In NH, Newark Mayor Says It's Time for Dems to Fight Back
Cory Booker takes jabs at Romney, Christie at UNH stop.
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In New Hampshire campaigning for President Obama on Friday, Newark Mayor Cory Booker fired a few jabs at Mitt Romney and his campaign surrogate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Asked if he thinks now is the time to fight, as Obama recently stated, Booker replied that yes, sometimes that's the only way to get the message across.
"I like to punish people with facts," Booker said. "They are irrefutable about what happened. I look at Mitt Romney's first ads – blatant lies. We can't let people get away with that."
He also took issue with Christie. He joked with the crowd, saying, "There's a very shy governor of my state – you probably haven't heard of him because he's very soft spoken. He's up here, he's a very pugilistic man, he's punching at my president like crazy."
But Booker said he thinks there are "honorable ways" in an election to get points across, by using the truth. "At the end of the day, the truth will set you free."
Booker, a rising star in the Democratic Party, made those remarks during an afternoon stop at the University of New Hampshire, which followed earlier stops at Plymouth State University and Saint Anselm College, as the Obama campaign works to win back young voters discouraged by the current state of the economy and the job market.
Booker said it was great to feel "the enthusiasm and energy" as he toured the state on Friday. "It's not what happens in Washington, but what happens in cities like this that determines our outcomes."
But change, he said, "doesn't just happen. It has to come in because people stand for it."
Booker urged the students in attendance to get involved, to work to make sure that Obama gets reelected in what is seen as a key swing state in the 2012 election.
He said Obama is doing "very meaningful things," and he is tired of the "state of sedentary agitation" he sees overtaking the country today.
"But I'm not just here to say vote for this guy," Booker said. "This is a state where we need people to get more organized, more involved. Wherever this state goes, it could take the whole country as well. The leadership in this state is critical in the coming months."
Camilla Cooper, a 20-year-old UNH student who will be voting in her first presidential election next year, said she was impressed with Booker.
"I thought he was a really good speaker," she said. "He's really inspirational." An independent, she was originally leaning toward voting Republican next fall. "(But) after watching his speech, I'm kind of confused."
Dan Tuohy
7:55 am on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Here come the campaign surrogates. Next up, the celebrities and sports stars.
Jim Shanor
3:17 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Hi Dan. You are behind the news. Cory Booker is a working public servant, a former sports star, and nobody's surrogate. He stands on his own two feet, makes his own decisions, and we need more leaders like him.
Adam Kraemer
8:56 am on Saturday, December 10, 2011
There is not one Republican Elected Official in all of Newark or all of Essex County for that matter. Both parts of NJ state house controlled by Democrats. The Democrats have the White House and the Senate: Yet Newark is a disaster fiscally and badly run. What is his beef with Republicans? I don't get it.
Patricia013
11:45 am on Sunday, December 11, 2011
I grew up outside of Newark - the place is basically a holding tank for the poor - what do you expect from it when it probably doesn't have the revenue to even pull itself up by the bootstraps? I left the area 34 years ago - it was dismal then and its the same now....don't blame the dems or the repubs.
Linda Peterson-Groenewold
12:54 pm on Sunday, December 11, 2011
Corey Booker is a fighter, Doing a wonderful job in Newark...Where is it you get your
information...I am so impressed with this man..
I see a future President here.....
Roland Rogers Arnold
9:43 am on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Booker, like Obama is a shill for the Koch Brothers and other corporate chumps. There is no Democrat worthy of our vote. Republicans will rule over the downfall of Amerika, nice.
Jim Shanor
3:12 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Obama is diametrically opposed to everything the Koch Brothers are supporting. Either you are very confused about current events, or you are deliberately writing nonsense to obfuscate the reality that Booker is a very bright Democratic leader in a very big state and he supports President Obama for many good reasons. You are the shill.
Kevin K
6:08 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Wow. You must be from somewhere far away from Newark. Possibly another planet. Cory Booker is a true inspiration and has set that city on a path to recovery in spite of huge fiscal challenges. I suggest watching the documentary Street Fight or maybe a few episodes of Brick City to get a feel for the guy.
Bellinda Cates
6:48 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Correct, Roland Rogers Arnold. Someone has the eyes open. T
Maggie O'Brien
6:52 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
i flagged this post because to me its inappropriate to lie, lying has got to stop,this is a blantant lie!!!
Patricia013
11:43 am on Sunday, December 11, 2011
when I see misinformation like yours it sickens me. Have you done any reading? Any research? If so you would know the Koch bros. have the GOP wound around their finger you would be very angry at what the Koch bros and other "elites" like them are trying to do to this country!
Debra Woodward
3:02 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Why are you slamming Cory Booker?? He is a very impressive man--as opposed to those running in the GOP. "Crime has dropped significantly in the city of Newark, which currently leads the nation in violent crime reduction. From 2006 to 2008, crime dropped by the following percentages: murders 36%, shooting incidents 41%, rapes 30%, and auto thefts 26%.[31] In 2008, Newark had its lowest murder rate since 1959.[31] Despite the success indicated by these statistics, as the global economic recession set in, robberies rose 27% in 2008 and another 10% through late June 2009.[31] As of July 26, 2009, murders are down 42% overall, rapes are down 41% overall and robberies are down 12% since 2008."
The month of March in 2010 marked Newark’s first murder-free month in over 44 years. As of April 1, 2010, the murder rate in Newark was the second best since 1941 and crime rates for aggravated assaults, robberies, carjacking, and shootings were also down for the first quarter compared to 2009.[33]
In addition to lowering crime, Booker has both doubled the amount of affordable housing under development and quadrupled the amount under predevelopment. Booker has slashed the city budget deficit from $180 million to $73 million.
And this is only part of what he has accomplished. I welcome Mayor Booker to my state ANY time.
Robert Pearson
6:52 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
He is as qualified as Kuami and Dave Bing were in Detroit.. ohh they were/are both Demo's too. So see how far they help their cities too!!!
Alex
3:09 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Run against big boy Christie next time, Cory. You will win.
Jim Shanor
3:14 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
We need more Cory Bookers in this world. Stanford educated, varsity football player, excellent student, and now serving the public in an elected position. Go Cory.
linda w
6:22 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
we need more people like mr bookers. he can put chris cristrie to shame just with pure honesty and that is what they lack today
Gloria Guerriera
8:30 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Why not send Corizine with booker to tell people what great shape he left the state of NJ in. Or are they waitng until he finds the $1.2 Billion he lost for MF
Jim Shanor
8:37 pm on Saturday, December 10, 2011
Why try to link Corzine to Booker? Both from NJ? Try linking Corzine to Fatso Christie if you must stretch the truth. Booker is doing a good job. Christie and Corzine are both suspect. $1.2 Billion has been lost by Corzine's company. I agree that there should be a thorough forensic audit and then give the rats who did it the "Bernie Madoff" treatment.
Gloria Guerriera
8:06 am on Sunday, December 11, 2011
I did not know Christie worked for MF. I thought it was Corzine. The liberal leftie like Booker. I don't remember Christie being called before congress to testify about the $1.2 billion that was lost. Did I miss something?
Adam Kraemer
8:20 am on Sunday, December 11, 2011
I have lived in Newark,NJ for a good part of my life. Don't beliee the hype. He is not putting fiscal controlls on Newark, He is not doing a stellar job of running the place: Crime is high. The schools stink, the taxes are high, Tge street are not clean. The local politicains including the mayor are doing a loosey job.
Matty S
11:35 am on Monday, December 12, 2011
I have read the comments here and immediately realized one thing. None of you are from Newark, and probably dont live in NJ.
I have seen the comments about his "sports star" status, about how he is a fighter, how Newark is on the road to recovery, about his "pure honesty", I read where it is suggested to watch Brick City to "get a feel" for the guy.
Let me chime in with some facts.
He was first elected in 2006, and immediately announced Newark had "savage structural budget" problems. He blamed the former mayor, Sharpe James, and announced 400-800 city workers had to be laid off. In October of '06 he increased the mayoral staff payroll from 7.6 million to 11 million. In November he hired 660 Group, an image consultant group that promised, among other things, live chat on the Newark web site, for $1.5 million (feel free to check the web site for the live chat).
In May of '07 the mayor awards more than $3.7 million in various contracts to outside law firms, despite having a fully functional law department within city hall. June '07 city announces $180 million budget gap for '08, while police director states he hopes to hire cops by end of '07. Oct 1 '07 city lays off 153 workers, but hire 14 others to work in city hall over the next 2 months, at a cost of $668, 970. December '07 the 113th recruit class enters the police academy, mayor states public safety is #1 PRIORITY.
Matty S
11:49 am on Monday, December 12, 2011
June '08 64 new cops hit the street, 114th class goes in the next month, and graduate in Jan '09
March sees furloughs proposed for 2,700 city employees, expected to save $6 million over 18 months. Mayor blames Corzine, says Newark is following his lead.
September '09 115th recruit class enters Newark Police Academy, bringing to 184 the number of cops hired under Booker.
February 2010 the mayor, B.A., city clerk all sign off on new contracts for police and fire, no mention is made of layoffs or contractual concessions possible in the future.
April 2010, 115th class graduate from academy, one month prior to mayoral election between Booker and Clifford Minor. Booker runs commercials showing him runnig the streets of Newark with the academy class during their training.
May '10, Booker easily wins election, securing 2nd term. July '10 city announces to police and fire layoffs are coming unless concessions are made.
Mayor goes on various media outlets and claims he is "only" asking for a few hundred dollars in concessions from each member. Even if you assume the mayor means $500 per member, with 1000 cops, that amounts to $500,000 in concessions. The budget gap was 9.5 million, how does that work?
Yet every person watching tv or listening to the radio is thinking "oh, thats not much, why cant the cops work with that?" The reality is the city wanted $10,000 in concessions, per guy.
Matty S
12:04 pm on Monday, December 12, 2011
Layoffs happen November 30th, 2010. 162 of Newarks youngest cops, shown the door. The mayor says Newark wont miss a beat, nobody will notice the difference.
In the 1 year since those layoffs have occured, compared to the same time frame the year before, homicides increased 17%, shooting incidents increased 29%, shooting victims increased 33%, carjacking increased 74%, robberies increased 18%, and burglaries increased 17%.
Somebody noticed the difference. It was all those extra victims.
The NPD does not have cameras in their cars, they can not write reports on in car computers, there are still typewriters in their precincts, there are no defibrillators in their cars, no oxegen tanks, no medical equipment to help save lifes.
The mayor of newark travels the United States giving speeches to captive college crowds, going on Opra, going on Gayle King, where the message is always the same. He touts Newark, and the job he has done.
I wish I was sitting in those crowds, I would have plenty of questions.
Jim Shanor
12:34 pm on Monday, December 12, 2011
@Matty S: Keep up the good work bird-dogging the police administration. Don't know how to get more money for social services and infrastructure without raising taxes. I still like Cory Booker, and I think he will go further as a politician than as a city administrator. Merry Christmas.
Matty S
1:21 pm on Monday, December 12, 2011
While mayor was visiting all those New Hampshire colleges, this is what was happening in Newark
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/man_in_serious_condition_after.html
Joe D
3:30 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011
If "Twitter Mayor" is the best Obama can do to help him campaign, well, then thats SAD!