Biden lends helping hand to Corzine at MCC
Vice president comes to Edison to support governor's re-election bid
BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer
With only two weeks to go until Election Day, Gov. Jon S. Corzine has a lineup of star politicians traveling to New Jersey to rally behind his bid for re-election.

CHRIS KELLY staff Vice President Joseph Biden speaks at Middlesex County College in Edison on Oct. 19. Biden was in town to support Gov. Jon Corzine's re-election bid.

Those politicians include President Barack Obama today at Fairleigh Dickinson University's Hackensack campus. Later in the day, the president and Caroline Kennedy, only daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, are scheduled to attend an Irish-American festival in Belmar. This will be Obama's second visit to New Jersey since he became president.

Yesterday former President Bill Clinton was in Collingswood to campaign for Corzine and his running mate, Loretta Weinberg, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, and later that day Clinton appeared at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

On Monday, Vice President Joseph Biden traveled to Middlesex County College in Edison to show his support for the governor. This was the vice president's third visit to New Jersey to stump for Corzine.

"Look, folks, I am here because Barack and I have a great partner in Jon, we share the same values," Biden said to a crowd of 500 or so people who filled the campus gymnasium. "We need smart, honest, serious and tough politicians who get it."

Biden joined Corzine, Congressmen Rush Holt (D-12th District) and Frank Pallone (D-6th District), U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg and state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-18th District), who introduced Corzine.

Biden and Corzine came out waving to the crowd while the song "Ain't No Stopping Us Now" by McFadden & Whitehead played in the background.

Also on hand was Middlesex County Freeholder Director Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina and several of the freeholders, and county Democratic Party Chairman Joseph C. Spicuzzo.

Biden stressed that in these times when the economy is the "worst it has been in 80 years, since the Great Depression," it is important to have someone like Corzine in office.

"It was about a week after Barack and I were sworn in when it was announced that 740,000 jobs were lost [nationwide] and credit markets were frozen," he said. "We gathered 30 to 35 economists to talk about what we were going to do."

Along with conversing with the 30 to 35 economists, Biden told the audience, he picked up the phone the day after he was sworn in and called Corzine.

"Barack and I asked Jon what we should do, because we knew he knew the economic world market and had worked in the [Wall Street] pit," he said. "We called Jon because we trust his judgment."

Biden said their administration is working on recovery.

"We're coming out of the recession, which is just short of a depression, and we know that the president knows that this will be really, really hard," he said. "A [misconception] is that the recession was invented in New Jersey. That is not the case. The recession has reached international [levels]. The reason why New Jersey was hit so hard by the recession was because New Jersey was one of the states doing so well. The states doing well were the hardest hit and the furthest to fall."

Biden said that so far, $70 billion has been paid back, reducing the national debt, and $50 billion is expected to be paid back in the next 12 to 15 months.

"We have gone 36 straight months with housing values going up, which is the first time in three years," he said. "Because of our economic policies we have put in place, 35 percent of money — all or more of the percentage — that was lost in one's 401k plans have gone back into the plans."

However, the vice president stressed, "A lot of people are still suffering, and houses are still going into foreclosure."

"We still have a long way to go," said Biden.

The vice president praised Corzine for bringing $6 billion in stimulus money into the state so far. New Jersey is expected to receive $17.5 billion.

Corzine said it is important for people in New Jersey to vote on Nov. 3.

"[In the end], it's really not about me or about [Republican gubernatorial candidate] Mr. Christie, it's really about our futures, the futures of our children, and about leaving legacies benefiting them," he said.

Corzine said his Republican opponent, Chris Christie, represents the values of the past Bush administration.

The governor, who said he was a product of the public schools, touted his increased funding for public schools and his placement of a cap on tuition and school fees. Corzine also mentioned his push for the paid family leave plan and his support for a woman's right to choose.

People started forming a line to the campus gymnasium around 10:30 a.m. for the rally, which started at 1 p.m.

Himali Joshi, 23, and Devershi Joshi, 20, both of Edison, said they came to the Corzine rally to show their support for the Democratic Party.

"I like [Corzine's] ideas; his plan on taxes for us is better than the Republicans'," said Himali.

Daniel, who said he would rather not use his last name, came to the rally from Perth Amboy.

"Even though I don't agree with Corzine on some things, I support him. It's important for us to be progressive in New Jersey," he said. Daniel said that if he had the chance to talk to Biden face to face, he would urge the vice president to keep pushing their administration's agenda ahead.

"Do whatever it takes to push health care reform, just don't back down," he said.

Phil Blackwood came to the rally from Lincroft with his son Samuel, 12, and his daughter Roza, 8.

"The kids have off from school, and we came to show our support," he said.

Samuel said he really likes politics, unlike his sister, who tagged along to the rally with her dad and older brother.

"I think politics is a lot of fun," said Samuel. "It's very sneaky and intriguing."

Samuel said he campaigned for President Obama in Pennsylvania in the 2008 presidential election. His father added that Samuel was voted champion vote getter for registering 20 voters in Pennsylvania in favor of Obama.

Prior to the rally, a dozen or so protestors gathered in front of the campus gymnasium, holding posters in favor of Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie.

"The governor slashed funds for higher education. That affects young people," said Tom Szymanski, a sophomore at Rowan University, who chanted "Christie" in his megaphone to motorists going by.

Corina Talavera, a freshman at Rutgers University, said she is tired of the broken promises that were made by the Corzine administration.

"Debt has been the highest it has ever been," she said. "My parents are local business owners, and the business taxes on them are unaffordable."