More than two months after Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama buried the hatchet in Unity, New Hampshire, the press still throws around that five-letter word just as much as they did back on June 3. After the delegation breakfast, Governor Corzine held a short press availability, and the media spent nearly the entire time asking him questions about party unity. When a reporter asked Corzine what he thought of the recent CNN poll which found that fewer than half of Clinton supporters were "strongly supporting" Obama, Corzine replied: "That's why we have conventions".
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama buried the hatchet in Unity, New Hampshire more than two months ago, but that five-letter word is still the big story at the Democratic National Convention here in Denver. After the Delegation Breakfast, Governor Corzine held a press availability outside the Inverness hotel. A former Clinton supporter who is now fully behind Obama, Corzine fielded several questions from several reporters about unity in the Democratic party. When one reporter asked the Governor if he was worried about a recent CNN poll which found that less than half of Clinton supporters were "strongly supporting" Obama, Corzine replied: "That's why we have conventions."
The New Jersey delegation has 107 pledged delegates, 20 unpledged or superdelegates, and 18 alternates. Frank Lautenberg is the oldest at 84 years 7 months; excluding pages, Justin Woska is the youngest at 19.
Of the pledged delegates, 59 are pledged to Clinton and 48 to Obama. Eight superdelegates have declared that they will vote for Obama on the floor: Gov. Jon Corzine; Reps. Steve Rothman, Rush Holt and Don Payne; State Sen. Dana Redd; and DNC members Don Norcross, Dana Redd and Roz Samuels. DNC National Finance Chair Phil Murphy has not endorsed. The others eleven are, or at least were the last time someone bothered to ask them, committed to Senator Clinton.
Via Taegan Goddard, The Rocky Mountain News is confirming what TS blogged this morning. Both Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen will be representing the Garden State this week in Denver. Jon will be warming up the crowd at Invesco Field for Obama, while Bruce will close out the night with what's expected to a solo acoustic performance.
Multiple sources confirmed to the Rocky that Jon Bon Jovi will fly in to perform two acoustic songs before Sen. Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech at Invesco Field on Thursday. After the speech, Bruce Springsteen (photo at right) will close out the night, presumably solo acoustic (E Street Band member Nils Lofgren told the Rocky last week that the band wouldn't be with Springsteen in Denver).
Monday morning at the Inverness meant the first New Jersey Delegation Breakfast. Governor Corzine, Senator Lautenberg, and Congressman Rothman all roused the audience with their speeches. Lautenberg offered a particularly scathing criticism of his Republican Senate opponent, Dick Zimmer, who he suggested would roll back gun laws and threaten New Jerseyans' health care. Rothman emphasized unity in his speech, acknowledging Clinton's ten-point victory in New Jersey February and empathizing with her supporters.
But it was the final speaker of the morning, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who brought the crowd to its feet with a fiery defense of the Garden State. Booker recounted the state's key role in the American Revolution, and he highlighted several New Jersey firsts, among them the first light bulb, the first football game, and the first electric guitar. Booker closed by addressing the delegation's lousy seating at the convention center:
"Let them seat us in the back, because New jersey is loud, we are proud, we can be heard above the crowd."
Newark Mayor/Obama delegate Cory Booker. More pictures below the fold.
About an hour ago, my plane landed in Denver, and I just grabbed a quick lunch at the NJ Delegation hotel, the Inverness, which is absolutely spectacular.
I can't lie to you, the excitement level in this city is off the charts-- from the moment I got off the plane, the air was almost crackling with energy. It's a great feeling. People are definitely fired up and ready to go, and the huge buzz among everyone here is McCain's massive gaffe on housing, which showed him to be about as out of touch with America's middle class (and about as in touch with Bush's failed economic policies) as one could be.
I've taken a short canvass of about two dozen or so people from native Coloradans to folks from Nebraska to West Virginia and Alaska and yes, even a few fellow New Jerseyans. All of them were able to tell me how many houses they owned when I asked, without pausing or needing to check with their staff.
Of these roughly two dozen only one (a server at the Denver airport) hadn't heard of McCain's gaffe (at which point I proceeded to explain the situation to her for about ten minutes, to which she replied "Whoa...John McCain should be on Cribs! He could do a whole season by himself!"). MTV might want to look into that. I'm sure it would be well-staged and immaculate, as the McCains spend over a quarter million dollars annually on servants at their various houses.
In case you're like my server friend and haven't heard much about McCain's huge misstep, check these devastating ads the Obama campaign has released to highlight how out of touch John McCain is. Here's their second ad:
But the point of this post, Blue Jersey, is to ask a simple question: How many houses do YOU own?
This is an open thread. Take the poll, tell us in the comments about any of the houses you're either sure or unsure you own, and most importantly, get ready to watch a great convention starting Monday. Change is in the air.
Hey folks. Sorry I couldn't get you a news roundup this morning; I was stuck waiting in lines at Philadelphia Airport!
I arrived at Denver International Airport just after 10 AM (Noon EDT for those of you back home), and I'll be here until my bus leaves at 2. The DIA main terminal is beautiful, and hopefully Denver looks as nice from the ground as it did from the air.
I'll be posting plenty from the College Democrats Convention and the Democratic National Convention over the next week! Hopeful will join me on Monday. And, of course, Obama alternate Brian McGinnis will also be in Denver.
Now that one of the most remarkable primaries in our nation's history has concluded, attention is turning to the Democratic National Convention in Denver. In less than three months, the Mile High City and the Rocky Mountain West will host this historic event for the first time since 1908.
The Convention also coincides with Denver's 150th birthday - a
century-and-a-half of progress and innovation since its birth at the height of the Colorado gold rush. A hub of opportunity for people seeking new frontiers, people come to Colorado seeking much more than gold these days. The spirit of visionary zeal and limitless possibility is as strong as ever in the New West. So it's fitting that as the Democratic Party marches toward its own new frontier, it will do so through Denver.
A message to all of you in New Jersey: you don't have to be in Denver - or on the Convention floor - to get in on the action though. The Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee has organized two interactive ways for people anywhere in America to get involved. We're convening a national conversation about democracy and community and invite everyone to participate.
