former Democratic operative Ben Dworkin, doesn’t have the same gravitas – and has some conflicts that should prevent his ability to comment on certain issues.
Here’s an example: today’s Star-Ledger has a story about Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero attending the Democratic National Convention in Denver just one week after FBI agents seized personal records from his law office. State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, a fierce Ferriero rival, told the newspaper that Ferriero should not have attended, and her view was backed up by Dworkin’s “independent” analysis:
Ben Dworkin, a political scientist at Rider University, said Ferriero's convention appearance will play into the Republican plan to attack New Jersey's ruling Democrats. But Dworkin said it is also a signal to key party insiders that Ferriero believes he has not broken the law and can prove it.
"The issue comes down to this: Does he really think he's guilty of something? He says no. And if he's going to fight whatever charges, this shows it," Dworkin said. "Of course it's a distraction and Republicans will do everything they can to make sure everybody knows it."
But the story failed to disclose Dworkin’s conflict: he is a longtime ally of Weinberg, and the former anti-Ferriero Democratic Municipal Chairman in Teaneck.
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MOLEHILL
You might have a case if Dworkin's comment sounded biased against Ferriero. But his remarks were balanced and rational. Would it be better if people who opined about politics had no background in it?
Well...
Impartiality should count for something when you are called on to comment on the political arena. However, I thought these comments were just fine.
blame the Star-Ledger, not Rider
I don't blame the Rider Institute of Politics, because Dworkin could probably do a solid job there.
I blame the Star-Ledger for not disclosing that Dworkin was a former Democratic operative with ties to Weinberg.
That's bad reporting.
guilt by association is out of control
is anyone allowed to have an independent thought anymore??? so what if he had once worked for Weinberg, he works for Rider and far removed from Bergen politics. i'm sure he takes his job seriously and gave his best professional analysis for the Ledger without an agenda. and Wally you should really only print that he has a conflict if you have evidence of the conflict. let's turn it around on you....do you know Joe Ferriero? What's your relationship with him? have you ever worked for him or are you friends with him?
you see this type of guilt by assoc. go on everyday in politics and i think it's bogus.
Lets be rational....
The Dumbocraps have a huge ethical issue from Corzine down to every local planning board..The Dumbs run NJ more corrupt than the Sopranos...
On the other hand...a quote from a guy who teaches at the level of a community college --Rider is NOT an national intellectual powerhouse when it comes to political science....and in NJ style Dworkin is probably just another politcal hack who got this job due to his politcal connections...
Does it really matter>
JOM
JustOneMan
Wow what a disrespectful comment about a local univeristy. Rider University counts among its alumni Rob Clifton (Freeholder from Monmouth County), Mark Schweiker (former Governor of Pennsylvania), as well as many NJ State Legislators. Rider University is a fine school and Professor Dworkin worked hard at Eagleton before being hired as the replacement for David Rebovich, a god among men. Rebovich alone made the Rider political science department. I say let Dworkin prove himself at Rider before you call him a hack.
Unbiased? Try Opportunistic.
While Ben might be a Weinberg ally, he was certainly a hard worker for the Ferriero's BCDO before the war got ugly. He was happily the head field operative for the Dem organization every year until leaving his MC position and his wife was an aide to Freeholder Doug Bern long ago. It just goes to show that no one in politics in this state is immune from the game's that are played.
Maybe PolitckerNJ
Will cease with the opinions of second rate, so called academics from third-rate colleges and universities!
Rebovich was without question the most overrated, over quoted and out-of-touch talking head on this site. He is now followed by Patrick Murray, another "wanna-be" talking head with nothing to say that's worth reading.
Dworkin is another liberal windbag who couldn't get elected dog catcher against the blind rabbi with a million dollars in his campaign account.
Please, stop with the embarassing nerds! Give us Bodman, Roginsky, et al if yo have nobody else to speak with!
Vote Column A - All the way!
You sir are
a buffoon! Rebovich was the dean of NJ politics. He was the first choice for analysis by all media outlets from Trenton to New York to Washington. He was the most quoted for a reason. Not only that, but he had great relationships with elected officials to which he was able to gain their trust on all sorts of matters. Go pound salt!
Wally Edge is the pot calling the kettle black
That's rich. The famed editor of politicker is an anonymous individual whose identity is unknown even to the reporters who he edits. No one knows who "Wally" is -- what his politicial associations are, who he takes money from, whose payroll he is on, whether he has ever run for office or worked for a politician before. And THIS guy is smearing Ben Dworkin? Lots of nonpartisan political commentators and analysts once worked in partisan politics. Tim Russert. Chris Matthews. William Safire. There's nothing wrong with Dworkin doing the same. What IS wrong is cowering behind an anonymous handle while pretending to be a journalist. It's Wally Edge we should be asking about. This guy smears people left and right but doesn't have the guts to disclose his identity. We have no idea whose payroll he's on. He's the one with major conflicts of interest and disclosure problems.
rockvillewarrior
Your posting must be a parody right???
Your posting must be a parody right???
First of all either you are A. Professor Dworkin, B. the Dean of Rider Community College or C. Dworkins "Israeli Poet in Residence"
You state as a positive that, Rider is responsible for graduating "many NJ State Legislators"....so NJ with a government that is devoid of ethics, financially bankrupt and filled with corruption is the doings of Rider graduates...ha ha ha...that’s a true sign of a noble institution...
As an undergrad many years ago I took a night course at Rider College and found the girls to be easy and the guys to be dullards...most were a bunch a private school wannabees who couldn’t get into a real scholastic university...
JOM
Deja Vu All Over Again
Dworkin was Weinberg's hack back in 2002 when she ran him for Teaneck Council and he came in dead last. Loretta is the queen of cronyism and Ferriero is one of her star students.