Romney Fundraiser in Woodbridge Draws Dem. Counter

Dems Focus on Education – Planned Parenthood: “Women Are Watching”

Assemblyman and NJ Democratic Party Chair John Wiznewski speaks at press conference before Romney fundraiser in Woodbridge

The leader of NJ Dems and education and women’s reproductive healthcare advocates were out in the parking lot with signs – it made a good contrast with the Republican fat cats lining up in the lobby of the (no pun) “Renaissance Woodbridge” to write checks to the Romney campaign.

Thank goodness the Women Are Watching.

But I was surprised that there was not a much larger and organized protest against Romney. Where was labor? Environmental groups? All those clever Romney campaign bird-dogggers?

I was looking forward to seeing the Romeny shitwagon with the dog on top.

Anyway, Wiznewski repeatedly used the 1% metaphor to criticize Romney-Christie priorities (thanks Occupy Wall Street! The Dems have not coopted the Movement. Van Jones is right on this one, OWS has forced the Dems to engage!)

Substantively, Wiznewski chose to focus his remarks on the Romney-Christie education agenda. He particularly emphasized Governor Christie’s disrespect for and constant YouTube cheap shot attacks on teachers and public schools (I loved it when he mentioned that Christie sends his own kids to private schools!).

He used the infamous Romney quote about cutting teachers, policemen and firefighters to link Christie and Romney as hostile to public schools, teachers, and investments in education.

After listening to what I thought was a bullshit “he said/she said” false equivalence question from a political reporter covering the event (i.e. “the Dems have supported Gov. Christie’s agenda – how can they have any credibility with teachers”), I felt the need to ask a question at Wiznewski’s press conference (he told me later he really liked it!). I asked him how he contained his frustration with such dumb questions by the press that ignore sharply contrasting ideological and policy agenda’s between Democrats and Governor Christie.

Although the Romney people denied my request to enter and shoot the event (a stunning blond woman was very nice to me – but how does she do real media work in those heels?), I had a pretty good Paparazzi thing going on in the hotel lobby (security thought I was real press), but NJ Senator Joe Kyrillos had me booted – see shot below. I can understand why Kyrillos, running for US Senate, would want to avoid any affiliation with Romney.

The only R’s I knew and saw were Bill Gormley and Roger Bodman – but the few shots below capture the essence of the event – and it sure looks like Romney-Christie have an old rich white people problem.