Too Important not to steal from the press....

Same-sex marriage opponents target N.J. in $1.5M ad campaign

by John Reitmeyer/Statehouse Bureau

Wednesday April 08, 2009, 2:08 PM

A national organization that opposes same-sex marriage is targeting New Jersey in a $1.5 million advertising campaign, launched today on broadcast and cable television.

The effort by the National Organization for Marriage was in the works before recent decisions in Iowa and Vermont allowed same-sex marriage, but those events make it more timely, said Brian Brown, the organization's executive director.

Jerry McCrea/The Star-LedgerDamon Owens of West Orange appears in the ads airing this week by the National Organization for Marriage, a group that opposes same-sex marriage. Owens is the organization's outreach director for New Jersey.

The goal of the campaign is "activating those millions of Americans who already agree with us," Brown said this morning during a news conference in the Statehouse in Trenton.

New Jersey currently allows same-sex civil unions, but it does not permit gay couples to marry.

A commission set up to study civil unions reported last year that inequities exist between married couples and those joined by civil unions and the panel recommended New Jersey take the next step and allow same-sex marriages. Same-sex marriage legislation has already been introduced and Governor Corzine has said he would sign a same-sex marriage bill if one reaches his desk.

Steven Goldstein, who chairs Garden State Equality, an organization lobbying for same-sex marriage in New Jersey, said Vermont's decision to abandon civil unions earlier this week shows New Jersey that "the time to act is now."

"New Jersey's separate and unequal civil union law is an abject embarrassment to the nearly 9 million people who live in our progressive state," Goldstein said.

Saed Hindash/The Star-LedgerSteven Goldstein, Chair and CEO of Garden Stage Equality

Brown said his organization is targeting New Jersey in the advertising buy -- along with Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont -- because it is one of the hottest battlegrounds on the issue right now.

"Obviously there's a coming fight in New Jersey over same-sex marriage," Brown said.

The organization's television commercial, called "Gathering Storm," asserts same-sex marriage advocates "want to change the way I live" by forcing everyone to accept that same-sex marriage is acceptable. That means wedding photographers and marriage counselors could be labeled bigots and sued if they oppose working with same-sex couples, the group said.

"It's obviously going to happen if gay marriage is the law of the land," said organization president Maggie Gallagher.

The new advertising campaign was immediately opposed by The Human Rights Campaign, an organization that advocates for gays, lesbians and transgender individuals.

"Again and again, opponents of equality have claimed one shallow victory after another by telling lies about who we are as individuals, as loving couples and as families," said organization spokesman Brad Luna. "These lies must be called out for what they are every time the right-wing seeks to derail our progress by spreading distortions and inciting fear mongering."

West Orange resident Damon Owens is one of several people who appear in the television commercial, saying "people of every creed and color are coming together to protect marriage."

Owens said he is simply seeking to "uplift marriage."

"It's a great fit and it's a privilege to work with (National Organization for Marriage)," said Owens, who is also the organization's outreach director for New Jersey.

“You have ‘inner-clout’, dear.”

Do you remember when you’d ask your mother, ‘Mom, am I good looking? Am I smart?’ And she’d say in her sweet motherly way,“Dear, you have 'inner beauty'. And the kind of intelligence they can’t teach in school. You have street smarts.” And you’d think to yourself, ‘Great. I’m ugly AND stupid.’

And that is, perhaps, solace to those who did not make The List.

Almost one hundred percent of the people I predicted to be on the “PoliticsNJ Top 100” made it to The List. Of course, I included several elected officials, not recognizing that they were not to be included. I told you yesterday that the criteria was ‘hush-hush.’ So, I stand corrected.

So, who was I right about? Racist frat-boys from 101.5, Carton & Rossi at Number 9; Juan Meli of BlueJersey.com in at Number 17, well ahead of Donald Trump at Number 20. It's the hair, Donald.

Lobbyist Dale Florio of the Princeton Public Affairs Group is on the list once again, no surprise. Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality is there, too, as I thought.

However, I was wrong about Bill Dressel of NJ State League of Municipalities, someone who has a great deal of clout with municipalities. I was equally wrong as well with the omission of the “Voters of New Jersey” --- as a list choice with real muscle.

I was pleasantly surprised to see my former Seton Hall law professor and current chair of the New Jersey Ethics Commission Paula Franzese clocking in at Number 18. She is a good law professor, has a great sense of humor --- and is very ethical, too.

The thing I am impressed with the most is that if you’re in the Top Ten of The List , you get a drawn caricature of yourself. Now that is privilege, as well as power. Who was the artist?
Probably a police sketch artist, figuring, after all that this is New Jersey. If you're in politics in
New Jersey, having a picture like that already can be a real time saver later on.


The caricature of Carla Katz [left] makes her look like a joyous Howard Stern [right].




In his caricature, George Norcross looks a little ‘too happy’ about being 'Number Two'.

And Joe Ferriero looks like he’s cackling to himself, “I’ll get you yet, Loretta Weinberg....and your little dog, too”.

I was, however, just a touch miffed at the spot I was placed on the list. We folks down at The List Number 452,034 found it difficult to spot those in the top 100, with so many taller people blocking my view.

Fortunately, I did happily find out just now that I ranked higher this year than some very important people: I beat out 1985 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Peter Shapiro; former NJ Homeland Security guy Golan Cipal; and the third-string catcher for the Camden Riversharks. That’s progress in my book.

So, to those of you who did not make The List and do not have the clout of the Top 100:

"You have the kind of power that does not come from being on any dumb old PoliticsNJ list. You have’ inner-clout’, dear."

Those of us not on The List will just have to go on thinking that.

It's My Party!

I am taking the day off: It's my birthday. That should be a state policy --- that you get the day off on your birthday to spend with friends, family or just by yourself. Thinking about the year that just passed, and the year to come.

So far I have received birthday messages this morning from my mother, my brother's girlfriend and three automated emails from websites I registered with the last year. And it's still early.

Not sure if it was a good idea to give them such personal information like the day I was born, but at least they did wish me a Happy Birthday.

So, I am off today for a day of fun and adventure. Happy birthday to all the others today who also share my birthday!

Happy Birthday:
Jacques Cousteau, even though now you're swimming with the fishes.
And Vince Lombardi, too ---Winning isn't everything, birthdays are more important.
Gene Wilder. Thanks for the great laughs in "Young Frankenstein". I miss Gilda, too.
Joe Montana and Adrienne Barbeau. Happy Birthday to you both, and for all you've done for football and B-movies.
Shia LaBeouf. Good starring role in "Disturbia".
Steve Sashen, Steven Goldstein.