Capital Games

Payne drops Clinton for Obama

Presidential candidate Barack Obama picked up the support today of one of Hillary Clinton's New Jersey superdelegates, Rep. Donald Payne of Newark.

A former chairman of the House Black Caucus, Payne supported Clinton in the Feb. 5 primary while Newark Mayor Cory Booker was one of Obama's top supporters in the state. He said he subsequently concluded Obama would be the better president.

Here's his statement:

"Hillary Clinton is a good friend, and I continue to hold her in high regard. She has made important contributions to our nation through her outstanding work as First Lady and in the United States Senate.

"After careful consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Barack Obama can best bring about the change that our country so desperately wants and needs. Senator Obama has lived the American dream.  He embodies the American ideals of hope, optimism, and the ability to take on tough challenges in order to solve difficult problems. In addition, I believe that he will work to restore America's image around the globe."

Clinton still has the lion's share of New Jersey superdelegates, with 12 supporters including Governor Corzine and Sen. Bob Menendez. Obama now has five, while three are uncommitteed. Here's the breakdown:

New poll looks good for Lautenberg, Zimmer, Clinton, Obama

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll out today shows Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Republican Dick Zimmer well positioned in their respective primary battles.

Poll: Andrews leads South Jersey

Andrews led Lautenberg 37 percent to 28 percent in a poll of South Jersey voters taken by Richard Stockton College last week, but his support dropped the farther voters were from his congressional district.

In two counties that make up the bulk of his district, Andrews led by more than 50 percentage points in Gloucester County and by more than 40 points in Camden County. But Lautenberg led in Ocean County by 35 points, Cumberland County by 19 and Cape May County by 14.

The poll of 1,005 likely Democratic voters in eight southern counties was taken April 22-24 and had a margin of error or plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for the overall head-to-head matchup. Individual county results had higher margins of error.

The poll was taken by Zogby International for the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton College. The results were first reported Tuesday by the Atlantic City Press.

Court rules against Andrews

A state appeals court on Tuesday rejected Rep. Rob Andrews' attempt to block Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg from being bracketed on the June 3 primary ballot with other Democratic candidates in counties that support him.

Running on the "party line" is a huge boon to candidates because Democratic primary voters in many counties have shown a tendency to vote a straight ticket.

Andrews, D-Haddon Heights, is challenging Lautenberg, D-N.J., for their party's nomination. Andrews wanted the courts to enforce a state law that says no candidate for lower office can be bracketed with a Senate candidate.

But in a lawsuit brought by Lautenberg in 1994, an appeals court ruled the state law unconstitutionally infringed on the political parties' free speech and association rights. A three-judge appellate panel on Tuesday unanimously renewed that opinion.

The court did order 11 counties, including Hudson, to redo by Thursday the drawings they held for preferential ballot positions because they treated bracketed and non-bracketed candidates differently.

Sabrin: Give me your rebate

Republican Senate candidate Murray Sabrin issued a plea to voters Tuesday to help revive the economy by contributing the "stimulus" money they are getting from the federal government to his campaign.

Sabrin, an economics professor at Ramapo College and a Fort Lee resident, said in a news release he would use the money to buy advertising, which would help local media companies. His release listed the stock price declines of three cable television companies that serve the state and the Gannett newspaper chain, which owns The Daily Record in Morris County and a half-dozen other New Jersey daily newspapers, including the Asbury Park Press.

"Gannett employs many New Jersey families and my campaign to legalize freedom will help those families with lower taxes, less government, more freedom and more liberty," Sabrin said. "I also recommend these media companies cover more of the freedom movement since it will increase their subscribers."

Torricelli philanthropy

Today's paper carries my story on former Sen. Bob Torricelli transferring $1.6 million from his leftover 2002 campaign account to a new foundation, the Rosemont Foundation, which is based at the same address as his lobbying and consulting business, Rosemont Associates.

For those of you who want to look at all of Torricelli's filings with the Federal Election Commission, they are available here: http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00306290

Lautenberg radio address

Sen. Frank Lautenberg delivered the Democrats' radio address over the weekend, blaming Republicans for the high price of oil.

A short story from Sunday's paper is here.

The full audio file [about 3mb] is below, if you want to listen.

CWA locals split in Senate race

Different locals of the Communications Workers of America split over Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Rep. Rob Andrews today.

Menendez getting press

Sen. Bob Menendez broke out of the mainstream media and his work got some coverage in the entertainment world this week.

First was a Government Accountability Office study he and Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, requested. It concluded terrorists still operate freely along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan border, and it not only got coverage in the mainstream press, it was featured in a segment on Jon Stewart's Daily Show on Comedy Central. (Fast forward halfway through this video, then watch this one)

"Well, at least someone's safe," Stewart said after reading the border region border has "vast unpoliced regions attractive to extremists and terrorists seeking a safe haven."

Menendez wasn't mentioned, but he got a lot of play from his meeting yesterday with music superstar Shakira, who was on Capitol Hill promoting the cause of education in developing countries.

Shakira was making the rounds with Gene Sperling, a former White House economic adviser, but somehow he was cropped out of the photos. Menendez is a co-sponsor of the Education for All Act [S-1259], which provides assistance to developing countries to promote basic education.

Pascrell's safety record

An independent agency of Congress honored Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. this week as one of just three dozen members of Congress with offices that passed a checklist and are totally safe for staff and the public.

Pascrell, D-Paterson, was the only New Jerseyan among 25 House members and 12 senators to receive the Congressional Safety Award from the Office of Compliance for having no health or safety hazards.

Makes you wonder what's going on in the other 498 congressional offices.

Catching up on clips

Tuesday's paper carried my story about the president of Estonia, who grew up in Bergen County and was valedictorian of the Class of 1972 at Leonia High School.

Sunday's paper carried a look at the battle between Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Rep. Rob Andrews over who's stronger on Iraq.

It also carried my regular Sunday Capital Games column.

Reactions from the crowd

With the pope scheduled to be in New York City this weekend, no North Jersey diocese requested tickets to the Washington Mass, officials said.

But with much of Washington's population made up of people who came from somewhere else, there were bound to be plenty of people with New Jersey connections.

The question was, how to find them? At rallies on the National Mall, there's always people wearing Giants or Yankees or, sometimes, Rutgers paraphernalia that you can zero in on. But these folks had their church clothes on.

I tried shouting before the Mass, going to places where people were waiting on line for t-shirts or food and shouting, "Anyone from North Jersey?" But I struck out.

So after the Mass, I positioned myself by one of the stadium gates that leads to the parking deck and Metro station and held up a sign on a manila folder reading, "From NEW JERSEY?"

Some people walked by and snickered and made New Jersey jokes. One guy said he was, but wouldn't stop or talk to me. I think a lot of people thought I was hitchhiking up I-95 to the next Mass. Some thought I was a chauffeur looking for my passenger, like the folks at the airport. Some people were worried I'd missed my bus and stopped to offer help.

But a few actually had New Jersey connections, and they all told a similar story. They felt a strong boost in faith and hope, and were encouraged to get through the problems they're facing in life.

Here's what they had to say:

Gauntlet

Getting out was a challenge.

In addition to crowds on the narrow street leading from the stadium to the Metro station, there were t-shirt hawkers and preachers, some of whom wanted to tell all Catholics they were going to hell. And some folks weren't happy with that message.

I saw one shoving match start with a "you're all damned" preacher but enough turn-the-other-cheek Catholics stepped in and the two guys trying to shut the preacher up were led away.

Applause from crowd

The Mass has ended. Go in peace.

And like any stadium crowd...

Pope or no pope, there are people leaving after communion, not waiting for the end of Mass.

Must want to beat the traffic on the Turnpike.

Communion for 45,000

Priests in White vestments and red sashes have been deployed around the stadium to give holy communion to the crowd. In the grandstands, each aisle is desgnated either for going to communion or coming back, and things look to be flowing smoothly.

For the select group seated on the field near the altar, there are people holding yellow umbrellas throughout to designate where communion is available.

For curious baseball fans. There's a protective covering on the outfield grass, over which seats have been placed in front of the altar in center field.

A withe picket fence is around the infield grass, but there's a narrow carpet running over a part of it that was used in the procession of the water and wine to the altar.

From the Mass program

The blessing of the eucharist, in which water and wine are turned into the body of Christ, has begun. Normally Catholics must kneel during this part of the Mass. But this is a baseball stadium, after all, so the program includes this message:

The full homily

Click through for the full text of the sermon Pope Benedict XVI delivered this morning during Mass.

The text is as prepared for delivery, but his holiness kept very close to the text.

Closing: heal divisions

The homily closed with an exhortation to look forward, set aside conflict, and heal divisions:

"Trust in the power of grace to create a future of promise for God's people in this country. I ask you, in Lord Jesus, to set aside all division and to work with joy to prepare a way for him. In fidelity to his word and in constant conversion to his will. Above all, I urge you to continue to be a leaven of evangelical hope in the American society, striving to bring the light and truth of the Gospel to the task of building an even more just and free world for generations to come.

"Those who have hope must live different lives! By your prayers, by the witness of your faith, by the fruitfulness of your charity, may you point the way towards the horizon of hope which God is even now opening up to his church, an indeed to all humanity: the vision of a word reconciled and renewed in Christ Jesus, our savior. To him be all honor and glory, now and forever. Amen."

Child sex abuse

Benedict XVI addressed the Church's recent history of sexual abuse of children:

"I acknowledge the pain which the Church in America has experienced as a result of the sexual abuse of minors. No words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse. It is important those who have suffered be given loving pastoral attention.

"Nor can I adequately describe the damage that has occurred within the community of the Church. Great efforts have already been made to deal honestly and fairly with this tragic situation, and to ensure that children -- whom our Lord loves so deeply, and who are our greatest treasure -- can grow up in a safe environment. These efforts to protect children must continue. ...

"Today, I encourage each of you to do what you can to foster healing and reconciliation, and to assist those who have been hurt. Also, I ask you to love your priests, and to affirm them in the excellent work they do."

American history

The Pontiff praised the pioneering spirit of the American people, but reminded us of the dark history of slavery and the treatment of American Indians.

"Americans have always been a people of hope: your ancestors came to this country with the expectation of finding new freedom and opportunity, while the vastness of the unexplored wilderness inspired in the hope of being able to start completely anew, building a new nation on new foundations. To be sure, this promise was not experienced by all the inhabitants of this land: One thinks of the injustices endured by the native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves. Yet hope, hope for the future, is very much a part of the American character."

Breakdown in society

In his homily, Pope Benedit XVI urged Catholics to "offer their contemporaries a convincing account of the hope which inspired them" because both the church, and society in general, are at crossroads.

"It is a time of great promise, as we see the human family in many ways drawing closer together and becoming ever more interdependent. Yet at the same time we see clear signs of a disturbing breakdown in the very foundations of society: signs of alienation, anger and polarization on the part of many of our contemporaries; increased violence; a weakening of the moral sense; a coarsening of social relations; and a growing forgetfulness of Christ and God."

Romans 8:22-27

The second reading is from St. Paul's letter to the Romans:

"For in hope we are saved. New hope that sees is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance."

NJ seminarian at Pope's side

Four principal deacons flanked Pope Benedict XVI as he walked to the center field altar, and will sit at his side during the Mass. One of them is Deacon Mark Ivany, who attends Immactulate Conception Seminary in South Orange.

Ivany, 30, is a Washington native and will be ordained a native in the capital archdiocese in June. An archdiocese biography says he hopes to someday become an Army chaplain. Before joining the seminary, he was a legislative correspondent and a personal assistant in the U.S. Senate.

Also participating in the mass from Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange:

• Deacon Marco Schad, who will make the blessing at the end of the Mass;
• Seminarian Ted Hegnauer will be a server.

Standing ovation

Not surprisingly, Pope Benedict XVI arrived to a standing ovation. He's taking a lap around the stadium in the popemobile. I'm one of at least seven reporters in the press box shooting pictures with my camera phones.

It's partly for the coverage, but also for the moment.

Princeton guy

Former Princeton Junction resident Scott Jacobs arrived at the Mass wearing a Princeton [University] sweatshirt.

"The pope to me represents hope to the world," said Jacobs, who works for the Naval Criminal Investigation Service and formerly worked for Rep. Jim Saxton, R-Mount Holly. "his agenda is to speak to peace for all men in the world. In this day of conflict, we need more of that."

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Made it

The line for security was long, but the Secret Service did a quick and thorough job. Now in place in the press box of the new Nationals Stadium, as my cellphone camera pic above shows.

Getting up here required navigating around long lines of people waiting to buy t-shirts and food.

But the press kit includes not only a miniature flag with the papal seal, but also a flier from which you can order mementoes from popevisit2008.com. There's keychains, refrigerator magnets, hats, shirts and bumper stickers (My favorite is probably the I (heart) The Pope bumper sticker -- $3.

Blogging the Pope

Last time I got up before 6 am for Mass, I was in 7th grade at Immaculate Heart of Mary school in North Bergen and I had to deliver my Hudson Dispatch route before serving as altar boy at 7:30 Mass. Times have changed. IHM school and the Dispatch closed long ago, about the time people stopped believing I could have ever been an altar boy. But I got up and am on a media bus to Nationals Stadium to cover the Pope's Mass. I will file a few times this morning if the technology cooperates.

Sent by GoodLink (www.good.com)

Lobbying 101

Lobbying 101 isn't in the Rutgers catalog, but 20 students got the course on Tuesday when they came to Capitol Hill looking for more financial aid.

After studying on the train ride the briefing packets prepared by the university's lobbyists, the students met for lunch near the Capitol for lunch and role playing in small groups before breaking into groups to assault the members of the New Jersey Congressional delegation and their staffs.

"How pushy do you want us to get?" Roger Masi of Lodi, a senior, asked university lobbyist Francine Newsome Pfeiffer during one of the role-playing sessions.

Drinking water

Today's paper carries my story on a Senate subcommittee hearing yesterday focused on the presence of traces of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in drinking water. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., chaired the hearing and pressed the Environmental Protection Agency about why it doesn't regulate these chemicals.

For more information from the hearing here's links to statements and testimony from:

• Lautenberg;
• Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.;
• Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla.
• EPA Assistant Administrator Benjamin Grumbles;
• U.S. Geological Survey Associate Director Robert Hirsch;
• Senior scientist Jennifer Sass of the Natural Resources Defense Council;
• Deputy Vice President Alan Goldhammer of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America;
• Project Manager Shane Snyder of the Southern Nevada Water Authority;
• Campaign Director David Pringle of the New Jersey Environmental Federation

You can also read Lautenberg's press release.