So should the Assemblymen who are opposed to his nomination
Thomas Nast, the 19th century political cartoonist who gave Harper’s Weekly enough political influence to topple Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall and to sway the election of two presidents, Grant and Cleveland, has been nominated for the New Jersey Hall of Fame’sclass of 2012.
Nast, who popularized the image of Santa Claus and the partisan symbols of Donkeys and Elephants for Democrats and Republicans had an undeniable and enduring impact on American culture.
Nast lived in Morristown for over 20 years, starting in 1872.
His nomination to the NJ Hall of Fame has generated controversy from the Irish Catholic community who contend the artist was a anti-Irish/anti-Catholic bigot because he frequently depicted the Irish as drunken apes and Catholic bishops as crocodiles. Neil Cosgrove of New City, NY wrote in a Letter to the Editor in The Star Ledger that Nast is “the father of hateful and negative anti-Irish stereotypes that Irish-Americans continue to struggle against today.”
This Irish-American Catholic hasn’t struggled against stereotypes today, or any other day that I can remember.
Three New Jersey Assemblymen have jumped on the anti-Nast bandwagon. NorthJersey.com reports that Wayne DeAngelo (D-Mercer) and Dave Rible (R-Monmouth) have called on the NJ Hall of Fame to withdraw the nomination. Scott Rumana (R-Passaic) issued a press release echoing DeAngelo.
Pardon. Franchise. Columbia.-"Shall I trust these men, and not this man?" ~ Harper's Weekly, August 5, 1865
The Assemblymen and the Ancient Order of Hibernians have it wrong. Nast was not a bigot. Far from it. His political art, starting during the Civil War and through Reconstruction was fervently pro-equality for Blacks and other minorities.
'"The Chinese Question.' Columbia- "Hands off, gentleman! American means fair play for all men."' ~ Harpers Weekly, February 18, 1871
Nast’s anti-Irish and anti-Catholic cartoons were political, not ethnic or religious.
Morton Keller, Professor of History at Brandies University addressed Nast’s anti-Irish, anti-Catholic work on the centennial of the cartoonist death:
It may be asked why Nast’s sympathy for blacks, Indians, and Chinese did not extend to the Irish and Catholicism. Mid-nineteenth century liberals—and Nast certainly was one of them—regarded the Catholic church as the fount of anti-modernism and fanaticism. (See fig. 16.) This attitude was reinforced by the commitment of many Irish-Americans to the Democratic party, hostility to abolition, and Negrophobia. The intertwining of his hostility to the Church, the Irish, and the Tweed Ring suggest that for him this was another chapter in the ongoing struggle to preserve the American Union, and Lincoln’s new birth of freedom, from its enemies. In this sense the Confederates, the anti-Reconstruction, pro-Johnson Democrats, and the Tweed Ring and the Catholic church were parts of a collective whole. It stirred in Nast the peak of his distinctive mix of artistic inventiveness and political passion. (See figs. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22.)
These drawings spoke to the political and social concerns of the core urban constituency of wartime and postwar Republicanism: Protestant farmers, professional and businessmen, shopkeepers, artisans.
This is Nast’s third year as a nominee for the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He’s up against tough competition in the “General” category. If not for the controversy, I would have chosen between Milton Friedman, Joyce Carol Oates or Governor Tom Kean.
But I voted for Nast and hope you do too. My fellow Irishmen from the Ancient Order of Hibernians should have researched Nast before making a PC stink and acting like Tommy DeSeno with his rants about how Italian-Americans are depicted in the movies. If the controversy the Hibernians created over Nast puts him over the top of the voting and into The Hall, it will be just comeuppance.
The 8th annual Sandy Hook Elves Holiday Gift Drive will be held next Sunday, December 4 from 12PM to 3pm at Bahrs Landing in Highlands.
There is no cost to attend the event. Guest are invited to bring new, unwrapped coats, jackets, sweatshirts, footballs, basketballs, skateboards, gift cards or cash. The gifts are turned over to Long Branch school administrators who distribute them to the parents and guardians of 13 through 18 year old students of the Long Branch school system, based on their needs.
All are welcome, including children of all ages.
Bahrs is providing chowder, seafood chili, and vegetarian soup free of charge. There will be a cash bar.
Entertainment will be provided by Bahrs’ best Karoke singers, who happen to be very good!
“Sandy Hook Elves” and “Coats for Kids” is the brainchild of Atlantic Highlands resident Dale Distasio. Over the years the event has grown by word of mouth as other community groups, like the American Legion posts in Highlands and Keyport, started to participate.
There’s no 501 c3 involved. No administrative costs and no tax deductions. 100% of the gifts make it to kids.
Monmouth County Senator asserting her independence from Christie’s party discipline
Senator Jennifer Beck, R-11, is set to co-sponsor a new gay marriage bill, according to the Star Ledger’s Auditor.
Beck, who was elected in her new 11th legislative district by a comfortable 13% margin earlier this month, made gay marriage an issue in the 11th district race when she told Jane Roh of the Courier Post that she would reverse her earlier party line vote against gay marriage and when she told Garden State Equality that she would vote to override Governor Christie’s anticipated veto of such a bill.
Beck, who was on the short list to be Christie’s Lt. Governor during the 2009 gubernatorial campaign, has also bucked the Governor’s legendary party discipline over Republicans in the legislature with her support of spending on womens’ healthcare.
In a fluff piece about Senate President Stephen Sweeney published in today’s Asbury Park Press, Beck had nice things to say about Christie’s potential 2013 rival:
Some are immune to what state Sen. Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth, calls Sweeney’s “charisma.” Beck, though on the other side of the political aisle, is not one of his detractors.
“I trust him,” Beck says. “When he gives his word on an issue, you can rely on that. It’s easy for the Senate president to be dismissive. Steve is not.”
Christie’s success compromising with Democrats during his first two years in office was due in large measure to the fact that he didn’t have to compromise with compliant Republicans. Beck’s independence is worth watching. If other Republican legislators believe it is safe for them to stray from the Christie corral, the Governor may have a tougher time advancing his agenda in 2012 and 2013.
The first line of Dan Jacobson’s post-election “Publisher’s Message” in the TriCity News says it all:
“Well, this was an interesting experience in participatory journalism”
See, it wasn’t about the issues. It was about selling newspapers.
He goes on to say that loser/political operative to crooked candidates/”victim” of a factually accurate mail piece Vin Gopal should be the next Chair of the Monmouth Democrat Party.
It is no secret that the Republican field in New Jersey’s 11th legislative district ran a tough campaign this election cycle with mail pieces, some controversial, going out almost daily leading up to the election (I had the pleasure of getting 2 in one day), robocalls from everyone and their mother, door knocking and lots of fundraising. But the question is why? Why are these three popular incumbents running like their seat depends on it when the 2011 election pretty much became a lock when the Democrats announced their field?
The answer is 2013. The Republicans were 1% worried about 2011 and 99% worried about 2013
The next time New Jerseyians vote for a new state legislature is 726 days from now for those who are counting. By then the London Summer Olympics will have ended, we will hopefully still be here (granted the end of the world predictions are wrong), if all goes accordingly we will have a new President of the United States and Chris Christie will be so popular there wont even be a need for an election in New Jersey. Well that last one is a bit far fetched. But there is still a question as to why the District 11 incumbents are so concerned with 2013 and I think I have an answer for you.
Background
The redrawn 11th district gave democrats a voter registration advantage over Republicans of approximately 10,000, removing Republican heavy Wall Twp. and Rumson from the district and adding the Democrat saturated towns of Asbury Park, Neptune, Ocean and Long Branch.
Asbury Park, Neptune and Ocean are home to a large number of minority voters.
In 2009 Chris Christie won the new LD-11 65%-35% over unpopular incumbent John Corzine.
The Democrat map, which was chosen by Alan Rosenthal, the 11th member of the redistricting team put the 11th district in play.
What does this all mean? After the map was drawn parties only had a limited number of days to recruit candidates to run for office. The Republican Party had the clear advantage in the process as the LD-11 looped three Republican incumbents together, all with established support and campaign structures. The Democrats on the other hand were rushed to choose candidates, all of whom would be running for the first time. On top of that the Republicans had candidates in numerous other districts, most notable, 1,2,7,14,18 and 38 who were able to divert the resources of the Democrat State Committee Unions and big democratic donors from seats like LD-11 that could be possible pick ups to seats they needed to save.
In 2013 Gov. Christie will be running for re-election and although there is no clear cut Democratic challenger there is a chance Newark mayor Cory Booker will be nominated. Bookers possible nomination plays a big roll in the outcome of the Legislative election in D-11 come 2013. Why so much emphasis on Cory Booker? Mr. Booker has become somewhat of a popular national figure having appeared on The Oprah Winfrey show with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg to receive a $100 million dollar grant for Newark Public schools, he is everywhere on twitter, pioneering the way politicians use the popular social media site, his nationwide appeal opens the door for large amounts of out of state money, especially in an off year gubernatorial election where the democrats will be looking to take back the governors mansion and the NJEA will work tirelessly and spend millions of dollars of membership dues to take Christie out and Mr. Booker is a very popular minority politician.
I will be willing to bet a large amount of money that the democrats will be targeting the 11th district in 2013 not only as a possible pick up in the Legislature but for big democratic turn out in the gubernatorial election. This would hold especially true if Cory Booker were to get the nomination. The New Jersey democrats look at Cory Booker as an Obama type politician; charismatic, excellent communicator and campaigner and a candidate that will spark enthusiasm among minority voters. This spells possible trouble for the Republicans in district 11 come 2013, especially in towns with a large minority population, Asbury Park, Neptune and Long Branch, all of which are additions for to the 11th district for Casagrande who has very little name recognition in these towns. Mary Pat Angelini has had Asbury Park, Neptune and Long Branch in her district for sometime now so she has a slight advantage when it comes to name recognition especially since most of the towns she had not represented in the old 11th district are Republican strong holds.
This leads us back to the 2011 mid-term elections and the tough campaign the LD-11 Republican team ran. I don’t think it is because they were worried about their democratic challengers in this election cycle but because of their concern for 2013.
None of this is set in stone, a lot can still change in 726 days. It is not known who the Democrats will nominate as their gubernatorial candidate (Republicans get to sit back and watch the bickering for once), the Republicans will not let such a large portion of Monmouth County, which produced a large plurality for Christie in 2009 fall by the wayside, money will flow in from out of state sources for both parties and the Republicans may have an ally in the White House come 2013, especially if Mitt Romney, a close Christie ally, gets the republican nomination and wins the White House and Gov. Christies popularity continues to rise as the state see’s results from his policies. Heck, there are hundreds of factors that will play into 2013 but it seems to me like Beck, Angelini and Casagrande are taking nothing for granted. A move, I think will pay off in 2 years.
In “vote for two” races, like Assembly, Council or Township Committee races, the percentages for each candidate are reported by the total of votes cast in that race, not by the number of voters who voted.
For example, in the 11th district Assembly race, Caroline Casagrande was the top vote getter with 18,679 votes. There were 69,803 Assembly votes cast and 3799 under votes. “Under votes” are voters who did not cast two votes in the Assembly race. It could be voters who didn’t vote for Assembly at all or voters who cast one vote rather than two. The County Clerk’s website reports that Casagrande received 26.76% of the vote.
The math is confusing.
Fortunately we can look to the “vote for one” races, like the Senate races, to get a clearer picture of what happened.
In the 11th district Senate race there were 35,620 votes cast and 1240 under votes. From this we can conclude that 36,860 people came out to vote in the district. Jennifer Beck won handily with 56.59% of the Senate votes cast. She earned the vote of 54.68% of the voters who came out.
Thus, Casagrande earned 50.68% of the votes of all voters who came out in the district, including those who skipped voting in the Assembly race or only voted for one Assembly candidate rather than two. Mary Pat Angelini got 49.97%, Vin Gopal got 41.60%, Kathy Horgan got 40.89% and Dan Jacobson received 6.35%.
In one of the few area upsets, Old Bridge voters ousted Democrats after 14 years of control by electing Republican Owen Henry to the mayor’s office and his council running mates James Anderson, Eleanor “Debbie” Walker and Brian Cahill.
Henry defeated incumbent Mayor Patrick Gillespe 5,330 to 4,780.
Nast, who popularized the image of Santa Claus and the partisan symbols of Donkeys and Elephants for Democrats and Republicans had an undeniable and enduring impact on American culture.
