Jersey Shores Up

New Jersey is one of those states that somehow manages to be a caricature of itself: Big money. Big attitudes. Big politicians. Big problems. As the special election for U.S. Senate looms Wednesday, local conservatives are trying to pull out an unexpected win — or at least learn some big lessons — that could signal even bigger changes to come in a state now known as much for Chris Christie as for its liberal ideology.

The Senate race is between the uber-popular and nationally recognized Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, and the lesser-known, Tea Party favorite, Steve Lonegan, mayor of Bogota. From the beginning, Booker — what with his charismatic charm, ties to Oprah Winfrey, and 1.4 million Twitter followers — has been expected to pummel Lonegan. But lately the polls have shifted some and may signal important changes in voters’ thinking for the longer term, even if Lonegan doesn’t pull out an actual win Wednesday.

Back in August, Booker had as much as a 27 percentage point lead over Lonegan among registered voters, according to some polls. Now, with the election just a few days away, a Quinnipiac poll found Booker only leads by twelve percentage points, 53-41. Lonegan pollster Rick Shaftan told local blog “Save Jersey” the race is actually down to single digits. The most significant changes, though, have occurred among Independents, where Lonegan has pulled ahead. Near the end of September, a survey showed Booker led 47-44, now Lonegan does, 50-44. This is more impressive considering the financial aspects of both campaigns: Lonegan has spent just $1.3 million to Booker’s $11.5 million.

CORY'S TWEETER PAL---STRIPPER LYNSIE LEE ENDORSES CORY

"I helped Cory revitalize Newark. A Medical Arts practice is coming to Newark----bringing in surgeons board certified in vaginal rejuvenations (aka "The Wrigley Procedure"--- doubles the pleasure, doubles the fun--lasts longer, too). "

"There's a teeny tiny chance that the unthinkable could happen when a vagina is rejuvenated (lined w/ guar gum). So doctors board certified in castration and penile extraction techniques are on-callNot to worry, Obamacare covers all procedures."

VOTE FOR CORY "Cory is no fly-by-night guy. He and
Obama are compassionate Democrats, helping women make the
right choices about their vaginas."

Repub Christy's win against the Dem incumbent got a major assist from Obama (/snix).

Pres Obama was desperate for 2009 incumbent Dem Gov Corzine to get reelected. Obama pulled out all the stops to demonstrate his and his crackerjack team's political prowess.

<><>Obama had his WH "geniuses" take full control of Corzine’s campaign.

<><>Obama campaigned in NJ three times, Biden was there twice.

<><>Obama's pro-Corzio TV ads ran relentlessly on costly NY media.

<><>Obama put the power of the WH political machine behind Corzine.

<><> Obama's generous $17.2 billion "NJ stimulus" promptly vanished--hidden from media scrutiny.

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The NY Times reported in exquisite detail:

(a) every TV ad Corzine put on the air was being screened by Obama’s WH “geniuses.”

(b) Corzine’s aides gave the WH daily briefings.

(d) White House operatives were on the ground for internal strategy sessions.

(e) Wealthy Wall Street 1%'er Corzine spent hundreds of thousands of his own money buying elective office;

(f) secret strategy sessions were held to suckup the latino vote;

(g) a Peruvian PAC run by a NJ restauranteur endorsed Corzine (hyphenate dream about access to the state treasury);

(H) Corzio bragged he had 20,000 paid operatives (union members) on the ground election day, paid to get out the vote in heavily Democrat NJ.

CORZINE BANKRUPTED STATE AGENCIES TO THE TUNE OF BILLIONS---WHERE DIT IT GO? Ponzi king Bernie Madoff made a generous contribution to Corzine’s gubernatorial re/elect campaign......salivating about getting his greedy hands on all that state money. When he went to jail, investigators found Madoff had stashed billions offshore---into a labyrinth of financial entities.

Some $8.9 billion was funneled to Madoff through a dozen so-called feeder funds based in Europe, the Caribbean and Central America, ......a labyrinth of hedge funds, management companies and service providers that.

To unsuspecting outsiders, this seemed to compose a formidable system of checks and balances....but the game was to direct money to Madoff in order to avoid scrutiny for fraud, money laundering and tax evasion.

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END GAME Corzine's NJ loss and VA win were the only two 2009 n'wide races held---and both elected Repubs.

THE ENDORSEMENTS BOOKER WOULD RATHER FORGET

Cory Booker, Loretta Weinberg, Barack Obama and Jon Corzine. | AP Photo

POLITCO---8/21/13--A photo snafu followed Obama's formally endorsing Booker. / By MAGGIE HABERMAN

The campaign of Senate hopeful and Newark Mayor Cory Booker briefly posted a picture of the candidate with former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, one of the state’s least popular Democrats, covering his face with a graphic before pulling it from the website.

Wednesday’s photo snafu came after Obama formally endorsed Booker, an unsurprising move but one that could help with online fundraising.

Booker’s campaign posted a picture with Obama and the Newark mayor. Corzine was also in the picture. Corzine's face was partly obscured by a translucent blue graphic, which served only to call more attention to it. The picture was pulled within minutes and ultimately replaced with one of Obama alone.

The pulled photo was reported by Business Insider.

Booker has not, in the course of the campaign, renounced Corzine, who lost his bid for reelection to Republican Chris Christie in 2009. But few Democrats tether themselves to him either.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/08/cory-booker-95785.html#ixzz2hhqBLMdi

(POSTER'S NOTE: Corzine is under investigation b/c $1.3 Billion investors money disappeared from MF Global, the company he founded after losing. As Gov, Corzine also bankrupted several state agencies to the tune of billions.)

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