The Elephant in the Room.

Even with New York Senator Hillary Clinton at the Democratic Conference in Atlantic City this week on Friday, there was something larger overshadowing her appearance: The elephant in the room.

What happens in AC, does not usually stay in AC.

Only Congressman Bill Pascrell made mention of the “it” – the arrest this week of 11 elected officials for “taking bribes in exchange for help securing public contracts.”

Rep. Pascrell spoke only of the frustration that the legislative leadership felt; he made no mention of the possible guilt or innocence of those arrested. Several members of the state legislature who are up for re-election were arrested, and the governor has called for their resignation.

Rep. Pascrell was also the only speaker [other than the Governor] to tell the crowd that ‘we must concentrate on 2007 first, and not worry yet about 2008’.

As far as 2008 is concerned: No other presidential nominee showed his face, tacitly acknowledging that Senator Clinton is the choice of the majority of New Jersey’s active Democrats. Obama and Edwards had tables outside the main room, but the others had no presence at all. Even longtime friend of New Jersey, Senator Joe Biden was AWOL.

While former President Bill Clinton is the more engaging speaker of the two, Senator Clinton unmistakably showed the crowd why she is in the lead to be the 2008 nominee: She was powerful, focused, hit all the right points and is ‘ready to lead’, as the crowd hoisted big blue ‘Hillary for President” signs over their heads.

Senate President Dick Codey has endorsed Senator John Edwards, and he was absent from the Conference. Much of the rest of the New Jersey Democratic Leadership has endorsed Mrs. Clinton, making it almost a certainty that she will be the choice of New Jersey’s Democrats come February 5th, 2008.

However, Congressman Steve Rothman was the lone voice of support for Senator Obama, with a somewhat overly-long speech touching periodically on the Obama ‘likeability’ factor, Obama as an agent for change, and his legislative experience in the Illinois state legislature.

Each speaker, including Chairman Joe Cryan and Governor Corzine, tried to wow the crowd with the benefits for New Jersey if there were larger Democratic majorities in the Assembly and Senate.

Each Senator and Congressman present –Lautenberg, Menendez, Rothman, Andrews, Pallone, Pascrell –covered familiar territory --- their subject matter ranging from the Iraqi War, to Bush-bashing, to energy independence, to embryonic stem cell research. Lautenberg showed his usual sense of humor, as well as energy and vitality.

Best speaker of the night was the always-powerful Senator Bob Menendez, who excited the crowd with speech attacking the Republicans in general and Bush in particular.

However, the best speech of the night: The short and to the point speech of Rep. Rush Holt. Holt rushed in just before the Governor spoke, and was given the stage right after what was to be the final act of the evening. He said hello to the crowd, apologized for his lateness [stuck working in DC], and invited everyone to the dessert bash next door.

[Side note: In spite of his car accident this past spring, Governor Corzine looked healthy and very well. He bounded on to the stage in three quick steps, and looked as if he was ready for a new season of campaigning.]

Age before beauty

“Three out of five New Jersey voters are concerned about Sen. Frank Lautenberg's age and think it's about time for someone else to take his job, a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll released yesterday shows. It is the second poll this summer in which the incumbent's age emerged as a major issue with voters. Lautenberg (D-N.J.) would be 84 at the start of a new term.” (Donohue, Star-Ledger)

In the Senate race, 60% of the voters are concerned about Senator Lautenberg’s age [83]. Of course, he is more experienced, accomplished and energetic than people half his age. But the ‘age’ issue will weigh heavy in the election. For those on the Republican side of the aisle, who consider this an issue, here is your political doyen, Ronald Reagen on the issue of ‘age’:

In other news: Although the calendar reads 2007, 2008 is floating closer and closer in the minds of all New Jersey politicos, with 2009 not too far in the rear-view mirror.

The presidential races are in full swing and it is a two-horse race everywhere between Hillary and Obama, with John Edwards shouting “But what about me?” somewhere in the distance.

Me, I lean toward Bill Richardson, the candidate with the most experience in the race:
Clinton Administration Cabinet member. UN Ambassador. Governor. Congressman.

He does not have the best bank account or the best hair or was he the funniest on The Tonight Show. But he is the person I would like to see in charge on January 20th, 2009.

Every candidate has a silver punchline

I have been speaking on the topic of humor in politics for about fifteen years to the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. And I have been the keynote speaker at about 20 other state leagues and national conferences of elected officials. When humor is used appropriately, it can make important points, diffuse tension, bring new people to see your point of view ---and most importantly ----show your human side.

Sometimes politicos do very well on TV when trying to be funny. Some do not.

The 2008 candidates for president have been sort of funny in the debates. Sometimes there are planned ‘quips’. Sometimes spontaneous. But I am sure that with most of the candidates hitting The Daily Show, The Tonight Show, Letterman, Leno, Conan O’Brien ----they each have someone on their staff to write good one-liners or to consult with them on how to deliver a punch line. I was once even called on to help Jim Florio be funny at the New Jersey Legislative Correspondents Dinner.

Here are some of the better one-liners from recent appearances by the 2008 candidates from USA Today, that voters may use to decide who they support:

Sen. Joseph Biden, made short, funny work of a question about his propensity for verbal gaffes and verbosity in general.

"Can you reassure voters in this country that you would have the discipline you would need on the world stage?" moderator Brian Williams asked him at an MSNBC debate in April.

"Yes," Biden said. As it became clear that was his entire answer, the audience roared.

What do you pray for? Was asked of Senator Hillary Clinton, at a forum on faith: "Oh Lord, why can't you help me lose weight?"

John Edwards and the $400 haircut: The haircut was a private expense that was listed on a publicly disclosed campaign-spending report. The former North Carolina senator did damage control last month on NBC's The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. Asked why he and his wife, Elizabeth, eat at Wendy's on their wedding anniversary, Edwards said: "You can't spend money on food when you're spending money on haircuts"

Sen. Chris Dodd, is making pre-emptive cracks about his age (63) and late-in-life fatherhood (his daughters are 5 and 2). "I'm probably the only one who gets mailings from AARP and diaper services," he often says.

Barack Obama faces potential wariness about his name. He introduces the topic by describing his first run for office: People everywhere asked, "Where did you get this name, Barack Obama? They'd mispronounce it to me. They would call me Alabama or Yo-Mama, and I'd have to explain it was Obama; my father was from Kenya, from Africa; my mother was from Kansas."

Sometimes funny ads can help:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson has moved up to double-digits in Iowa polls since starting a series of ads called "Job Interview." Each is a skit with a crass interviewer and the bemused governor.

In one, the interviewer reviews the Democrat's résumé — congressman, U.S. energy secretary, United Nations ambassador, Nobel Peace Prize nominee — and chews food as he asks, "So, what makes you think you can be president?"

Even the Republicans try their hand at humor:

Mitt Romney: The Mormon faith, with its polygamous past, poses a similar challenge for Romney. He handled it this way at a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in 2005, when he was governor: "I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman … and a woman …and a woman."

Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani pulled that off at a CNN debate last month when microphone problems interrupted his answer to a question about his differences with Catholic bishops. Told lightning was the culprit, he laughed and said: "For someone who went to parochial schools his whole life, this is a very frightening thing."

How long did God take to create the world? Was asked of Mike Huckabee, at a debate: "I don't know. I wasn't there."

And two old standards from both sides of the political aisle:

One classic was the fake telegram then-senator John F. Kennedy read from his father at the 1958 Gridiron Dinner in Washington: "Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary — I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide." With that, Kennedy defused allegations that his rich father was trying to buy him the 1960 election.

Reagan scored a similar coup regarding his age, 73, when he ran for re-election in 1984 against Walter Mondale, then 56. "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience," Reagan said during a debate. Mondale laughed and the issue became moot.

Humor: A tool in the rights hands. A horrible mistake in others'.

And the winner is…

I attended the debate of the Democratic candidates for President tonight at Howard University in DC. It is late and we just got back, so this will be short.

Subject matter for the first time was about race in America. Clearly, Hillary Clinton was the outstanding participant tonight. Her answers were sharp, clear and filled with good policy. A good portion of the audience was African-American, and included Dr. Cornell West and Rev. Al Sharpton. The moderator was Tavis Smiley, and the core subject matter was directly inspired by his book, “The Covenant” . Surprisingly, Barack Obama was not as compelling as one would think he would be in front of a mostly African-American crowd.

The best line of the evening came from Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut, when Smiley cut the candidates’ time from one minute to just thirty seconds per question. “If I were Paris Hilton up here, you'd give a whole hour.”

The format ----which included questions on issues of concern to Black America as it relates to the Covenant with Black America book ---gave each candidate a very brief time to answer. Not the best format I thought for such a complex issue. Poor sound, along with too brief a time to answer the questions posed, made for a frustrating debate.

However, I discovered the real winner of tonight’s debate:
The Democratic Party.

Any of these candidates ---with the possible exception of Mike Gravel---is better than any of the Repubs. Including unannounced candidates Fred Thompson, Newt Gingrich or Mike Bloomberg.

So, bring it on. We are ready to win no matter which Democrat is nominated, and no matter who is the Repub opponent.