January 23, 2008 - 10:36pm
Ferriero endorses Clinton at Bergen rally
By Matt Friedman
Tags: Dennis McNerney, Hillary Clinton, Robert Gordon, Valerie Huttle, Joseph Ferriero, Leo McGuire, Tomas Padilla
In her first public campaign stop in New Jersey since September, Hillary Clinton made an appearance tonight at Bergen County Academies in Hackensack to accept the endorsements of Bergen County Chairman Joe Ferriero and a host of other elected officials from the powerhouse.
The appearance came immediately after Clinton attended a $2,300 per head fundraiser at the Stony Hill Inn across town, and afterwards she was off to another rally to appeal to the Hispanic vote in North Bergen. Earlier today, she was in Pennsylvania to accept the endorsement of Gov. Ed Rendell.
The Hackensack crowd, which Clinton campaign officials estimated at 700 to hear Clinton speak at the school's gymnasium with 1,000 more overflowing into its auditorium, had to wait. Clinton arrived about an hour and a half late, leaving Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire to keep the crowd entertained, adlibbing jokes and poking fun at other elected officials.
"I don't think Gerry Cardinale snuck in here. He snuck into our party in Atlantic City. I had a little problem with that," said McGuire, referring to the Bergen County Democratic Organization's party in Atlantic City during the League of Municipalities meeting, where Cardinale was photographed in jovial conversation with Ferriero.
When Clinton finally took the stage along with Ferriero and U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, she delivered a speech focused primarily on the economy and health care, pushing her plan for universal health coverage. Clinton also said that she supports a 90 day moratorium on home foreclosures and a five year freeze on adjustable rate mortgages.
"Since when did America become the ‘can't do' nation?" said Clinton. "We are the people who are always on the front line of change and we are going to be again.
Clinton made a few references to the Bush administration, saying that the last seven years amounted to a "detour from America's destiny." Absent were any references to her chief rival for the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama.
Clinton also said that, if elected, she will begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within 60 days, and that the Iraqi government would feel pressure to get its act together knowing that the United States was not committed indefinitely.
In criticizing the Bush administration, Clinton said one line that could have been mistaken as criticism often heard from Ferriero's critics.
"Let's reform the government so it ends the no-bid contracts and the cronyism and the incompetence," she said.
In addition to Ferriero, other elected officials who attended included all of the Bergen County Freeholders, state Sen. Bob Gordon, Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, Assemblywoman and Ferriero foe Valerie Vainieri Huttle, and County Executive Dennis McNerney.
Having the support of Bergen County's powerful Democratic Party could boost Clinton; the county has the fourth highest number of Democratic primary voters in the state and a machine capable of turning them out.
Sheriff McGuire said that he's been a Clinton supporter for about six months, but held off on his endorsement not because of any wish of Ferriero's, but because he thought that the county's politicians would have a greater impact by announcing at once.
Freeholder Director Tomas Padilla noted that Bergen County's population of 900,000 makes it larger than six other states (if it was its own state, Bergen would rank between Montana and Delaware).
"One of the benefits of doing it together is combined you have much more exposure," he said.
According to a Quinnipiac poll released this morning, Clinton has a 17 point lead over Obama in New Jersey.
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July 4, 2008
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Bob Torricelli is Mad at the Big, 'Mean' Bergen Record― THE MEDIA MOB
Sweeney-Buono alliance shakes up N.J. Senate― JONATHAN TAMARI
Stile: Pay to play helped to quell party insurgents ― CHARLES STILE
Newark’s Mayor Cory Booker at Midpoint ― DICK BENFIELD
MUCHAS MARGARITAS― ANDY UNANUE
NJ Economic Growth chief leaves office― Gary Rose
Candidates spend plenty of their money― Philadelphia Inquirer
News anchor sizing up run for governor― Star-Ledger
Political parties get right down to business― Daily Record
Ex-city official should give all of it back― Star-Ledger
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Signs were ok this time
This is the same location Comrade Corzine held his Toll Scam meeting last week. Signs of course were not permitted inside for "security concerns."
Tonight, however, with a presidential candidate in the room, there were no such "security concerns."
So signs that are "friendly" are permitted in the Bergen County Academy but signs that are "hostile" are a security risk.
One might have thought that one of the reporters present might have asked this question but think again. Who wants to end up on Hillary's "Enemies List"?
People on Corzine's "Enemies List" get arrested. People on Hillary's List seem to die before their time.
There is one big difference between tonight and last week. The Clinton people were smart enough to know that if you want to sell something in New Jersey, keep Jon Corzine far away from it. That's why Corzine can campaign for Hillary in Nevada, but he's conveniently out of the country when she comes to NJ.
Ron Paul
I noted about 14 Ron Paul supporters outside the event holding signs in the cold. They weren't letting Queen Hill get a free pass in Bergen. Oddly though, there were no Rudy MCain Romney or Huckabee signs or supporters.
Ron Paul Hope for America
How Do You Spell Irony?
“Let’s reform the government so it ends the no-bid contracts and the cronyism and the incompetence.”
I don't know what's the funniest part of this quote, the fact she said while recieving the endorsement of Joe Ferriero or the fact that she said it period. I would love to see her say that in a debate and just have someone chime in as soon as she's done and state, "says the woman who wanted to spend 1 million of taxpayer dollars on a hippie museum."
Irony?
Wouldn't irony be a McCain supporter criticizing another candidate's shameless duplicity?
Was Bergen Grassroots and their RINO friends there?
Protesting Hillary's and Ferriero's "right-wing" views?
"Moutaintop" Becomes Mole's Hill....
You don't know what you're talking about.
I was at both events. The Corzine event was a public information event at which anyone could walk in off the street to hear about the Corzine proposal. People had a chance to ask the Governor questions at length for a couple of hours.
There was a reasonable rationale to prohibit people from bringing in large signs.
Tonight's event was a campaign rally for a presidential race, the Secret Service was there and everyone who got into that gym had to go through a security screening. The only signs that were present were the standard kinds of cardboard signs that were passed out on site by the campaign.
The two situations were not the same.
If you want to critricize Clinton or Corzine be my guest, (I've done it often ;-) but cheap shots aren't going to do anyone any good.
From Frederick Douglass
Ron Paul? Is he stil lin the race?
No one talks about him anymore....
This sentence is false.
Mom in Law:
If by 'one' you mean 'media outlet' then I concur.
Otherwise, I disagree for reasons as obvious as your post.
Hillary and Corzine
Perfect together. Infringing the bill of rights is a big time sport in NJ.
One only hopes that after the well heeled elites paid their $2300,00 that Ferriero will have less money to continue funding his crime family in Hackensack
Crime Family?
Ferriero's Democrats in Bergen are doing a decent job. While I'd like to see the GOP get a few seats up there for balance sake, they have the lowest county tax in NJ. Plus he is the only thing stopping Lorretta Whineberg from being the leftie political boss she dreams of being.
Mark..
I've heard a lot of criticism on John McCain but having "shameless duplicity" is certainly a new one that is pretty interesting and I believe is wrong.
McCain has been pretty damn consistent on major issues, his message on illegal immigration is different, but he never says he disagrees with comprehensive illegal immigration reform that he supported. Maybe he should start changing more positions, his tough stance on offsetting tax cuts with spending cuts and the whole illegal immigration thing has him hated by some conservatives. Not to mention, he's never once apologized for McCain-Feingold despite the opposition to that from conservatives. (Since when did campaign finance reform become an ideological issue?!) McCain never does anything the easy way, he does what he believes is best for America and that is why everyone should at least Respect the guy. Plus I think he's absolutely right about the environment and torture.
Maybe you were thinking of that other Republican nominee who has changed multiple positions of his..
As far as Ron Paul goes..unless he goes third party, his supporters might as well pack up their signs and go home. He lost any chance of traction at all when he couldn't even place third in New Hampshire, a state that's motto is "Live Free or Die".
Hillary Clinton and Matt Drudge Perfect Together
Yes, Bergen Grassroots was in attendance. I went to see who was giving my support away. i HAVE NO IDEA who Joe Ferriero represents. I know he does not represent me or mine.
My thanks also go to Sen. Menendez who has jumped on the Clinton bandwagon. This is particularly disturbing given the fact that Barak Obama campaigned hard for Menendez in New Jesey drawing crowds in the thousands. Next thing I know he'll be voting for telecom immunity too.
Having attended rallies for other candidates I was not impressed with the turnout. The rally in North Bergen was at a reception hall not a park as advertised. Once the ballroom filled up people were allowed into overflow and some (not many) were left outside.
Who exactly supports Hillary Clinton anyway? I'm a realtively politically active person. Not a zealot or a gadfly. I believe the idiom that "politics is not polite conversation" is a luxury we do not enjoy during times or war. For the life of me I have yet to meet a Hillary Clinton supporter in person. So, it was at least reassuring to know they really do exist. I do not agree with them but they do exist.
ESedler
This is for your perusal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI
Re: Ron Pauler's
I was one of the 12 or so Ron Paul supporters outside that venue last night...
Couple of points.
1.) We were getting many positive gestures of support, including horn honking from the traffic that was passing by the front of the academies. Several of the Sheriff's officers openly admitted that they really liked Ron Paul, and still consider voting for him as president come Feb. 5th..
2.) Sadly, because of the wait, some of the citizenry who came out to attend the Clinton Rally actually left because they were outside for over an hour. Few were angry, but most who did leave said that it was just too cold to be standing in line for more than an hour. She was supposed to initially make her appearence at 5:30pm, and didn't arrive till a tad bit after 7. Of course you guys know that we apologized for their candidates' tardiness, and then offered them Ron Paul campaign materials, many of which recieved them well. Many of the people there were undecideds, so this helps in the cause to get Ron Paul elected.
3.) The idea of a "Free Speech Zone" imposed upon us around the 6:30 hour left a sour taste in the mouths of our small group. Although the officer who asked us to congregate in a small area in front of the school couldn't tell us exactly who issued the order, (I tried personally to track that info down) the point that we were asked to stand in one location instead of walking back and forth along the sidewalk (as we were doing) was disturbing. Since when it is constitutional to impose a "Free Speech Zones" upon people?
4.) In all fairness to Senator Clinton, when she did arrive with her motorcade, as she was entering the side of the building our crew began chanting Ron Paul, and she did acknowledge our pressence with a waive. She could've been completely cold and ignored us, but she did not.
Look, as much as I disagree with her policies (and that of many other politicians in general) I do give credit where credit is due. I cannot speak for what happened after she entered the building because it was at this point that I had left, however I know that many others stayed behind.
J. Douglas Fisher
Check Out: http://www.murraysabrin.com
Although
Although the notion of 'free speech zones' is disgusting, I have it on good word that the Bergen County Sheriff's officers were nothing but courteous and professional.