Cory Booker Announces 2020 Presidential Run

Late last night / early this morning, New Jersey's junior U.S. Senator, Cory Booker announced that he will be running for President in 2020.

I've met Cory Booker on a few occasions. He's charming, affable and has the ability to give a great speech. But if I'm honest, he doesn't have the "street cred" yet to run for president. What record does he have to point to in the Senate or before that, as the superhero Mayor of Newark? Running into burning buildings in Newark or saving freezing puppies doesn't do it.

At least the last NJ Senator to run for president, Bill Bradley, was a tax policy guru and was responsible for rewriting much of the tax code back in the 80's.

At this point, I don't know who I will be supporting in 2020 but if it is Booker, he really needs to convince me that he's more than a photo op candidate. He has the potential to be the next "Rock Star" politician but so far he hasn't done anything to distinguish himself on the national stage. He's known more so as a flip-flopper on issues rather than a progressive elite.  If he can't shake the image of a flip-flopper,  he won't be getting out of Iowa next February.

Here is the campaign video announcing his presidential bid.

With Friends Like These....

"I think you're only allowed a certain number of flips before people begin to doubt your character and I think Romney exhausted his quota sometime back..." Brit Hume- Fox News

NJ Senate Dems target Beck with failed public safety override

Senator Jennifer Beck has flip flopped on marriage equality and women's healthcare due to politics. However, when it comes to protecting the streets of Asbury Park, Long Branch, Red Bank and the 11th District - She is siding with Governor Christie's drastic cuts.

By Max Pizarro PolitickerNJ

Unless your name is Whelan, Gordon, Polistina or Driscoll, most insiders see the post-redistricting legislative election year landscape as a bore snore: 37 or 38 Senate cocoons all but perfectly preserved against an opposing party onslaught.

But Democrats want to soften up their rivals where they can, and in light of the public safety argument, in particular, some of them see at least the shades of an opportunity in the newly formed LD11, where state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-11) seeks re-election.

"They think they have an opportunity to play there," Patrick Murray, pollster and political scientist for Monmouth University, told PolitickerNJ.com.

Beck broke with Republicans Monday to vote in favor of restoring $7.5 million for women's healthcare, signaling to Democrats that the incumbent is serious about a challenge from Freehold attorney Ray Santiago.

Today, state Sen. Paul Sarlo, (D-36), zeroed in on Beck as he tried to get her to consider backing restoring a line item of $50 million for public safety, a doomed proposition along with the other Christie cuts to the Democratic budget.

"I can only look at the budget as a whole," Beck told Sarlo.

Democrats hope Beck's reconfigured district, which now includes urban municipalities Long Branch and Asbury Park, will present outrage opportunities for the challenger as they try to sink Beck by tying her to Christie.

Two inside sources told PolitickerNJ.com that while they doubt they can topple Beck, Assembly Democrats want to try to get into a dogfight with the GOP in the 11th to pick off Beck's running mate, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande of Colts Neck

The Ultimate Hypocrisy:BECK FLIPS POSITION ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY DUE TO POLITICS

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The following is a statement issues by 11th District Democratic Senate Candidate Ray Santiago in response to a July 3rd Courier Post news report that incumbent Senator Jennifer Beck will flip her position on marriage equality:

"News this weekend that Senator Beck will now support marriage equality after voting against it when all of New Jersey was watching is not shocking to anyone who has followed Beck's career as a professional politician. She now faces a district which includes Asbury Park, Ocean Grove & other LGBT friendly areas - a new district which has 10,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans - therefore, it should come as no surprise that Senator Beck is flipping her position only due to politics.

The reality is that New Jersey taxpayers are tired of hypocritical, professional politicians who change their positions based on the political climate. Republicans, Democrats and all New Jerseyians should be tired of politicians who play the public. It is not like the Senator opposed marriage equality because it is in her belief system, it was simply due to the politics of a new district.This is an issue of human rights and Senator Beck plays politics - She voted against marriage equality not once, but twice - once in the judiciary committee and a second time on the floor of the senate and now because of a new district, she claims she supports it.

When it mattered most and the world was watching, Senator Beck decided to appease Chris Christie and her Tea Party base. All New Jerseyians who support human rights and full marriage equality for all of our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community will see through Beck's incredible hypocrisy.

I have and always will support full marriage equality for all New Jerseyians and 11th district residents can be assured that I will not change my position based on politics. Marriage equality is a human rights issue which I will fight day and night for until it becomes law. It is a sad day to see a New Jersey state senator play politics on an issue of human rights."

Obama Keeps Hitting McCain As Flip-Flopper On The Economy

Highlighting the way the race's dynamics have shifted dramatically, Obama assailed McCain for his sudden switch from deregulator to pitchfork-wielding populist.

McCain flip flobs on Iraqi Timetable for Withdrawl

The NY Times is reporting today yet another flip flop by John McCain. His current change in thinking involves a timeline for the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

For months John McCain has strongly opposed setting a timetable for withdrawal and has criticized Barack Obama suggesting one. The debate has shifted however in recent days as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, moved closer to Obama’s position.

Click on the headline and read the story in the NY Times

Obama Forces Flip-Flops to Paralyze McCain

The Huffington post's Michael Carmichael had a great piece the other day that was posted on Yahoo, about how Barack Obama has been able in recent weeks to force President Bush into a series of flib-flops that has left the McCain camp virtually paralyzed.

"or many months, Obama called for a timetable for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and direct negotiations with the governments of the Axis of Evil and other nations with which the US government has disagreements.
For just as many months, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, John McCain, Condoleezza Rice and their ideological guru, John Bolton, argued -- strenuously and vociferously -- against Obama's timetable for withdrawal from Iraq and his "naïve" proposal for negotiations the neocons described as talks with terrorists and states that sponsor terrorism."

Click on the headline to read the Michael Carmichael's opinion from Yahoo

McCain Flip Flops Around

" 'The Straight Talk Express', Often Switches Course"

Reads the headline of an article posted on the CommonDreams website.

The article written by the Baltimore Sun Times Columnist Thomas F. Schaller.

Mr. Schaller has pointed out numerous occations during the past few weeks and months of how Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain has flip-flopped his positions to a number issues.

3 months ago John McCain was for the priviatization of Social Security, 3 weeks ago now he is not.

6 months ago, he believed that Bush's wiretapping program was illegal, 2 weeks ago he agreed with the President's use of these wiretaps.

During McCain's 2000 campaign he was against off-shore oil drilling, 1 week ago he is all for it.

It seems to me that John McCain is trying to please to many people to get elected and is willing to sell out in order to win at any cost or risks. 

Click here to read the story