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♪♪♪♪

>>> NEW JERSEY'S CONGRESSIONAL

DELEGATION WRESTLES WITH WHAT TO

DO ABOUT THE WAR IN SYRIA,

EDUCATION AND THE GOVERNOR'S

WEIGHT WERE THIS WEEK'S TO

MATTERS IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE

VIOLENCE IN NEWARK AND COR

BOOKER'S SEXUALITY DOMINATES THE

U.S. SENATE RACE

AND ARE THIS YEAR'S ELECTION

BORING

P WELCOME TO "REPORTER'S ROUND

TABLE.

I'M MICHAEL ARON

P MAUNEY OF NJ SPOTLIGHT.COM

BOB JORDAN OF NEW JERSEY PRESS

RP MEDIA AND JOHN SCHOON JONG

EN

LAST SATURDAY PRESIDENT OBAM

ABRUPTLY CHANGED DIRECTION AND

DECIDED TO SEEK CONGRESSIONA

APPROVAL OF A MILITARY STRIKE IN

SYRIA.

THIS PUT

APPROVAL OF A MILITARY STRIKE IN

SYRIA.

ALL U.S. LAW MAKES INT

THE SAME QUANDARY AS MOS

AMERICANS.

DO YOU PUNISH THE ASSA

GOVERNMENT FOR ITS APPALLING USE

OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS, OR DO YOU

OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS, OR DO YOU

FOR FEAR OF MAKING A

HOLD BAC

BAD SITUATION WORSE?

ALL WEEK NEW JERSE

REPRESENTATIVES WERE OFFERIN

THEIR VIEWS ON "NJ TODAY."

HERE'S WHAT TWO OF THEM AND TH

GOVERNOR HAD TO SAY ON TUESDAY

>> YES, I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS

OF COURSE, THEY'RE THE OBVIOUS

QUESTIONS OF WHO DID WHAT TO

WHOM

I DON'T DOUBT THAT SARIN GAS WAS

USED

I THINK IT IS STILL -- STILL

NEEDS TO BE DEMONSTRATED MOR

SPECIFICALLY AND THAT IT WAS

DONE BY THE ASSAD GOVERNMENT AND

DELIBERATELY

IT WILL BE AMONG THE MOS

IMPORTANT VOTES WE CAST AS

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.

AND I AM RELUCTANT TO VOTE FOR

MILITARY ACTION BY THE UNITE

STATES BASED UPON THE FACT THA

THIS IS A CIVIL WAR IN SYRIA

>> AND CERTAINLY THE USE O

CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS SOMETHIN

THAT JUST IS INTOLERABLE FOR

CIVILIZED SOCIETY.

AND SO I EMPATHIZE WITH THOS

FOLKS WHO HAVE RELATIVES BACK IN

SYRIA.

BUT I'M GOING TO LET THE POLIC

MAKING BE DONE BY THE PEOPLE WHO

ARE GETTING THE BULK OF TH

BRIEFING ON THIS

>> SO WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE

SENTIMENT IN THE NEW JERSE

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION JOHN?

>> IT'S MIXED.

AND I THINK THAT THAT REPRESENTS

SOME OF THE PROBLEM THAT BARAC

OBAMA IS GOING TO HAVE MOVIN

FORWARD WITH THIS DEBATE

YOU'VE GOT SOME HARD-COR

CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS SUCH AS

SCOTT GARRETT SAYING THEY'RE NOT

GOING TO VOTE FOR IT

LEONARD LANCE AS WE JUST HEARD

KIND OF HEMMING AND HAWING A

BIT.

AND EVEN THE PRESIDENT'S MOS

ARDENT SUPPORTERS, PEOPLE LIKE

RUSH HOLT AND BILL PASCREL

STILL SAYING THEY NEED MOR

INFORMATION AND THEY NEED TO

KNOW MORE.

I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN NATIONA

POLITICS OR THE INNER WORKINGS

OF CONGRESS, BUT IT STILL DOES

SEEM TO ME THAT THE PRESIDEN

HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO BEFORE

THIS THING'S GOING TO GE

THROUGH.

>> I AGREE

AND OTHER THAN BOB MENENDEZ WH

WAS SORT OF LEADING THE CHARGE

FOR THE PRESIDENT, MOST OF WHA

I HEARD WAS FAIRLY DOVISH COMING

OUT OF NEW JERSEY.

JOHN MAUNEY, WHAT DID YOU HEAR

THIS WEEK?

>> I TOTALLY AGREE

THIS IS A TOUGH CALL

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT

WAS BOB MENENDEZ ON THIS

HE'S COME A LONG WAY FROM WHER

HE WAS A YEAR AGO.

>> HE KIND OF GOT A LITTLE

TRAPPED IN THIS.

BECAUSE BEFORE THE PRESIDENT

KICKED IT OVER TO CONGRESS AND

IT WAS JUST THE PRESIDENT DOIN

IT AS THE CHAIRMAN OF TH

COMMITTEE MENENDEZ WAS ON RECORD

AS AGREEING WITH IT.

THEN IT GOT KICK OVER TO

CONGRESS AND HIS COMMITTEE, AN

HE COULDN'T -- I MEAN, MAYBE

HE'S HEART-FELT IN HIS BELIEF AS

WELL

BUT IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED CRAZY

IF HE DIDN'T LEAD THE CHARGE

>> HE BACKED OFF AT THAT POINT

YEAH

>> AND MY THOUGHT WAS JUST GIVEN

WHERE HE WAS A YEAR AGO WITH THE

SCANDALS, HE'S NOW SORT OF THE

STATESMAN UP THERE LEADING THE

CHARGE ON THIS

>> SOMEBODY DID A GOOD PIECE

THIS WEEK.

I THINK IT WAS IN THE LEDGER,

BELIEVE, THAT JUST A FEW MONTH

AGO HOW FAR HE'S COME.

>> HOW FAR HE'S COME

>> WHAT DID YOU SEE AMONG NE

JERSEY OFFICIALS THIS WEEK

>> WELL, BY AND LARGE, PEOPL

ARE ON THE FENCE

AND THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE O

COURSE CAN STAY ON THE FENCE

BECAUSE THIS FULL SENATE HAS T

APPROVE IT BEFORE IT GOES TO THE

HOUSE.

IF IT GETS DEFEATED IN THE

SENATE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE T

COMMIT

>> I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT

>> AND IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR TH

PUBLIC

MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY HAD A POLL

THAT CAME OUT THIS WEEK.

IT SAID 76% OF THE PEOPLE

DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TERM WAS

DISAPPROVE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN

CONGRESS

AND THIS ADDS TO IT.

>> DISAPPROVE ON SYRIA OR IN

GENERAL?

>> IN GENERAL.

THIS WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE SYRI

ISSUE.

AND WE SEE THIS CONSTANTLY

SYRIA, THE DEBT CEILING, ON AN

ON AND ON.

AND NO WONDER PEOPLE ARE

FRUSTRATED

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE ARE SO

TIED TO THEIR IDEOLOGICA

BELIEFS.

RICK SANTORUM A FORMER MEMBER OF

THE SENATE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AG

WAS ADVOCATING INTERVENTION IN

SYRIA.

NOW HE'S VERY STRONGLY

CAMPAIGNING, URGING OTHE

MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT SENAT

THAT WE SHOULDN'T GO IN.

>> IT LOOKS LIKE THE MOS

CONSERVATIVE AND THE MOS

LIBERAL HAVE JOINED FORCES O

THIS

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

AND ALSO LET'S BRING THE

GOVERNOR'S COMMENT INTO THIS

WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT HE

DIDN'T REALLY WEIGH IN

>> NO.

NOT AT ALL

BECAUSE HE DOESN'T NEED TO

HE DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO GET

PINNED DOWN ON THIS.

AS HE SAID LET'S LEAVE IT TO THE

PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THE

BRIEFINGS AND HAVE TO MAKE THI

DECISION

A BIT OF A PUNT.

THERE'S NO QUESTION.

>> BUT AN APPROPRIATE PUNT

>> I WOULD SAY APPROPRIATE I

THAT IF YOU FOLLOW THIS GOVERNOR

YOU KNOW HE DOESN'T WEIGH IN A

LOT WHEN -- ON THINGS LIKE THIS.

HE'LL USE THAT AS THE -- LET'S

LET THE EXPERTS DO THIS.

>> HE WEIGHS IN WHEN HE WANTS TO

WAY IN

>> WELL, TRUE.

WHEN IT BENEFITS HIM

BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, CORY

BOOKER YESTERDAY SAID A SIMILA

THING.

THEY'RE NOT IN THESE BRIEFINGS

THESE TOP SECRET BRIEFINGS

SO TO SOME EXTENT YOU'RE

SHOOTING OFF YOUR MOUTH IF YOU

HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR ALL THE

BRIEFINGS.

I THINK YOU DON'T WANT TO GET IN

A TRAP WHERE YOU SAY SOMETHING

AND GO ON RECORD WITH SOMETHIN

WHEN YOU DON'T NEED TO AND THE

TURN OUT TO BE DEAD WRONG AN

GOT TO PAY FOR THAT COMMENT.

I THINK THEY ALL ARE VERY WARY

ABOUT JUMPING IN

>> IT WILL BE INTERESTING HO

JEFF CHIESA VOTES THAT

MIGHT SIGNAL WHERE OUR GOVERNO

REALLY IS LANDING ON THIS.

>> CHIESA HASN'T SIGNALED HOW HE

FEELS ABOUT IT

I AGREE.

THAT WILL BE INTERESTING

I THINK I HEARD ALBIO SERIES

SOUNDING MORE SUPPORTIVE THA

OUR OTHER REPRESENTATIVES ON THE

MANY INTERVIEWS MY COLLEAGUE

MIKE SCHNEIDER AND I DID ON TH

NEWSCAST

SO QUICK PREDICTION.

IS THIS GOING TO PASS CONGRESS

OR NOT

>> I THINK IT WILL

>> YOU DO?

>> YES

I THINK IT WILL END UP PASSING

>> DO YOU?

>> I THINK IT WILL

>> YOU DO?

>> YEAH, IT WILL BE NARROW BUT I

THINK IT WILL.

>> I'M NOT SURE IT WILL.

BUT LET'S MOVE ON TO THE THING

WE KNOW ABOUT A LITTLE BIT

BETTER

LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S RACE

EDUCATION BECAME THE TOPIC O

THE WEEK THIS WEEK WHEN BARBAR

BUONO LAID OUT A FAIRL

COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIO

PLATFORM

SHE WANTS TO FULLY FUND TH

SCHOOL FORMULA, WHICH HAS ONLY

HAPPENED ONCE IN RECENT YEARS.

SHE WOULD LIKE TO WORK TOWARDS

UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN

WE HAVE IT RIGHT NOW ONLY IN THE

FORMER ABBOTT DISTRICTS.

SHE WANTS A WHOLE LOT MORE

TUITION AID IN THE AREA OF

HIGHER EDUCATION

GOVERNOR CHRISTIE BLASTED HE

PLAN THIS WEEK

WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THAT

WE ASKED FOR A RESPONSE TO

CHRISTIE FROM BUONO.

IT DIDN'T DIRECTLY CORRELATE

IT GOT A LITTLE LOST IN TH

TRANSLATION.

BUT WE'LL HEAR THAT AS WELL.

LET'S HEAR IT.

>> SENATOR BUONO'S PROPOSAL WA

SHORT ON ONE MAIN AREA, WHICH IS

HOW IS SHE GOING TO PAY FOR IT

THE BUDGET SHE PUT OUT YESTERDAY

AT A MINIMUM, NOT COUNTING THE

HIGHER ED PIECE SHE WA

COMPLETELY VAGUE ABOUT, IS $

BILLION.

THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX BY THEIR

ESTIMATE RAISES $650 MILLION

AND SHE PUT FORWARD A $3 BILLION

PROGRAM.

>> THE GOVERNOR'S PRIORITIES ARE

TO PROTECT MILLIONAIRES AT THE

EXPENSE OF EVERYONE ELSE

AND IT'S CLEAR THAT MY BUDGE

PRIORITIES ARE NOT GOING TO DO

THAT

WE ARE GOING TO ENSURE THAT TH

TAX CREDIT THAT ARE BEING DOLE

OUT TO CORPORATIONS TO THE TUN

OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAT

THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILIT

THERE WHICH THERE HASN'T BEEN.

AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE, THERE'S S

MUCH WASTE IN THIS BUDGET.

I CERTAINLY WILL -- I'LL COMMI

TO YU THAT I WON'T WASTE UNTOL

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON DECIDIN

TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION JUS

TO ADVANTAGE MY OWN POLITICA

SELF-INTERESTS

>> JOHN, EDUCATION IS YOUR

SPECIALTY.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF BUONO'

PLATFORM

AND IT'S REALLY MORE A PLATFOR

THAN A PLAN.

>> YEAH.

IT WAS PRETTY PREDICTABLE.

THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF THE

DEMOCRATS AND SOME OF TH

ADVOCATES HAVE BEEN CALLING FO

ESPECIALLY AROUND FUNDING OF

SCHOOLS, THE FULL FUNDING OF THE

FORMULA, WHICH AS YOU SAID HAS

REALLY ONLY HAPPENED THE VER

FIRSTEE OF THE FORMULA, EVENLY

CORZINE HAD TO PULL BACK FRO

THAT

SO THAT WAS -- THAT'S A STRONG

ONE WITH HER CONSTITUENCY.

PRESCHOOL AND FULL-DAY

KINDERGARTEN ALSO FAIRLY EASY TO

BE FOR

I THINK SORT OF MOM AND APPL

PIE ON THOSE ISSUES.

A LOT TOUGHER TO HAPPEN, EVE

ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN IN NE

JERSEY DOESN'T HAVE ALL-DA

KINDERGARTEN AS A MANDATE.

>> IT EXISTS IN PROBABLY 95% O

SCHOOLS.

NO

>> WELL, IT'S DIFFICULT -- THE

LOGISTICS OF IT ISN'T EVEN JUS

ABOUT MONEY.

IT'S ABOUT HAVING THE SPACE TO

DO IT AND THE LIKES.

SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT AR

CERTAINLY OF VALUE, BUT TH

GOVERNOR'S RIGHT IN POUNCING O

HER NOT COMING UP WITH THE MONEY

FOR IT

AND HER COMEBACK ON THAT TO ME

WAS LARGELY, I'M NOT TALKING

ABOUT IT HAPPENING RIGHT AWAY.

IT WOULD GET PHASED IN OVE

YEARS.

I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS SORT O

BEEN THE INTENTION

BUT I THINK IT WOULD HAV

BEHOOFED HER TO HAVE A BIT MOR

SPECIFICS THAN JUST TH

MILLIONAIRE TAX.

>> ANY OTHER REACTIONS TO THIS

DIALOGUE THIS WEEK

>> IT'S FUNNY THE MILLIONAIRE'

TAX.

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CATCH ALL

WE'LL PAY FOR IT WITH TH

MILLIONAIRE'S TAX.

>> THAT'S WHAT SHE SAYS.

>> RIGHT

BUT I'VE HEARD THAT IN OTHER

PROGRAMS, TOO, THE MILLIONAIRE'S

TAX WILL PAY FOR IT.

THERE'S ONLY $650 MILLION.

I SAY ONLY QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.

ONLY $650 MILLION BY THE STHAMTS

HAVE COME OUT ABOUT IT

THAT DOESN'T PAY FOR THIS.

YOU HEAR THAT AS THE CATCH ALL

FUNDING MECHANISM FOR SOME O

THESE PROGRAMS

SO THE GOVERNOR WAS SAYING THI

WEEK THAT IF SHE WERE REALLY T

PAY FOR THIS PLAN SHE'D HAVE T

RAISE THE INCOME TAX NEARLY 30

TO GET ANOTHER $3 BILLION OUT OF

THE INCOME TAX

>> HIS ESTIMATE'S A LITTLE HIGH.

LET'S NOT GO ALONE ON THAT $

BILLION.

I THINK IT DEPEND HOW YOU DO THE

MATH

BUT CERTAINLY IT IS MORE THA

THAT 600 MILLION OF THE INCOME

TAX.

>> I READ 1 BILLION.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERIN

ABOUT.

>> THE FORMULA ALONE IS ABOUT

BILLION.

THEN YOU START MIXING IN SOME OF

THESE OTHER THINGS BUT THE

WOULDN'T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY

>> HIS POINT IS, HOLD ONTO YOU

WALLETS, PEOPLE.

IF SHE GETS IN SHE'D RAISE THE

INCOME TAXES ON EVERYONE, SHE'

HAVE TO.

AND I THINK HER RESPONSE IS,

HEY, WHEN I WAS SENATE BUDGE

CHAIRMAN WE DID A GOOD JOB O

PRIORITIZING ALL THIS STUFF.

TRUST ME

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS

DIALOGUE

>> FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT DARY

SAID ABOUT THE MILLIONAIRE'S

TAXES, THE OTHER THING THA

BUONO THREW IN THERE WAS A

SPECIAL ELECTION

OH, IT'S A SPECIAL ELECTION 12

MILLION?

>> 12 MILLION.

>> AND FRANKLY IT'S NOT EVEN

REALLY IN THE BUDGET

THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED DID

NOT INCLUDE $12 MILLION FOR TH

SPECIAL ELECTION

THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING OUT OF

SOME POT OF MONEY WITHIN THE

STATE -- WITHIN THE TH

DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

SO 12 MILLION, 1 BILLION, YOU'RE

LOOKING AT A LARGE -

>> YOU'RE SAYING SHE DOESN'T

HAVE A WINNING HAND HERE

>> I DON'T THINK YOU'VE GOT --

WHEN YOU MAKE ARGUMENTS LIKE

THAT, YOU'RE TRYING TO SCORE

POLITICAL POINTS RATHER THAN

REALLY TRYING TO SAY, THIS I

HOW WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE THI

PROBLEM.

AND THAT -- WELL, I'M NOT SURE

VOTERS ARE GOING TO BUY INTO

THAT

>> GO AHEAD.

>> I JUST WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED

SHE DIDN'T HAVE MORE SPECIFICS

TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

SHE HAD TO BE READY FOR THAT

QUESTION

IT WAS THE FIRST THING EVERY

REPORTER HAD ON THEIR MIND WHE

SHE SAID IT.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

COMING BACK WITH A LIMITED -

VERY LIMITED ANSWER, I ACTUALL

WAS SURPRISED BY THAT.

>> WHEN THE GOVERNOR SAYS OU

BUDGET THIS YEAR PUTS MORE MONEY

INTO EDUCATION THAN ANY BUDGET

IN HISTORY, STATE MONEY, H

SAYS, IS THAT ACCURATE

>> FINALLY, YEAH

BUT I THINK HE SAID THAT LAS

YEAR, TOO, AND IT WASN'T

ACCURATE LAST YEAR

I THINK WE'RE FINALLY AT A POINT

WHERE THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT WHA

CORZINE PAID IN HIS LAST YEAR.

THE BIG DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN IS

THERE WAS SOME FEDERAL STIMULU

MONEY WHICH SORT OF SKEWED THE

NUMBERS.

>> SHE'S BASICALLY STAKED OUT

POSITION WHERE SHE'S SAYING

WANT TO SPEND MORE ON EDUCATIO

AND STATE COLLEGES AND

UNIVERSITIES, AND HE'S SAYING WE

DON'T HAVE THE MONEY

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE

WANT TO HEAR

MORE SPENDING ON THIS VERY

IMPORTANT MATTER, OR MORE FISCAL

DISCIPLINE

>> I THINK THERE'S GOING TO --

THE ARGUMENT'S GOING TO CONVINCE

A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THERE

SHOULD BE MORE SPENDING, BECAUSE

THE EDUCATION ADVOCATES POIN

OUT THAT CHRISTIE'S FIRST YEAR

IN OFFICE THERE WAS A BIG CUT.

I GUESS CLOSE TO $1 BILLION.

AND EVEN THOUGH THAT MONEY'S

BEEN RESTORED, THERE'S STILL

SOME PAIN AND HOLES FROM WHA

HAPPENED TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.

SO I THINK THE PUBLIC MIGHT BE

IN THE MOOD TO STEP UP SPENDING.

>> ONE THING THAT I FOUN

INTERESTING WAS WHEN THE

GOVERNOR WAS PRESSED ABOUT THIS,

MATT CASS OF THE INQUIRER SAID

YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CALLE

UNIVERSAL PRE-K GLORIFIE

BABYSITTING.

DO YOU STILL FEEL THAT WAY

HE SAID, I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO

ADDRESS THAT TODAY BECAUSE WHA

SHE'S PROPOSING WE CAN'T PAY

FOR.

I JUST THOUGHT IT WA

INTERESTING THAT HE WOULDN'T

EITHER WALK AWAY FROM THAT

COMMENT OR DEFEND THE COMMENT.

>> YEAH.

HE HASN'T BEEN HORRIBLE ON

PRESCHOOL.

IN TERMS OF FUNDING IT

I MEAN, IT'S ACTUALLY ONE AREA

THAT HE'S IN PART BECAUSE TH

COURTS ORDERED IT.

BUT THE ONE AREA WHERE HE'

CONTINUED TO AT LEAST KEEP THE

FUNDING STABLE IF NOT INCREASE

IT

>> COURT ORDERED IT IN THE

FORMER ABBOTT DISTRICT

>> THE FORMER ABBOTT DISTRICT.

>> THE OTHER MATTER THAT CAME UP

THIS WEEK IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE

WAS THIS BACK AND FORTH ABOU

CHRISTIE'S WEIGHT.

BUONO MADE SOME REMARKS THAT

FOUND THEIR WAY ONTO YOUTUBE O

WHERE BUONO WEB AD OR BOTH

THE GOVERNOR WAS ASKED ABOUT

THEM, ANGELA DELLI SANTI ASKED

THE GOVERNOR ON TUESDAY IF H

HAD SEEN HER COMMENTS, WHETHER

HE WAS OFFENDED BY THEM, SINCE

SOME PEOPLE INTERPRETED THEM A

HAVING TO DO WITH HIS WEIGHT

LET'S HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF THI

BYPLAY

>> EVERY DECISION HE MAKES I

GUIDED BY HOW IT WILL PLAY O

THE NATIONAL SCENE WITH TH

CONSERVATIVE BASE OF THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY

WHETHER YOU'RE SPENDING UNTOLD

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON A SPECIAL

ELECTION, A SPECIAL SENATE

ELECTION, THAT WILL ONLY SERVE

YOUR OWN INTERESTS AND WIL

CONFUSE THE VOTERS AND DEPRESS

THE VOTE, OR WHETHER SPENDING

MILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS ON AN

AD CAMPAIGN THAT FEATURES YOU AT

THE JERSEY SHORE

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BU

SEEING CHRIS CHRISTIE FROLICKING

ON THE BEACH IS NOT GOING TO

DRIVE ME TO GO TO THE SHORE.

>> SENATOR BUONO WAS GETTING A

GOOD LAUGH IN A BACKYARD WIT

THE FEDERATION OF DEMOCRATIC

WOMEN.

A LITTLE WINK WINK NOD NOD

NONE OF US WOULD BE ATTRACTED TO

COME TO THE BEACH WITH GOVERNO

CHRISTIE FROLICKING THERE, WOULD

WE

LIKE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHA

THAT MEAN THE.

WE KNOW WHAT THEY MEANT.

SO I SAY THE SAME THING TO

SENATOR BUONO I SAID TO GOVERNOR

CORZINE FOUR YEARS AGO

YOU WANT TO MAKE AN ISSUE OF M

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE?

THEN HAVE SOME GUTS, STAND U

AND SAY IT

>> WAS SHE MAKING FUN OF HIS

WEIGHT, OR DOES HE PROTEST TOO

MUCH AND MAKE A BIGGER DEAL OU

>> SHE RIDICULED HIM

BUT IT'S PUT IN OTHER NAMES.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE'

HEARING THE WEIGHT

IF YOU HEARD STEVE LONEGAN TAL

ABOUT CORY BOOKER FROLICKING O

THE BEACH OR CORY BOOKER TALKING

ABOUT STEVE LONEGAN FROLICKING

ON THE BEACH, THEY'RE NATURA

ADVERSARIES.

THEY'RE COMPETING FOR -- IN AN

ELECTION

AND I JUST DIDN'T HEAR THE

WEIGHT

YES, MADE FUN OF HIM

BUT THIS IS WHAT CANDIDATES DO

TO EACH OTHER.

>> OTHER THOUGHTS.

>> I THINK IT PLAYED INT

EXACTLY WHAT HE'S GOOD AT, I

CONTROLLING AT CHANGING TH

MESSAGE.

SHE PUTS OUT HER EDUCATION PLAN.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

YOU CALLED ME FAT.

NO, I DIDN'T

THERE'S NO DISCUSSION OF THE

EDUCATION PLAN

WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT WHETHE

OR NOT SHE CALLED HIM FAT.

IT'S A TWO-DAY STORY

THERE WAS HER SAYING IT.

WE WROTE THAT.

HIS RESPONSE THEN HER RESPONSE

TO HIS RESPONSE.

>> HER RESPONSE TO HIS RESPONS

WAS, I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT YOUR

WEIGHT

YOU THINK EVERYTHING'S ABOUT

YOU.

IT WASN'T ABOUT YOU.

I DON'T KNOW HOW CREDIBLE THAT

WAS.

BUT GO AHEAD

>> SO INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT

KINDERGARTEN, ALL-DA

KINDERGARTEN, PRESCHOOL, WE'RE

TALKING ABOUT FAT.

>> MUCH MORE INTERESTING THA

ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN

>> YOU KNOW WHAT THAT SAYS ABOUT

THE ELECTORATE AND CANDIDATE

AND EVERYTHING ELSE AND US A

THIS TABLE

BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS.

HE CHANGES THE MESSAGE AND SHE'S

NOW ON THE DEFENSIVE AND SHE'S

DEFENDING A COMMENT SHE MADE A

SOME BACKYARD PARTY A MONTH AGO.

>> HOW DID YOU SEE THIS?

>> I THINK TO ME -- AND I AGRE

COMPLETELY WITH WHAT DARYL SAID.

AND IT MAY HAVE NO IMPACT AT ALL

ON THE ELECTORATE.

BUT I FIND IT VERY, VERY HARD TO

SEE HOW WHEN CHRISTIE SAYS

SHOWS THIS WOUND OVER BARBAR

BUONO SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT HIS

WEIGHT, HOW THAT DOESN'T

LEGITIMIZE THE COMPLAINTS THAT

OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD ABOUT HI

BEING -- SAYING WHAT THEY SAY IS

INAPPROPRIATE THINGS

>> RIGHT

HE'S THE ONE WHO CALLED TH

SPORTS WRITER AN IDIOT A WEE

EARLIER.

>> RIGHT

>> I JUST WANT TO SHARE ON

THING BEFORE I ASK YOU FOR YOU

COMMENT.

A REPORTER WHO SHALL REMAI

NAMELESS WAS IN A SCHOOL GYM

WITH CHRISTIE AND A BUNCH OF

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS

ALL THE REPORTERS WERE IN THERE.

BUT WE WERE ASKED TO LEAVE

HE STAYED.

AND HE HEARD A KID AS CHRISTIE

WAS ON HIS WAY OUT OF THE BEAC

HAVEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TH

OTHER DAY, HEARD A KID SAY, DO

YOU SURF

AND CHRISTIE SAID, I DON'T THINK

YOU WANT TO SEE ME ON

SURFBOARD.

WHICH WAS SORT OF THE SAME THING

BARBARA BUONO SAID

BUT I GUESS YOU CAN SAY IT ABOUT

YOURSELF

>> HE DOES MAKE JOKES ABOUT IT

HIMSELF.

>> HE EATS THE DOUGHNUTS O

DAVID LETTERMAN.

>> HE CERTAINLY -- AND CORRECT

ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK

THEY'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT

THE WEIGHT OF CORY BOOKER NOW.

>> THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HIS

SEXUALITY.

>> AND THE WEIGHT.

THERE WAS A WEIGHT STORY

>> "NEW YORK POST" DID A STORY

ABOUT HOW HE'S GAINING WEIGHT.

THIS IS WHAT NEW JERSEY POLITICS

IS GROWING TO BE

YOU SAY THE TWO-DAY STORY.

HERE WE ARE FOUR DAYS LATER.

>> LET'S MOVE ONTO WEIGHTIER

MATTERS.

THE SENATE RACE.

NEWARK EXPERIENCED A SPASM O

VIOLENCE OVER THE PAST TEN DAYS.

THERE WERE TEN FATAL SHOOTINGS

AND STABBINGS OVER TEN DAYS.

IT SEEMS TO UNDERCUT THE

NARRATIVE THAT CORY BOOKER HAS

PUT FORWARD OF" I'M THE MAN WH

HAS MADE THIS A BETTER PLACE."

HOW DIFFICULT A SPOT IS CORY

BOOKER IN AS A RESULT OF THI

SPASM OF VIOLENCE THAT'S

COMPLETELY OUT OF HIS CONTROL, I

GUESS?

>> IT'S TERRIBLE TIMING,

OBVIOUSLY.

AND LONEGAN IS MAKING SOME GOO

POINTS, UNFORTUNATELY, AT TH

EXPENSE OF SOME TRAGEDIES.

BUT CORY HAS NOT PULLED BACK O

HIS CAMPAIGNING.

HE'S CAMPAIGNING VERY HARD

>> I SPOKE TO HIM YESTERDAY.

HE DID SAY THAT HE CANCELED

FEW CAMPAIGN EVENTS THIS WEE

DURING THIS CRISIS

SO JUST TO KEEP RECORD CLEAN O

THAT

>> TRUE.

AND HE CAME UP WITH A NEW PLAN

TO KIND OF PINPOINT SOME TROUBLE

SPOTS.

>> REDEPLOY THE POLICE

RESOURCES, YES

>> BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE MORE

WEEKS LEFT UNTIL THE ELECTION,

AND I GUESS THERE'S MORE HE CA

DO

THERE'S MORE CONCERN HE CA

SHOW

I DON'T KNOW IF HE CAN BE

MAYOR 24/7 WHILE RUNNING FOR

SENATE, BUT THAT'S WHAT LONEGA

HAS KIND OF PICTURED

>> I THINK HE HAS TW

OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE I

CONFLICT

ONE BE A MAYOR 24/7, AND HE IS

THE ELECTED DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE

FOR STATE-WIDE ELECTION SI

WEEKS FROM NOW

HE HAS AN OBLIGATION TO TRY TO

WIN THE SEAT

SO I DON'T KNOW.

>> YEAH.

I MEAN, HAVING WORKED IN NEWAR

FOR A LONG TIME, THEY DO HAV

THESE SPASMS

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY FEED ON

EACH OTHER

I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT'S

GOING ON NOW

BUT IT HAPPENS

AND IT SEEMS ALMOST EVER

SUMMER, IT'S ALWAYS IN THE

SUMMER IT SEEMS.

THIS IS THE LATE SUMMER.

IN SOME FAIRNESS TO HIM, I THINK

THE NUMBERS LAST I SAW THE

NUMBERS ARE STILL DOWN FROM WHEN

BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED IN TERMS

OF VIOLENT CRIME

BUT THEY HAVE CREPT UP

THERE WAS A BIG DROP RIGHT AWA

AND THEY HAVE CREPT UP SINCE

THEN

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT --

>> SHOOTINGS ARE STILL DOWN THIS

SUMMER, HE TOLD ME YESTERDAY

>> FROM BEFORE HE WAS ELECTED,

YEAH

AND A LOT OF THE SAM

NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT'S SOUTHWARD, WESTWARD

THESE ARE THE TOUGHEST

NEIGHBORHOODS OF NEWARK.

I THINK IT IS VERY TOUGH

IT'S A CITY THAT'S ON EDGE EVERY

SUMMER BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS.

>> HOW ABOUT THE GAY REMARKS

HE TOLD THE "WASHINGTON POST

THAT HE DOESN'T CARE IF TH

PEOPLE THINK HE'S GAY.

IN FACT, IT KIND OF -- H

MARVELS AT IT.

LONEGAN THEN SAID SOMETHING THAT

WAS SEEN AS SORT OF HOMOPHOBIC

ABOUT, I'M MORE OF A REAL GUY.

I SMOKE CIGARS AN DRINK SCOTCH

HE GOES FOR PEDICURES IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

WAS THAT MORE THAN A ONE-DAY

STORY?

>> THAT HAD A COUPLE OF DAYS O

LEGS

AND THAT ACTUALLY WAS A -- THA

FIRST COMMENT BY BOOKER WAS

NATION-WIDE STORY.

THAT GOT PICKED UP ALL OVER TH

PLACE.

"WASHINGTON POST" HAD IT, THEN

IT GOT PICKED UP ALL OVER.

AND IT BECAME A COUPLE OF DA

STORY.

LONEGAN EXACERBATED IT A LITTL

BIT.

BUT LONEGAN'S PLAYING TO HIS

BASE

>> LONEGAN DIDN'T STEP IN IT AND

MAKE A MISTAKE BY REACTING THE

WAY HE DID

>> TO SOME EXTENT HIS BASE WIL

APPRECIATE IT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHO'S MORE

MANLY, THE GUY WHO'S CIGAR

SMOKER AND SCOTCH DRINKER THAN

THE OTHER GUY GETTING MANIS AN

PEDIS INSTEAD OF ABOUT SYRIA

>> LONEGAN ALSO IS PRESSIN

BOOKER FOR HIS EXPENSE REPORT,

FILED A REQUEST.

BOOKER REPLIES, I'VE NEVER HAD A

CITY CREDIT CARD

I'VE NEVER FILED FOR

REIMBURSEMENT.

LONEGAN'S TRYING TO MAKE THAT AN

ISSUE.

BUT I WANT TO GO TO A COMMEN

THAT DIALOGUE IN LAST MONDAY'S

STAR LEDGER.

HEADLINE "THESE ELECTIONS HAVE

NO PIZZAZZ."

ARE THEY RIGHT

>> HOW MUCH HAVE WE BEEN TALKING

ABOUT THE ELECTIONS HERE TODAY

IF THEY HAD NO PIZZAZZ WOULD W

EVEN BE --

>> WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT

SOMETHING.

>> I KNOW.

BUT I THINK THAT -- I MEAN,

REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT PIZZAZZ

MEANS.

THERE ARE SERIOUS ISSUES IN TH

SENATE RACE THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE

TRIED TO STAKE POSITIONS OUT ON.

YES, WE'VE GOTTEN SIDE-TRACKED

INTO ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHETHER O

NOT SOMEBODY'S GAY AND

MANI-PEDIS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT THEY BOTH TRIED TO STAKE OUT

SERIOUS POSITIONS ON SERIOUS

ISSUES

IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE YOU BOT

HAVE SIMILAR CHOICES

SO AT LEAST FOR MY PURPOSES, I

READING WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

AND LISTENING TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE

SAYING, IT SEEMS TO ME TO BE

FAIRLY SUBSTANTIVE

>> ALL RIGHT

WELL, THAT'S THE LAST WORD,

POSITIVE WORD ABOUT THES

ELECTIONS.

THERE IS SOME PIZZAZZ, AND WE'LL

BE BACK WITH ANOTHER "ROUN

TABLE" NEXT SATURDAY AFTERNOON

AT 5:30 AND SUNDAY MORNING A

9:00 ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF

"ON THE RECORD" WE LOOK AT THE

POLITICAL SEASON AHEAD WIT

THREE CLOSE OBSERVERS, KEN

MANAHAN SITS DOWN WITH TWO

FORMER GOVERNORS

BOTH PROGRAMS ARE AT

NJTVONLINE.ORG

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US

>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR "REPORTER

ROUND TABLE" WITH MICHAEL ARON

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