Christine Whitman's blog

This will be my last post as a blogger on PoliticsNJ. I have really enjoyed the opportunity over the last year to comment on local and national issues and this site is a perfect forum for it. I am impressed with how far this site has come in the last decade – it is a rare forum that puts Bob Torricelli and Steve Lonegan on the same page. I look forward to watching the site’s continued success as it expands across the nation. This truly is a great New Jersey export.

Back in the early 1990's, it was tough to find a late night TV show that
didn't have at least one New Jersey joke as a staple. Then, for a time,
things changed - we were no longer the butt of the jokes. We were doing well as an economy, there weren't a host of scandals to report and people liked living in and visiting our state.

I, like everyone, was shocked and saddened to hear of Tom Blakely’s untimely passing. Tom was such a bright individual and a tremendously respected political mind. He was the mastermind behind ads, mail and strategy for which candidates like myself are very grateful. Most importantly, though, Tom was a kind man - understated in his demeanor but magnanimous in his wisdom.

As a former governor, I have always had a special affinity for our states' chief executives, all of whom are tasked with making important decisions on a range of issues every single day. Governors are problem-solvers and they must deal with issues and events in a practical, efficient manner. In that spirit, I am particularly proud that the National Governor's Association is tackling the pressing issue of energy usage through the "Secure a Clean

For those of you who don’t know, my daughter Kate is running for the open seat for Congress in the 7th District. I couldn’t be more proud of her, and of course I will vote for her. Unfortunately, some have been quick to judge her ­ both positively and negatively ­ on the single fact that she is my daughter. That’s why I want to share with you why Kate is more than just my daughter, and why she will make an excellent member of Congress.

I have yet to decide who I will be supporting in the Republican Presidential primary. When I do decide, however, it will be based on what the candidates have laid out for the future: how they plan to get Washington working again, what they will do about the economy, the war, immigration. It will not be based on third party allegation about what they really stand for or what they really did twenty or thirty years ago.

Unfortunately, what has been planned as a bipartisan effort to address the crippling divisiveness of our current political atmosphere is being reported as the potential beginning of a third party. That was never the intent.

Nor is this a campaign to draft Mayor Michael Bloomberg into the presidential race. Next week's meeting is purely an effort to shatter the political gridlock that prevents the passage of legislation that is good for America.

It is with great sorrow that we mourn the loss of Benazir Bhutto today.

From an upset win on a Town council in NJ to reelecting the youngest Secretary of State in Kentucky history, the RLC made a difference on election day yesterday. As in past years, the RLC did not just endorse safe incumbents - we supported candidates in tough races all across the country. In some of the closest races from Maine to Washington, RLC-endorsed candidates were big winners last night. I am especially proud of our New Jersey candidates who achieved great victories across the state. Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck defeated an incumbent Democratic Senator – the first time this has happened in a decade. Six of our eight candidates for State Assembly won - several winning seats previously held by Democrats.

The New York Times had an interesting story this week on how the issue of climate change is dividing the major Republican candidates for president. Despite this message of disagreement, the text of the article suggests that there is actually near unanimity on the issue from the major candidates.  All four of the leading Republican candidates stated that climate change is real, and it must be addressed.