Corzine News

[Wise Young]

Senator Jon Corzine is running for governor of New Jersey and is a strong supporter of stem cell research. I am starting this thread to include news about him for New Jerseyians.

Wise.

[Wise Young]

http://www.wnbc.com/politics/4915823/detail.html

Corzine Launches Biographical Ad Ahead Of Traditional Starting Point

POSTED: 3:02 pm EDT August 30, 2005
NEWARK, N.J. -- After a summer filled with charges and countercharges from the gubernatorial candidates, perhaps it was no surprise that one launched a feel-good broadcast advertisement before Labor Day, which traditionally marks the start of the intense push to Election Day.
A 60-second television ad describing how Sen. Jon S. Corzine rose from a modest upbringing to become a Wall Street titan started airing Sunday on Philadelphia and New York stations.
It shows Corzine as a youth, Corzine with the American flag as a backdrop, and Corzine surrounded by cute schoolchildren while an announcer says how they deserve "the same opportunity to get ahead. That means we need to get the cost of education and health care and owning a home under control.
"That's going to take new leadership in Trenton -- leadership that can't be bought," the announcer says.
In addition, the voiceover says, "Put an end to the old corruption."
Corzine does not speak in the ad, which does not mention his Republican opponent, Doug Forrester.
The references to "corruption" and "can't be bought" appear to be an effort by Corzine to distance himself from the political scandals that have swept a number of politicians from office, including the last person to be elected governor, James E. McGreevey, a fellow Democrat.
"I think it's a major selling point. It's meant to capitalize on the justified cynicism that New Jersey voters have about their elected officials," said Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University.
He doubted this approach will backfire or reflect poorly on Corzine's own party. "The Democratic leaders, who really want another Democrat in Trenton, are just going to let it roll off their backs," Baker said. "You use whatever ammunition fits the caliber of your gun."
Baker said the ad may also be attempting to deflect criticism by Forrester over a $470,000 loan, eventually converted to a gift, that Corzine made to ex-girlfriend Carla Katz, president of Local 1034 of the Communications Workers of America, one of New Jersey's largest state employee unions.
Corzine maintains the gift would not hamper his administration's ability to negotiate fairly or effectively with the union, which represents 16,000 public employees.

[Wise Young]

http://1010wins.com/topstories/local_story_255070609.html

Corzine Lead Over Forrester Grows In Poll

Sep 12, 2005 6:42 am US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) TRENTON, N.J. U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, the Democratic candidate for governor, has increased his lead over GOP challenger Doug Forrester in a new poll, but nearly half of the respondents who chose a candidate said they may still change their mind.

Corzine was favored by 48 percent of respondents in the Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll published Monday, while 28 percent supported Forrester and about one in five said they were undecided. And among those who said they were likely to vote in the Nov. 8 election, Corzine leads Forrester by 18 percentage points, 49 percent to 31 percent.

The telephone poll of 673 registered voters was conducted from Sept. 6-9 and has a sampling margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

In the last Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll, conducted just after Forrester won the GOP nomination in the June 7 primary, Corzine held a lead of 10 percentage points.

Forrester's standing in the latest poll may be suffering from sharp criticism directed at President Bush, a fellow Republican whose administration has received poor marks for its response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster, according to poll director Murray Edelman.

[Wise Young]

http://wcbstv.com/newjerseywire/NJ--CorzinesBeard-jn/resources_news_html

Bucking an age-old rule, Corzine vows to keep wearing his beard
Sunday September 11, 2005
By JOHN CURRAN
Associated Press Writer
It's an age-old rule in politics: If you want their votes, let 'em see your face. A beard? Better shave it off. Don't want to look like a hippie, a hobo or (eek!) Al Gore, do you?

Some learn it the hard way at the ballot box. Others resist it outright, insisting the beard is part of who they are. That's where U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine, the Democratic candidate for governor of New Jersey, comes in.

Corzine, who has resisted advisers' suggestions that he shave his graying beard, is currently the only member of the U.S. Senate to wear one. And he'll be the only U.S. governor with one if he beats Republican Doug Forrester in the Nov. 8 election. No sitting governors have beards, nor do any of the three candidates for the job in Virginia the only other state where a new governor will be elected this year.

While facial hair hasn't been a problem for Corzine to date, some say it could still cost him points with voters. There are persistent, negative connotations underlying the taboo, according to political consultants, image experts and others.

``The problem with beards is the association with the '60s and '70s the beatnik and hippie movement, the anti-establishment attitudes that were communicated by people in those years by people wearing beards. It's guilt by association, regardless of whether they were part of that,'' said Judith Rasband, a professional image management specialist.

``In terms of nonverbal communication, by not seeing the full face whether it's bangs in the eyes of a woman or a man, or a beard there can be some who perceive the individual is hiding something,'' Rasband added.

Corzine, who had a beard when he captured his U.S. Senate seat in 2000, has no plans to shave it.

``It's staying,'' he told the AP when asked about the beard in a July interview. ``When you've had something for 25 years, why would you reshape yourself to get into public life? And I haven't tried to.''

[Jeff]

New Jersey’s College Presidents Sponsoring Candidates’ Forum with Senator Jon Corzine and Douglas Forrester on Sept. 19

Event to Help Voters Learn Candidates’ Views on Higher Education; Candidates to Answer Questions from Students, College Presidents, & Trustees

The New Jersey Presidents’ Council is sponsoring a gubernatorial candidates’ forum to help New Jersey voters learn what views gubernatorial candidates U.S. Senator Jon S. Corzine and Douglas R. Forrester have on higher education and bring the issues related to higher education in New Jersey into the political discourse.

The forum is scheduled for Monday, September 19 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J. The forum will be moderated by Kent Manahan, senior anchor of NJN News.

Corzine and Forrester are scheduled to each make a presentation regarding their vision for New Jersey higher education, its priority in their administration, and how they envision building a strong partnership with higher education to assist in addressing New Jersey’s future. Each candidate will then answer questions submitted by college presidents, trustees and students following their presentation. The candidates are scheduled to appear sequentially; the event will not be a debate.

The event will be webcast and a live stream will be available to college and university campuses throughout the state from the following two websites:

http://www.njpc.org/ (http://capwiz.com/for/utr/1/BKJIFACTGV/KJUJFAESAJ/)
http://www.njedge.net/ (http://capwiz.com/for/utr/1/BKJIFACTGV/MBHPFAESAK/)

[Wise Young]

http://1010wins.com/topstories/local_story_264074710.html

Corzine, Forrester Face Off In First Debate

Sep 21, 2005 11:02 am US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) (TRENTON) After months of dueling news conferences and accusations of ethical impropriety, two men running for governor of New Jersey went head-to-head Tuesday night in their first debate.

Earlier in the day, a judge rebuffed a third candidate who was seeking a spot at the forum.

The two main rivals in the governor's race, Democratic Sen. Jon Corzine and Republican businessman Doug Forrester, squared off for an hour on public television, outlining their visions for the state and trying to show voters why they're the best choice to lead its 8.5 million residents.

``I have a very optimistic view of where New Jersey can go,'' said Corzine. ``My opponent has presented a more negative view than is necessary.''

``I want to make sure when we hand the state of New Jersey over to the next generation they receive a state that is strong and good,'' Forrester countered during the closing moments of the hourlong forum.

The debate, one of three such forums the candidates have both agreed to, was aired live on NJN and will be rebroadcast at noon Sunday.

The candidates found common ground on gay marriage _ neither supports a constitutional amendment banning it _ and eminent domain _ both think the government can go too far in seizing people's homes for redevelopment projects. But they clashed on a wide range of other issues, from property tax relief to whether the state should hold a bear hunt.

Forrester defended his 30-in-3 plan, which would have the state pick up 30 percent of residents' property tax bills after a three-year phase-in, as an antidote to residents selling their homes and leaving the state. Corzine said his opponent's plan would leave a $9 billion hole in the state budget.

Corzine touted his plan to increase rebates to low- and moderate-income residents as ``realistic'' and ``doable,'' but Forrester criticized his opponent's plan ``a lame program.''

Each candidate has been embroiled in an ethics controversy this campaign season, so it wasn't surprising that the debate began with each fielding a question on ethics.

Corzine vowed to maintain his independence in labor talks with state workers despite having lent the head of the largest local a half-million dollars when the two were dating.

The U.S. Senate's ethics committee has been asked to investigate whether Corzine violated federal law by not disclosing the transaction.

Forrester, who was asked about whether his prescription drug benefits business, which has hundreds of government contracts, presents a conflict of interest, said he would sell his majority interest in the company if elected.

Forrester is being investigated by the state Division of Criminal Justice over allegations that he made illegal campaign contributions. The candidate owns an insurance company, and state law bars insurers, bank and casino owners from making political donations.

Forrester contends that because his insurance company is licensed outside New Jersey it is not bound by state law. Corzine's lawyer has said the candidate does not have to report personal loans.

One of the lighter moments in the debate came when the candidates were asked their views on a bear hunt.

Forrester spoke of the seriousness of the problem by citing a Sussex County family who once ``had breakfast with bears,'' and Corzine rebutted that he had no evidence of breakfasting bears. He said he opposes a bear hunt.
...

Corzine and Forrester have agreed to appear at two other debates, on Oct. 11 at New Jersey 101.5 radio and Oct. 18 in a forum co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters. ...


http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVs N2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2Nzc0NjcyJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRX l5Mg==
Corzine, Forrester debate tax cuts

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

By JOHN P. McALPIN and JOSH GOHLKE
TRENTON BUREAU

The two top candidates for governor pitched plans to lower property taxes and painted each other in their first televised debate Tuesday night as products of New Jersey's corrupt political culture.

Republican Doug Forrester insisted that a 30 percent tax credit is the answer to rising property taxes, which he says are driving people out of New Jersey. Democrat Jon Corzine touted his plan to increase property tax rebate checks by 40 percent.

Each man told voters his plan is the only right choice.

"That is the single most important thing the next governor has to do, and I will do it," Forrester said at New Jersey Network's studios in Trenton.

For Corzine, rebates are the answer.

"We need to help those people that have the least ability to pay and that's who rebates help the most. It's a very wise program, and it's real," Corzine said.

He derided Forrester's plan as simply too expensive. Forrester says he can reduce property taxes by 30 percent in three years by providing a credit on state income taxes.

"It's going to blow a $9 billion hole into the budget," Corzine said. "

Forrester dismissed Corzine's rebate plan, echoing long-standing criticisms that the rebate is an election-year gimmick that provides only temporary relief from rising New Jersey property taxes, among the highest in the nation.

"Increasing a rebate program that is a lame program to begin with isn't going to help anybody," Forrester said.



Some initial reactions...
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/opinion/12707681.htm

Posted on Thu, Sep. 22, 2005

Editorial | N.J. Gubernatorial Debate

Corzine is slow off the mark

Maybe Sen. Jon Corzine (D., N.J.) is starting to believe those polls that show him leading Republican Doug Forrester by double digits in the race for governor of New Jersey. Maybe his thoughts were still in Washington. Whatever the reason, in their first televised debate Tuesday night Corzine looked and sounded like a candidate who is taking the voters for granted.

Corzine chose to react defensively to the first question of the debate, about a gift $470,000 loan to former girlfriend (and union president) Carla Katz. His performance was mostly downhill from there, with an inarticulate and disengaged presentation of his proposed policies. At one point, Corzine dismissively referred to Forrester as the "opposition candidate," as if his own coronation awaits and a debate is a trifling inconvenience. Forrester, in contrast, came across as aggressive, focused and - gasp - prepared.

Granted, these criticisms are about style, not substance. One debate does not a governor make, or break. But for someone who regularly jousts with the press corps and the "opposition" party in Washington, Corzine's performance was surprisingly weak.

Forrester didn't score a knockout. But he articulated his message better and was more effective at pointing out the perceived flaws in his opponent's answers. In short, the underdog won this debate on points.

[Wise Young]

http://publicmind.fdu.edu/govrace2005/tab.html

Latest poll 9/21-9/26 of likely voters. Male (female)
Corzine (D) 48 (47)
Forrester (R) 38 (34)

[cathy j]

Wise,
I thought I heard at the debate that Corzine said basically that too much money had been sent towards stem cell research, and that there is no good indication that it will work.
That gave me the impression that he was not an advocate of stem cell research. ????
Thanks,
Cathy

[Wise Young]

http://www.bergen.com/print.php?qstr=ZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY3ODE2NjMmeXJ pcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXky

Forrester gaining ground on Corzine
Thursday, September 29, 2005

By JOSH GOHLKE
TRENTON BUREAU

Graphic: Closing the gap

The race for governor has gotten closer, with one new poll showing that Republican Doug Forrester has diminished Democrat Jon Corzine's lead to four percentage points.

Corzine's advantage over Forrester among likely voters was 48 percent to 44 percent in a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, or just outside the margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Corzine's lead in the poll has shrunk from 10 points in early August.

Two other polls found the race to be competitive though not quite that close. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released Tuesday gave Corzine an eight-point lead, down from 13 points in July. And a poll published Wednesday by Monmouth University and the newspaper group Gannett New Jersey gave the Democratic senator a similar lead over the Republican businessman, 46 percent to 38 percent.

The numbers surprised many observers after a series of earlier polls showed Corzine leading by as much as 20 points. But voters are probably just beginning to evaluate the candidates, even though the campaign was uncharacteristically active during the summer, said Clay Richards, assistant director of Quinnipiac's polling institute.

"We're all out there in August beating the bushes, and the voters are still at the beach," Richards said.

Richards and other observers attributed Forrester's gains partly to his recent television advertising, particularly one spot featuring a testimonial by his wife, Andrea, which obliquely raised the issue of Corzine's 2003 divorce.

"It's a marvelously subtle attack," Richards said.

The Corzine campaign was already responding with its most aggressive advertising yet, and it was expected to step up attacks further in the coming weeks. A Democratic radio ad that debuted Wednesday attacked Forrester as the New Jersey equivalent of President Bush, citing several controversial Bush administration policies, and Corzine himself reiterated the criticism during an appearance in Trenton. His campaign also began airing a television commercial criticizing Forrester for raising property taxes when he was a member of the Township Council in West Windsor, Mercer County, in the 1980s.

Corzine campaign manager Tom Shea said Forrester had not yet faced any critical campaign advertising.

"He's been unchallenged, and that changes starting today," Shea said.

Some observers said Forrester's numbers might have been improved by his strong performance in last week's first televised gubernatorial debate and the fading of anti-Bush sentiments in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Perhaps most important, polls show that the Republican's relentless focus on two issues - property taxes and corruption - is registering with voters.

When Quinnipiac asked voters which candidate would be most likely to end corruption in government, 40 percent chose Forrester and 38 percent chose Corzine, a statistical tie. But voters were almost twice as likely to describe Corzine as "part of the problem" - a favorite Republican slogan - than they were to describe Forrester the same way.

Although Forrester has sought to tie Corzine to some of the more scandalous figures in the Democratic establishment, the two candidates have proposed virtually identical campaign-finance and ethics reforms.

When voters were asked which candidate would be most likely to reduce property taxes, Forrester had a slight lead over Corzine, 44 percent to 39 percent, in the Quinnipiac poll. Forrester has proposed using state money to phase in a credit covering 30 percent of most property tax bills. Corzine, whose more modest initiative would boost the current cash rebates for low- and middle-income property tax payers, has said Forrester's plan is costly and unrealistic.

Forrester's property tax advantage is probably contributing to his eight-point lead among men, who traditionally vote on "pocketbook issues," Richards said. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that the tax issue is a strength for Forrester, and Corzine has tried to keep other issues in the forefront while hurting Forrester's credibility on property taxes.

In the latest example, Corzine's new television ad describes Forrester as "the only candidate for governor who has ever raised property taxes." The ad notes, correctly, that taxes went up about 200 percent while Forrester served on West Windsor's council. Forrester has said that the increases were needed to pay for a sewer system.

One of Forrester's current ads attacks Corzine on the tax issue, saying the senator "has voted 133 times for higher taxes." That figure is somewhat inflated by the inclusion of votes that most people would not describe as tax increases, such as those supporting Democratic tax cuts that would have been smaller than the Republican cuts ultimately passed by Congress.

Corzine, who let his surrogates do most of the attacking during the summer, held a press conference at the State House to point out that Forrester's positions are often in line with Bush's, citing his opposition to embryonic stem cell research and support for conservative judges.

[Monique]

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1129786494200710.xml&coll=1


In an "evolution" of his views, Doug Forrester, the Republican nominee for governor, said yesterday that new developments in scientific research have "given us the ability to do embryonic stem cell research without the previous ethical challenges" posed by the destruction of human embryos.

That is not a reversal of his earlier views, campaign director Sherry Sylvester said. "It's an evolution of his position," she said. "Things have changed."

Embryonic stem cell research has become a focal point in the campaign for governor, with stark contrasts between Forrester and his Democratic rival, Jon Corzine.

Corzine has proposed spending $400 million to create a "world-class" research facility that would put New Jersey in the forefront of research on the "miracle" cells that morph into other types of cells and are hailed as a key to curing a litany of diseases.

Foes of abortion oppose research on embryonic stem cells, because extracting them destroys embryos.

In May, Forrester said publicly that President Bush's handling of the issue is "in the right." Bush opposes public funding for research that would require the further destruction of embryos.

Forrester also has adamantly opposed the use of state funds on such research, citing state budget problems.

In a televised debate Tuesday night, Forrester seemed to reverse that position.

"There are few things that are more exciting," Forrester said. "I don't want anybody to suggest that we have to do anything other than pursue these cures. This relief, that offers so much promise, we need to do it vigorously, we need to do it now."

Marie Tasy, executive director of the political action committee for New Jersey Right to Life, which has not endorsed either candidate, called that a flip-flop. "It's a shift in his position and I think very similar to what happened in'02, when he was running for the Senate and changed his (pro-life) position on abortion," Tasy said.

Forrester yesterday sought to clarify his views.

...Continued (http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1129786494200710.xml&coll=1)