Wisniewski says he has support of all 21 chairs to lead Democratic State Committee

I imagine (4.00 / 2)

Christie may end up "firing up" the Democratic base soon enough. I hope Wisniewski embraces a reform and openness agenda -- there are far too many crooked Democrats.

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

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by: Hopeful @ Tue Jan 19, 2010 at 22:44:28 PM UTC

I agree with you on Christie (4.00 / 2)

I hope that Wisniewski (I hope I spelled that right) looks to Howard Dean to see how to turn a party around (I wish Dean kept his job post Obama cause he's needed nationally).

Thanks for giving me my next diary idea.... ways I would reform the party from the bottom up.

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

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by: tabbycat31 @ Tue Jan 19, 2010 at 23:09:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I like that diary idea. (0.00 / 0)

Look forward to reading it.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 00:49:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'll do it probably over the weekend (0.00 / 0)

after I finish my Obama's year in review entries for my own blog (which I'm focusing on federal issues there so I can use Blue Jersey for state issues).

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

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by: tabbycat31 @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 01:08:18 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wisniewski was an early Dean supporter (0.00 / 0)

He, Reed Gusciora, Linda Stender, and Pat Diegnan were the earliest high-profile elected officials to endorse Howard Dean's Presidential campaign in 2003.

If Wisniewski is half as good of a NJDSC Chair as Dean was a DNC Chair, we'll be in pretty good shape.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Tue Jan 19, 2010 at 23:03:11 PM UTC

Howard Dean set the bar high (0.00 / 0)

for Democratic chairs, with a clearly-defined set of goals and an organizing principle to get there. The current DNC is a throwback to less exciting times.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 00:56:43 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

very true (0.00 / 0)

On the heels of what appears to be a debacle of indescribable proportions in MA, one thing that President Obama should consider doing is asking for the resignations of Tim Kaine as DNC Chair as well as Rahm Emanuel as White House Chief of Staff, contingent on Howard Dean being brought back as DNC Chair.  I don't care who replaces Emanuel, but I don't think that Dean should ever have to work in the same city as him ever again.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 01:22:38 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree with you 100% (4.00 / 1)

I'm writing a blog post for my own blog reviewing Obama's first year, and most of his bending over I think has Rahm's fingerprints all over it.

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

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by: tabbycat31 @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 01:29:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Barack Obama & Howard Dean (0.00 / 0)

The president's relationship with Howard Dean seems to be guided more by Rahm Emanuel's disregard for him than it does by the facts of what Barack Obama owes Howard Dean, for the infrastructure and sea change in attitude that Dean presided over as DNC Chair. Obama treats Dean with continuing disrespect. Dean would never say that about the President - he's got way too much class.

I don't see Obama supporting a Dean chairmanship - which I certainly would. But I do agree that Tim Kaine is a directionless disaster.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 15:10:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree, but... (0.00 / 0)

...to the best of my knowledge, Obama has not personally disrespected him, but by allowing his office to be used to trash him, it is basically the same thing.

I agree that Obama/Emanuel is not going to bring Dean back.  It is yet one more thing that they should do, but won't.

Who's up for a Dean primary challenge in 2012.  Sadly, he is just to decent to undermine Obama like that.

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 16:22:19 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

John Wisniewski on marriage equality (4.00 / 1)

Among all the legislators with whom we met in 2009 on marriage equality - which was virtually every Democratic legislator and many Republicans - Asm. Wisniewski gave us, perhaps, the most memorable meeting.

He didn't start out 2009 as a supporter of marriage equality, but he wound up as a supporter - and our meeting with him was key.  He was as open and engaged as any other legislator we met with.  His questions were on key and sincere, and showed a public servant with a brilliant mind who really wanted to do what was right in the end.

We won him over because he was a willing partner on the road to fairness.

I emerged from the experience a big fan of his, as did others.

I only hope he leads the party as the progressive he is.  

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by: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality chair @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 04:05:14 AM UTC

He also had personal LGBT connections (0.00 / 0)

Folks who were old friends and schoolmates who are LGBT that helped forge that "personal" connection, which related to the Democratic Party principles, ... I believe helped move him to stand for equality and fairness.

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

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by: Babs NJSD @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 20:59:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I hope you're right. (0.00 / 0)

I hoipe he proves as progressive as I know him to be capable.

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by: Dvd Avins @ Mon Jan 25, 2010 at 18:14:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It would be great if... (0.00 / 0)

...they picked a Vice-Chair who was a no-doubt-about-it progressive.

If the Vice-Chair has to be an elected, how about Loretta Weinberg?

If not, how about Rosi?

If you have any contacts with the decision-makers, Steven, you might want to let them know how pissed off the progressive base of the party is about how the marriage equality vote went down and our anger could be tempered to a degree if someone we knew and trusted was made Vice-Chair of the party.

What do you think?

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by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 05:24:37 AM UTC

How About Juan Melli..... (0.00 / 0)

.......or even Vin Gopal.....and I can think of a bunch more who would be a breath of fresh air into the party apparatus.

Bringing in a fresh and clean face from the outside would be a bold and aggressively progressive move.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 05:57:07 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Nick is exactly right (0.00 / 0)

The next ED should not be one of the political operatives that rotate over the years within the New Jersey Democratic establishment - and I say that as a personal friend and professional admirer of many of them.  The next ED should be a grassroots leader with an entirely fresh approach, and Juan and Vin are both excellent examples.

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by: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality chair @ Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 14:05:28 PM UTC