Obama/Corzine: Running Mates From Hell

Seems like New Jersey governor Jon Corzine lives in a different world altogether from the rest of us, one where raising taxes is a popular idea, where the fact that his state has the nation's worst business climate proves his "progressive" bona fides, and where the president of the United States isn't showing a shocking decline in popularity:

Barack Obama's approval rating with likely voters for this fall's election in New Jersey has sunk to just 45%, with 48% of voters disapproving of him.

...Where he was at a positive 48/42 with unaffiliated voters then [July], that's now dropped to 36/56.

New Jersey is the first state where PPP has found more people who voted for Obama saying they disapprove of him than people who voted for John McCain that think he's doing a good job.

So whatever world Corzine is living in, it's not called New Jersey. Why else would he think that putting up billboards like this is a good idea?

Corzine looks pathetic; like he's desperately trying to angle himself into a picture with someone famous to prove that they're pals. The Trentonian puts it thusly:

Gov. Jon Corzine has decided that to win re-election, he has to sit at the cool kids’ table.

Cool is transitory, though. Just ask any of the one-hit wonders and momentary media faves of the last two decades.

And is there anything more painful that watching a completely clueless individual trying desperately to be hip, by cringingly using words and imagery that has moved well-past its expiration date?

That's Corzine. Clueless, and pathetic in his vain attempts to prove otherwise. It's hard to watch. Thank God this show is due to be cancelled the first Tuesday in November....

UPDATE: How involved is Obama with all this? According to the New York Times, he is actually orchestrating the Corzine campaign:

Every TV ad that Mr. Corzine puts on the air is being screened by the president’s team. The governor’s aides are giving daily briefings to the White House. Mr. Obama’s pollsters have taken over for Mr. Corzine’s polling team, and White House operatives are on the ground for everything from internal strategy sessions to obscure pep rallies with Latino supporters

Mr. Obama’s aides acknowledge that a loss in this deep-blue state would be interpreted as a rebuke of Mr. Obama, affecting his ability to pass major legislation and the public’s perceptions of his party’s power.

This explains a lot, actually. Specifically , the billboards. Only an egomanic like Obama would think that a 20x20 billboard containing his face could singlehandedly swing an election.

Oh, this is gonna make Christie's victory that much sweeter...