Corzine sees a recovery in economy
He was the 3d candidate for governor to speak at Rider.
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - Gov. Corzine last night said he believed that the economies of the nation and New Jersey were starting to turn around, tying himself and President Obama to a brighter future as he argued for his reelection.
Speaking at Rider University to a mostly friendly audience made up largely of undergraduates, Corzine sprinkled his comments with "yes we can," the phrase Obama used to surge to the presidency last fall.
"I am an absolute believer that 'yes we can' turn this economy around, and I believe that is happening as we sit here," said Corzine, who credited Obama with leading a recovery. "The green shoots have turned into stalks of corn that are showing across this nation, and I believe we are doing the same thing here in the state of New Jersey."
Corzine pointed to an event in Paulsboro earlier in the day at which he broke ground on a new port, a project he said would eventually create 2,500 jobs. He said the state also was making investments in school construction, solar power, and wind energy that would translate into economic activity.
"I believe we need to take a positive view that we will turn this ship, this economic ship," Corzine said, later adding, "I wish it had turned six months ago. It would have made it a lot easier to run for reelection."
Corzine's comments came during the same week that Republicans hammered him for news that the state's unemployment rate had grown to 9.7 percent, and five days after Republican challenger Christopher J. Christie used a similar forum to assert that New Jersey was "careening toward bankruptcy" and had become a "second-tier economic" state. He laid the blame at the governor's feet.
Rider University political scientist Ben Dworkin said the economy, especially as it relates to taxes in New Jersey, "has always been the top issue" in this year's governor's race.
Corzine was the third of the three gubernatorial candidates to speak at a series sponsored by Rider's Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.
Questioned by some students about the national health-care debate, Corzine said he would like to see a "public option" offered and criticized the Senate Democrats who would tax some health-care plans - a move Corzine said could hurt New Jerseyans, who tend to have higher-cost coverage.
"I certainly wouldn't penalize New Jersey by the kind of Baucus plan that's going to tax [residents] when we have good benefits," Corzine said, referring to a proposal from Montana Democrat Max Baucus, who is leading the health-care discussion in the Senate. "It's a pretty serious flaw in what is evolving."
Corzine told another questioner that he does not expect to resolve the same-sex marriage debate with a public referendum, preferring to let the Legislature vote on the issue.
Opponents of same-sex marriage have urged a ballot question. Supporters of same-sex marriage, however, have said they expect a legislative vote.
Earlier in the evening Corzine said he supported "marriage equality" as he ran off a list of social issues that divided Democrats such as himself from Republicans.
But his main message of the night was that he sees a positive future - one that began with Obama's election last year.
"I think we made a decision in 2008 to go forward, and I think this" - a reference to his reelection bid - "is all part of that," Corzine said.