Garden State Patriot

As if anyone cares, several newspapers issued their endorsements today. Christie got the nod from  The Press of Atlantic City, the Asbury Park Press of Neptune and the Courier-Post of Cherry Hill. Corzine was endorsed by The Times of Trenton and The Record of Bergen County.

Of course, in the past The Record’s endorsement probably would have carried some weight. Today the paper is lucky to still be in business. Their endorsement today is truly laughable and helps to illustrate just how completely in the tank their editorial board is for Democrats. After all, when the only reason you can come up with to throw your support behind a governor with a 4-year record is to point to his Lt. Governor selection, Loretta Weinberg, it’s pretty safe to say all credibility is gone.

IT IS not a good year to be an incumbent. The nation is reeling from the worst economic conditions arguably since the Great Depression. New Jersey is particularly hard hit. Yet the challenges facing New Jersey existed before the recession and they will not magically disappear with a new governor.

Jon Corzine has not been the governor that most New Jerseyans wanted. They expected the Wizard of Wall Street to make decades of state debt magically disappear. They expected him to eliminate the back-room political dealings that make New Jersey and corruption perfect together. They expected him to have the backbone to stand up to pension-padding cronies.

But New Jerseyans elected, and will elect on Nov. 3, a governor, not a wizard. There is no magic. There are no tricks. It’s a difficult job.

Corzine’s personality is not well-suited for elected office. But his lack of charisma is tempered by a genuine desire to improve public education, expand health coverage and attract new business to New Jersey. In good times, these laudable goals would make him popular. But with public coffers bleeding red, an expansive social agenda is impractical.

The governor does not take advice well and that has crippled his effectiveness. He is too cozy with organized labor. What would be different in a second term can be summed up in two words: Loretta Weinberg.

The state senator from Teaneck is unknown statewide. In North Jersey, she has built a reputation for fighting the system. She says what she thinks and most often, she thinks before she speaks. As the state’s first lieutenant governor, she will be essentially married to Corzine for four years. Weinberg understands how the politics of New Jersey work. Most valuable to the governor is that she can be the “honest broker” the Corzine administration desperately needs to become effective.

Corzine alone has been adrift in the State House. Weinberg is more than a skilled political navigator. She is the compass the Corzine administration has lacked. With Weinberg as lieutenant governor, we believe there will be change.

On Chris Christie, The Record says:

Republican Chris Christie has a different perspective from Corzine on the role of government. Christie has grown in stature during the campaign, despite a barrage of negative advertising from the Corzine camp. We agree with him that government needs to shrink, that New Jersey can no longer afford to be as generous as it has been in the past with public employees, and that the governor must be willing to challenge entrenched special interests.

But Christie’s impressive record as U.S. attorney is no guarantee that he will be the long-sought wizard of Trenton. It will take more than a bully pulpit to pass legislation. We have hungered for more specifics from him as to how he will address an estimated $8 billion deficit in next year’s budget. And while social issues are not paramount on voters’ lists today, we fear that school vouchers, which Christie supports, would ultimately undermine public education. And we would rather Corzine nominate the next justices to the state Supreme Court.

That’s interesting. They agree with Christie that they want government to shrink, but praise Corzine for his willingness to expand it. They want Christie to be specific but don’t require the same of Corzine. Nor do they look to his record of evidence of more failure to come. And they think school vouchers will undermine public education?! Last time I checked our failing schools needed some *udermining.* Does The Record editorial board actually think our public schools are successful? Or are they just as in the tank for the NJEA as Corzine is?

And what of Chris Daggett? Well, he’s just a ‘wild card’ apparently without Corzine’s vast leadership abilities.

The wild card in this campaign has been independent Chris Daggett. He has a plan to expand the sales tax to redistribute the tax burden away from property owners. We are not convinced it can work, but we applaud his innovative approach. Most of all, his presence in this race has made it clear to Democrats and Republicans how weak their respective bases have become.

Daggett has much to offer – independence, government experience and an impressive wit. He belongs in government. He can make New Jersey better but we do not believe he has the right qualities to be the state’s leader during this crisis. An independent may not be beholden to any one party and that is good. But an independent does not command a natural base of support to push through legislative reforms.

So, let’s sum up this endorsement.

The state’s finances are in shambles but, hey, it’s really not Corzine’s fault. And, c’mon, fixing the state’s finances is tough. Sure Jonny really hasn’t shown any leadership in addressing it - but let’s give him another shot because, well, we love all the his big government goodies and social programs he throws our way. Businesses are leaving the state because of his policies, but…but…he cares and wishes they would stay. And, yeah, we know he’s in the back pockets of all the public sector unions who are bleeding taxpayers dry but…but…put we’ll just put that aside. And, oh, yes, nobody really likes the guy, he has the personality of a wet mop, and he can’t schmooze anyone in the legislature, but he’ll send Grandma Weinberg over bake them some cookies and work them over and, voila, everything will be okey dokey! And did we say we hate Republicans and Chris Daggett’s a joke?

Honestly, how can anyone take The Record’s editorial board seriously after this ‘endorsement?’ Seems to me it’s about time to just close up shop altogether. Or at least be more upfront and put a (D) after their moniker.

Cross-posted at Red County and Conservatives with Attitude!