I do not care that this is a kid important to Gov. Christie and his wife; it's his own kid Andrew, starting catcher for Delbarton HS, playing St. Joseph Regional High School at their field in Montvale, Bergen County. He should take time to see his kids, but if the "fiscally responsible" and "conservative" Governor wants to go to a ball game, he should get there the way the rest of us schlubs do.
The helicopter Christie commandeered is a 55-foot chopper that cost the taxpayers $12.5 million dollars. And it wasn't bought to ferry Governors and their wives to ball games, or let them rehearse what Marine One must feel like for wannabe presidents to fly around in. We got this helicopter for New Jersey's homeland security and transporting critically injured patients. Which of those two things was Christie today? How about Mary Pat?
The optics of this just suck for the Governor. The game came to a halt with the thwock-thwock-thwock! of the chopper, and Christie got in a tinted-window black car to be carried 100 yards from the chopper to the game - really? - and the game to the chopper. What a man of the people.
It gets worse, and as many situations with this governor show, the optics aren't bad just because they look bad, they really are troubling. Know where Christie went when he left in the 5th inning - limo to helicopter? He went meet the Iowa Republicans who came to tell Christie they want him to run for president. And where were they meeting? Right: in the governor's mansion - which is the people's house, not a place for this governor to talk self-serving GOP strategy with out-of-staters. Gov. Christie had nothing on his public schedule today, meaning there is no excuse that Michael Drewniak in his infinite ability to defend this governor can cook up.
What do you suppose might have happened if there was a critical accident or terrorism against New Jersey and that helicopter was urgently needed? Would Christie have waited till the 6th inning?
Hyperlocal Ridgewood Patch got the helicopter scoop and this pic
The New York Yankees defeat the 2008 World Series champs, the Philadelphia Phillies, to win their 27th championship. Phillies showed toughness and heart, and I hope it's a bit easier to lose when just last year they enjoyed the ultimate victory.
Statistically, Democrats are more likely to win a race for Governor of New Jersey when the New York Yankees lose Game 1 of the Word Series. The Yankees have played in the World Series eleven times in gubernatorial election years, and have only lost Game 1 two other times: in 2001, when Democrat James E. McGreevey was elected, and in 1922, when Democrat George Silzer won. Tonight's win by the Philadelphia Phillies marks the first time they won Game 1 of the World Series in a year New Jersey elects a Governor; in 1993, the Toronto Blue Jays won Game 1.
An interesting stat from Wally that probably does nothing more than back memories of Joe Carter crushing my dreams as a young Phillies fan in 1993. I know that I saw ads from Daggett and Christie in the pre-game show, but did I miss a Corzine commercial because I don't remember it?
With August over, we're coming into the final stretch of the baseball regular season -- and that means it's time for trash-talking on an open thread while we wait for tonight's radio show. It's my post, so I'll put the local teams in order of whether I'd like them to win, which I'm happy to say is also the order of how good they are!
At 83-48, my New York Yankees have the best record in baseball and, more importantly, a good lead of 6.5 games over the Boston Red Sox. Yankees fans are feeling good, but you know the old saying: "The 27th Championship is the hardest one."
The defending champion Philadelphia Phillies are 75-53 and have a commanding 7.5 game lead. It's weird to see happy Philadelphia fans, but it sure beats listening to the count of the years since a championship in four major sports. That makes South Jersey a better place since last November.
The Mets look like a disaster at 59-72. Tell me why there's reason to believe.
Now, I know some of our readers are bored by the above, so for them, I provide this AFI video of Alfred Hitchcock explaining how to make baseball interesting:
After 10 years of poor attendance and a struggle for attention blocks away from the casinos, the minor league Atlantic City Surf has struck out.
The team, which played in the independent Can-Am League, is discontinuing operations, along with another Can-Am team, the Ottawa Voyageurs.
Miles Wolff, the league's commissioner, said today that a deal to sell the Surf last week fell through. Without strong ownership and the money to back it, Wolff says it made no sense to continue to operate the club.
No dealer? No deal. That's the market's response to Atlantic City's grand experiment with automated poker games that cut out dealers and chips.
Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino has removed 14 automated poker tables after trying them out for a few months. The electronic games automatically shuffle and deal video-style cards that appear on a large display screen in the middle of the table. Each player has a smaller display screen equipped with touch controls to place bets, call or fold.
The hope was that they would attract a younger generation of gamblers. But the reality was disappointing
The casinos have already experienced many layoffs as they have seen revenues decline, so this will be welcome news to employees as the unions feared the machines would lead to job losses. Atlantic City has now seen their baseball team go under, experienced the difficulties with the horse racing industry and dealt with struggles from the casino's. Last week, lawsuits were filed to allow sports betting, but those are long shots. And it's again important to note how many state programs are tied to the success of Atlantic City and the gaming industry as a whole. The economic landscape of Atlantic City continues to change and it's unclear what the picture will look like when the dust settles.
Yes, when your region is defined by "Eagles stuff" that means the Philadelphia Phillies are your home team. Congrats to all the fans, you have been waiting so long for a championship!
They've won the National League pennant on their way to the World Series. As a South Jersey Yankees fan, I'd still like to see them win on behalf of my long-suffering neighbors in the Philadelphia media market.
This is not about New Jersey politics, but it is about a man who has seemed like part of the family to so many of us in New Jersey.
Today Yankees fans are facing the sad reality that we have seen last of a baseball immortal in our uniform. Joe Torre will be going to the Hall of Fame for an astounding record of success:
The 1998 Yankees, winners of 125 games, certainly the greatest team of my lifetime and perhaps ever.
Four World Series titles
Six American League pennants.
Ten division titles.
Twelve straight playoff appearances.
A team that draws more than four million people to the stadium a year, when everyone thought it was impossible to get three million to go to the Bronx.
Epitomizing calm, class and dignity.
We will remember these years for the rest of our lives, and, more likely than not, wishing that we could have them back. How foolish so many have been to take them for granted. Thank you, Mr. Torre, for giving them to us.
Sports analogies are over-used in just about every other field. So I'm asking your indulgence because I'm going to jump into that over-used field and do so.
The big news is that the Texas Rangers scored 30 runs in a single game against the Baltimore Orioles. So I guess there's hope for the country because the Rangers have apparently done better since George W. Bush is no longer a partner in that enterprise. But I digress -
Howard Dean's strategy of fighting for political wins in all fifty states took a big hit from the Washington Establishment because they would rather sink money into five or ten targeted seats each election cycle than to try and compete everywhere everytime the polls open. I have to admit I go back and forth on it because doing so sometimes starves competitive races for badly needed resources. That sort of thinking is needed for the final few months of an election cycle, but early on, everything needs to be on the table. Every seat, every election, every single county, city, school board, and dog-catcher race.
It is even more important this year, but you'll have to make the jump.
