The DNC announced the other day that they will target Congressmen Lance and Lobiondo as part of their effort to focus on the group of 32 House Republicans who opposed the healthcare bill that are in Congressional Districts won by President Obama in 2008:
Through this campaign, the DNC will send a message to Republicans who have reflexively said no to health insurance reform by urging them to do the right thing and support reform when it comes to the House again for a final vote. The campaign will include press releases, Op-Eds and letters to the editor, local events and will leverage the energy and enthusiasm of the DNC's grassroots supporters and its email list in holding these members accountable for their vote. The effort may also include paid advertising. DNC National Press Secretary Hari Sevugan released the following statement on the effort:
"You would think a Member of Congress should think twice about voting against health insurance reform that their families and small businesses so desperately need and want. But you have to think to vote against health insurance reform in a Congressional District won by President Obama just a year ago could be a political death knell at a time when Americans are clamoring for solutions to vexing issues like health care," said Sevugan. "These members not only represent districts that voted for President Obama, but also where health insurance reform, as in the rest of the country, is badly needed and where passing it will be politically popular. Some on the very far right wing would have people believe that voting for health insurance reform is a mistake politically - when the truth is that any Republican who votes against reform, especially those from districts won by the President, will undoubtedly place themselves in real political peril."
We've focused here at Blue Jersey a good deal of a attention and effort on getting the people in our own party on board with healthcare reform, but the DNC is taking a look at the other side of the aisle and lining up their targets for the next election based on what they see. In separate releases, the DNC noted that President Obama received 54% of the vote in Congressman LoBiondo's district and didn't give a percentage in Lance's district, but pointed to the President's victory. In fact, they and Organizing for America started putting out those releases hitting Lance and LoBiondo immediately following the vote on Saturday night. Congressman LoBiondo's spokesman had a simple, short response to the targeting:
Asked about the DNC's targeting of LoBiondo, Galanes asked, "Are they targeting John Adler? ... Just curious."
Are we in Congress or pre-school? A bad vote by Johnny doesn't excuse Franky from doing the right thing by his people.
Organizing for America (OFA), the DNC-ruled "grassroots" organization formed from the massive Obama '08 email list, is asking people in NJ-2 & NJ-7 to drop what they're doing and call Frank LoBiondo and Leonard Lance and ask them to vote Yes on the public option. The debate has been going on all day on the floor of the House. Watch LIVE.
Obama voters in 31 other districts got the same email, districts Obama won but have GOP congressmen. But it's a complete waste of time to call Republicans, and the DNC/OFA knows it. This is a muscle-flex for the GOP. They've spent all day, in some ridiculous, dramatic and even toddler-juggling vignettes, telling you they're voting no. So why is OFA trying to get you to waste your time on Lance & LoBiondo when you could be calling an actual Democrat who plans to vote no on Public Option?
In fact, our friends at AFSCME have an easy tool for you Adler constituents to call him now. Just click the green flashing ad to the right of this diary.
Stuck at work? Regretting you couldn't take the day off to help get out the vote? I totally get it.
So, this cool little tool is perfect for you. It generates 5 voters for you to call and remind to vote. And all five are your neighbors - they vote in the same precinct you do.
All you do is enter your address. It spits out your polling place and 5 Obama voters to call (you can get more), with easy tips to make the calls a success. Just update to "today" where it says "Tuesday." Love it.
Governor Tim Kaine, Chairman of the DNC will make 3 stops to campaign with Governor Corzine and Senator Weinberg tomorrow:
Gov. Kaine will first join Lieutenant Governor candidate Senator Loretta Weinberg at an event with American Federation of Teachers and Health Professional & Allied Employees union members in Saddle Brook before speaking at the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey's 30th Annual Installation Ceremony of the President and 2009/2010 Officers and Trustees in Hoboken. Later in the evening, Kaine will join Governor Corzine in Harrison for Mayor Raymond McDonough's Annual Cocktail Party.
If you live anywhere in the area, we'll put the event information below the fold. If you go to any of the events, take a few pictures for your friends at Blue Jersey and write about it in a diary.
What do you think? Personally, I thought the sound was distractingly bad. Anyway, I doubt web ads are very important, but I suppose they are trying out the new line of attack JRB discussed yesterday.
Most of this is just a summing up of details we have already been following, as we help New Jersey voters vet Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie, whose claims as a corruption-buster fade as more attention is paid what he actually did as US Attorney for NJ. His highly-questionable decisions on deferred prosecution agreements that feathered the nests of his friends, cronies and contributors. His lack of transparency and other abuses. But it's important to note how closely the national Democrats are watching. Which is closely.
Statement from the Democratic National Committee:
Chris Christie's testimony to Congress leaves too many unanswered questions about tens of millions of dollars in no-bid contracts that appear to have gone to friends and political cronies like John Ashcroft.
It's clear that as US Attorney Christie used his position to help his friends, and now those very friends are helping him fill his campaign coffers. Chris Christie's repeated ethical lapses demonstrate that he's just not up to the task of serving as governor of New Jersey," said DNC spokesman Michael Czin.
On the Ashcroft Contract
Christie awarded a no-bid contract worth upwards of $52 million to his former boss, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. "Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft was one of five private attorneys whom Christie hand-picked to monitor the implant makers. Now Ashcroft's D.C.-based firm is poised to collect more than $52 million in 18 months, among the biggest payouts reported for a federal monitor." Ashcroft was appointed to monitor Zimmer Holdings, of Indiana, in the investigation into hip and knee implant makers. [Star-Ledger, 11/20/2007]
ยท The contract contained lucrative provisions for Ashcroft, such as payments for private aircraft. It called for Ashcroft Group Consulting Services to earn an average monthly fee of between $1.5 million and $2.9 million, including individual legal and consulting fees billed at up to $895 per hour and as much as $250,000 a month for expenses including private airfare, lodging and meals.[Star-Ledger 11/20/2007]
UMDNJ, Inglesino, Stern, pay-to-play, and more - after the jump ...
Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, DNC Chair, DFA founder, and strong proponent of a public option to safeguard American health care needs, is in New Jersey and speaking tonight at a free public event at Kendall Hall, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). More info here.
TCNJ College Democrats are the sponsor of tonight's event and they promise there will be time for an extensive Q & A with Gov. Dean.
TCNJ students will be admitted for seating one hour before the general public, at 6:30pm.
I know I can't get there tonight, as part of my family is celebrating Passover. But if you go, Blue Jersey would love to hear about it, and see your pictures.
When carol gets it right, she knocks it out of the park. Promoted from the diaries...Thurman
Even John McCain couldn't argue - yesterday was one of those truly prescious moments in our lives. As someone born in 1965, I have to say, I've seen too few of them. I often felt like I was born into world of smashed dreams. Dreams I never had. The Boomers had JFK. We had ............. no one. Until now.
What truly struck me over and over and over yesterday was how happy everyone was. In our darkest hour. With everything at its absolute worst, we still have the capacity to envision perfection, success, and happiness. It wasn't about where we are now. It was all about where we want to be. For a few days at least we got a brief glimpse of what it will feel like when we get everyone health care, when we get our adversaries into meaningful dialogue to stop the killing, the destruction, the despair. When we can feed our families, house them and finally feel secure. It was a great feeling. Hope is a word that is often overused, but hope is no little thing to someone promised so much by their leaders - "We're turning a corner!" "Mission Accomplished!" only to repeatedly find that that light at the end of the tunnel is always a train, or that what lies around the corner is an ambush or an IED.
This week, we got a taste of what an Obama presidency would be like. A world free of fear, free of hunger, free of want and despair. And we liked it.
If you'd been watching this year's Democratic National Convention on C-Span or PBS, you'd likely be pretty pleased with the way things are going. A positive story is being told about Barack Obama, his family, his personal history, and his accomplishments. An image of John McCain has emerged as an out-of-touch W. clone who is intent on bringing us more of the same. The Democratic Party is the party of the people; the party of peace, prosperity, and progress.
But if you've been following the convention as most people have, via cable news and the Beltway punditocracy, a different image emerges. The Democratic Party is still dominated by the Clintons. The Clintons don't get enough respect from the Democratic Party. The speakers aren't providing any cohesive branding of John McCain, instead focusing too much on Barack Obama's positives. No one is effectively making an effective positive case for Barack Obama. Barack Obama is foolish for focusing so much on regular people by setting his speech at Mile High Stadium. Barack Obama giving his speech at Mile High Stadium is a sign that he's an elite celebrity, out of touch with regular people.
Confused yet? You're not alone. The media is hell bent on selling crisis, division, and a floundering campaign. Who cares if the reality doesn't match up?
5:08 PM MT: Bernice King introduces Martin Luther King III.
5:03 PM MT: John Lewis concludes his speech. A good friend suggests that Lewis should have been in prime time; I agree.
4:58 PM MT: Here's John Lewis, whose speech would be important enough if Barack Obama weren't accepting the Democratic nomination. The blogger lounge just got really quiet. CNN and MSNBC are showing the speech, FOX is not. If you're not watching, turn on the TV now.
4:54 PM MT: John Lewis should be next. Shame on the networks if they don't show his speech on this day which marks exactly 45 years since Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.
4:46 PM MT: Howard Dean speaks...14 minutes ahead of schedule.
4:41 PM MT: The Colorado Democratic Congressional delegation delivers their speeches. First goes Ed Perlmutter, then Diana DeGette.
4:26 PM MT: Here's CO Gov. Bill Ritter. He immediately pushes this convention's prevailing message against McCain-tying him to President Bush. Ritter has a nice speech, but he killed his voice, probably from shouting too much.
4:20 PM MT: The stadium about 3 and a half hours before Obama's speech:
4:19 PM MT: The end zones are half full at every levels. Most of the sections behind the stage are understandably empty, except in the upper deck, which is pretty full about eight to ten rows deep. The first and second decks in front of the stage, to the best that I can see (they are right underneath us), are nearly full, except for certain sections which are totally empty.
4:11 PM MT: Jennifer Hudson belts out the national anthem. An impressive performance.
4:08 PM MT: Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson recites the pledge of allegiance.
It's just after 4:00 PM Mountain time under bright, cloudless skies here at Invesco Field in Denver Colorado, and Nancy Pelosi has called the convention to order!
Let's hear it for Elease Evans, Nellie Pou, Joan Quigley, Pamela Lampitt, Gordon Johnson, and Sandra Cunningham. As reported earlier by both Scott Weingart, who's doing a fantastic job liveblogging the convention for us here at Blue Jersey, and Matt Friedman at PolitickerNJ.com, five members of our legislature stood up to be counted as strong supporters of marriage equality this morning during a presentation by Garden State Equality to our delegation in Denver. We've just added Elease Evans to the list, based on reports from the delegation.
Though there are still doubters, all indications are now that New Jersey will be the third state after Massachusetts and California to guarantee the right to marry for same-sex couples. This kind of momentum, indicated by this morning's surprising development, is incredibly hard to overcome. While civil unions have been a progressive step forward for the cause, New Jersey residents seem to agree that basic civil rights should no longer be denied to a significant portion of our population.
This has been a great week for New Jersey's Democrats. Despite some weird media fixation on whether or not Senator Menendez would be given a speaking role at the Pepsi Center (and everyone knows he'd have delivered the keynote if it were up to me -- and perhaps should have, all things considered), we've seen our share of groundbreaking scenes at this year's convention. Our state's delegation played a big role yesterday, from the morning move to pledge all of our 127 delegates to Barack Obama, to being the last state to have our delegates counted in the roll call before Hillary Clinton's historic motion to nominate Obama by acclamation. It's fitting that six new backers for the marriage equality bill would announce their support at a convention where so much history is being written.
Pallone introduces 10th district Rep. Donald Payne. Payne spends a significant portion of his speech discussing the role race may play in this campaign.
Payne's speech goes on for a while. He just said, "Let me conclude, again," which drew laughter from the audience. Payne finishes his speech with a rhetorical flourish and receives a standing ovation.
NJ-01 Rep. Rob Andrews says it is "essential" to return Frank Lautenberg to the US Senate.
Andrews: when someone asks you, "Where were you the night america changed," you will have the honor of saying, "we were there."
Andrews implores the crowd to "think about some people who aren't here this morning, and where they will be a year or two from now," including children who go to run-down schoolsa and seniors suffering without air conditioning.
Andrews: McCain means a "third Bush term," and a "third bush term" means a "third or fourth deployment" for the brave men and women of the NJ national guard. We have a chance to make a difference.
Finally, Bill Pascrell, who credits yesterday's unanimous vote to Joe Cryan and Jon Corzine. Pascrell: "We need better schools and not bigger jails." The Congressman asks his grandson to stand up, and says "this is what this election is about this November." He then cites Dante's Inferno:
I don't know that Bush and Cheney will be in the hottest levels of Hell, but I sure as hell know Karl Rove will be.
Jun Choi just introduced GSE chair Steven Goldstein, who takes the stage with Brian McGinnis and David Smith, also from Garden State Equality, as well as Babs Casbar. Steven Goldstein talks about their August poll, which found that New Jersey voters support marriage equality by a 50-42 margin.
Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality
Steven Goldstein talks about the poll, sprinkling in some of his trademark little humor, then passes off to Blue Jersey's Brian McGinnis.
Brian tells the legislators there's nothing to fear from sponsoring marriage equality.
David Smith thanks the sponsors of the marriage equality bill, and then asks if any other legislators in the room would like to join as cosponsor the bill. Asw. Lampitt, Asw. Pou, Asw. Evans, Asw. Quigley, Asm. Johnson and Sen. Cunningham all stand.
Babs Casbar emphasizes the need for state and federal laws protecting transgender Americans.
Now Frank Pallone is introducing the New Jersey delegation.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is delivering an upbeat, funny speech to the New Jersey Delegation. Right now, he is talking about Barack Obama's keynote address from 2004.
Durbin: Alan Keyes is "certifiable, politically."
Durbin continues to weave humor into his account of Barack Obama's journey from Illinois State Senator to Presdiential nominee.
Durbin:
They call [Obama] elite? They listen to the story of his life and call him elite? He knows how many houses he owns.
Durbin implores the crowd not to take a single vote for granted. We need to get every one of the millions of voters who voted in the primary out to vote in the general, so we can beat John McCain and send George W. Bush in his pickup truck back to his ranch in Crawford Texas. An entertaining speech from Senator Durbin.
Now John "Landslide" Lynch is speaking about his experience as Governor of New Hampshire. Lynch describes his effort to pass a bill to raise the compulsory education age from 16 to 18, in an effort to reduce the state's high school dropout rate.
New Jersey may not yet have a speaker at this year's Democratic National Convention, but during last night's vote, the Garden State took center stage. The state cast the last recorded votes of the roll call, before New Mexico yielded to Illinois, which yielded to New York, whose home state Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton moved to end the roll call and declare Barack Obama the Democratic nominee by acclamation.
The stage for yesterday evening's outstanding piece of political theater was set that morning, when New Jersey's delegation voted to unanimously support Barack Obama for president of the United States. Yesterday morning, New Jersey's pledged and unpledged Clinton delegates offered the strongest gesture of unity possible.
After Wednesday's delegation breakfast, I asked Congressman Rush Holt about the unanimous vote. He answered:
It's nationally important that New Jersey, one of the strongest bastions of support for Hillary Clinton...would go so enthusiastically—not just unanimously, but enthusiastically unanimously for Barack Obama.
Here is Corzine, casting New Jersey's vote:
And a transcript of the Governor's remarks:
Madame secretary, as the proud governor of a great great state, the Garden State, New Jersey, home of the Super Bowl Champion Giants, the Boss anbd Bon Jovi, where the sun rises on our shores and sets over our green mountains in the west, where our people are industrious, entrepreneurial, and every once in a while have an attitude, we, we, the democrats in one of the most trailblazing, progressive states in the nation, providing healthcare, paid family leave, and making sure every child has a quality education, we proudly, we prouldy and unanimously, unanimously I repeat, vote for the next president of the united states, a person who will lead us to the change this country needs, who will inspire america with hope and promise, a leader who will inspire america with hope and promise, we unanimously cast our 127 votes for Barack Obama.
Last night, Democrats finally started pushing the simple narrative that electing John McCain means four more years of the same Bush policies. At this morning's New Jersey delegation breakfast, New York David Paterson took that message a step further.
Paterson pointed out that John McCain is not merely the same as President Bush. Instead, using an extended analogy to astronomical phenomenon of parallax, Paterson argued that McCain is worse than Bush. The Empire State Governor cited several examples, from taxes to health care, where McCain's position is farther from the American public than Bush's.
Just like the man himself, Paterson speech was phenomenal. Paterson is legally blind, but he does not use braille or large print notes in his speeches. Instead, he has his staff read them to him, and he memorizes them. This morning, his speech drew the most laughs and the loudest applause. If Mark Warner's keynote speech from last night was something of a letdown, Paterson's breakfast astronomy lecture far exceeded the high expectations I had for him.
Five Obama delegates made their way this morning to the Sheraton Tech Center for the delegation community service project, part of an effort organized by Democrats Work. Along with delegates from Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Idaho, and several other states, they loaded many tons of food onto that big truck you see in some of the pictures below.
(From L to R): Peggy Hurley (Woodstown), Liz Lempert (Princeton), Diane Zitek (Morristown), Marie Young (Cherry Hill), Liz Junod (Allendale)
Liz Junod and Peggy Hurley load food into boxes.
Peggy Hurley, Diane Zitek and Marie Young.
Liz Lempert (3rd from right) chats with a delegate from another state.
Blue Jersey's inside sources at the convention in Denver are reporting that a motion was just made and unanimously carried by voice vote to pledge New Jersey's delegates to Senator Barack Obama by acclamation, without the need for a roll call vote. Among those speaking in favor of the motion were Rep. Frank Pallone and labor leader Donald Norcross.
Upon passage, the enthusiastic Jersey crowd gave the motion a standing ovation. The mood of the room was summed up by Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, who remarked that Garden Staters are going to make it clear that "no matter where we were in the primary, we are coming together for victory."
I think that makes the score Unity - 127, PUMAs - 0.
Updated. Acclimation / Acclamation... Whatever. I was in a rush to beat Friedman. LOL!
