PolitickerNJ.com
June 3, 2009
Max Pizarro

TRENTON - Democrats gave Chris Christie no room to savor his day-old GOP gubernatorial primary triumph, smothering him today with a flurry of examples of why they believe he's too conservative for New Jersey, the country's most diverse state.

Christie strode out in front of a raucous Republican crowd at the Marriott last night, accompanied by the big, grinding chords of Bruce Springsteen and a speech overladen with underdog symbolism in the face of the big money re-election bid of Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.

But this triumverate of Democratic Party leadership consisting of State Chairman Joe Cryan, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) and Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) said Christie hardly embodies the populist values of most New Jerseyans as he now saddles up at the front of a GOP whose national leader appears to be Rush Limbaugh, while dragging the baggage of his own Bush allegiance.

"The voters of New Jersey sent George Bush and his platform into retirement," Weinberg said of the president Christie supported early, prior to Bush's 2000 presidental run, and who awarded Christie the U.S. Attorney's post after Christie, his brother and other allies fundraised for him.

In that vein, Christie's pro-life views collide with most New Jersey voters' belief that a woman has the right to choose.

"The people are not going to elect a pro-life governor in the State of New Jersey," said Weinberg.

The trio, gathered for a press conference at the Statehouse this afternoon, repeatedly objected to Christie's self-identification as a conservative, and questioned his outright rejection of Sonia Sotomayor as a candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I assure you she's qualified, otherwise Presdient Barack Obama wouldn't have nominated her," Watson Coleman said of the first Latina nominee to the high court.

"He dismissed her out of hand on a consideration basis," added Cryan, who also fastened Christie to the Bush economic policies, "which frankly caused the global economic recession. It happened under his watch."

Blasting Christie's efforts to run as the Jersey guy against Wall Street interloper Corzine, Watson Coleman in the overall assessment of the GOP candidate she sees as right-wing residue from the Bush era, exclaimed, "If he's so New Jersey, how come he's so out of touch with the social progressives in New Jersey? He may have been born here but that begs the question, what was he listening to when he grew up?"

Democrats have whispered the names of both Watson Coleman and Weinberg as potential lieutenant governor candidates for Corzine, and today's press conference at the official start of LG consideration season carried test-drive implications for both women lawmakers.

"There are many fine people who may do that job," said Weinberg. "No one has said to me that I'm on a short list. I'm focused on this, however I may be of help to our party."

"I'm happy serving here in the legislature," Watson Coleman said.

Max Pizarro is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at max@politicsnj.com.