Timing is terrible for N.J. Democrats
Friday, August 13, 2004
By HERB JACKSON
For the record, Democrats really did appear unified in Boston last month.
Ah, memories.
Governor McGreevey's resignation announcement Thursday caused such tremors in the party, it's almost as though all sorts of political aspirations that have been kept in high-pressure containment burst into the air like a water-main break.
"The Democratic Party has gone from being in total control to total chaos," said one senior party leader. It's not just that there will now be no incumbent running in 2005; there's still some question whether New Jersey will have a special election in 12 weeks for a one-year governor to finish McGreevey's term.
On the outside, official reactions from Democratic Party leaders were filled with respectful tones praising the governor for his courage, wishing him and his wife the best, etc.
But beneath the surface, there was a good deal of grumbling about McGreevey's selection of Nov. 15 for his departure.
McGreevey said he needed to allow for a smooth transition of power. He didn't say so, but he also has a few personal details to deal with, such as the fact that he has no home other than the governor's mansion, he doesn't own a car, and he will have no job.
His 2001 tax returns showed he had to take money out of a retirement account to pay for his wedding in October 2000, so you know the guy doesn't have a lot of personal wealth. Simply put, he's probably not going to be riding in too many helicopters after Thanksgiving.
But party leaders aren't concerned about all that stuff.
The real effect of McGreevey waiting until November is it makes the Senate president acting governor until 2006, instead of forcing a quickie campaign for governor this November.
The Senate president is Dick Codey, an Essex County Democrat who a lot of party bosses despise. The reasons are many, but they often boil down to Codey's being his own man, a guy who doesn't need bosses to tell him what to do.
If somehow McGreevey left before Sept. 3, the Constitution says there would have to be a special election this November to fill the remainder of his term, which runs through January 2006.
Speculation continues to focus on U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine as a possible candidate in such a race. It's easy to see how someone might assume that McGreevey didn't mean it Thursday when he said he'd stay in Drumthwacket until November. As we now know, McGreevey has said a lot of things in his life that he didn't really mean, and when you lie to yourself, and your wives, and your family, what's one more lie to your party and the people of New Jersey?
Some Republicans are demanding that McGreevey get out now and let the public pick who will be governor for the next year. But Burlington County Republican Chairman Glenn Paulsen did not think that would be such a great idea, especially if Corzine runs.
"I think its better for [Democrats] if they have an election right away, they make a clean break," Paulsen said. "I talked to a lot of Republicans today who think just the opposite, but I think it would help the entire ticket if it was Corzine.
"Republicans would have to scramble to decide who they would unite behind," he said.
Of course, he said, there's always the Republican wild card that could trump Corzine: former Gov. Thomas H. Kean, who earned nationwide acclaim as chairman of the 9/11 commission.
If McGreevey does stay past Sept. 3, there's one other political tempest to watch.
The post of Senate president does not have a set term. The president of the Senate is whoever the Senate says it is, so if someone else could get 20 other senators to support him or her, that person would get to be Senate president and acting governor as well.
Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero laughed at speculation there would be some kind of coup to get Codey out if the job included control of the front office.
"The long and short of it is Dick Codey will be acting governor until 2006 and I'm sure he'll do an excellent job in that capacity," Ferriero said. "I'm also confident that whoever the Democratic Party nominates in 2005 will be a superior candidate."
E-mail: jackson@northjersey.com
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