Can you see the real me, can you?

I was shocked to see myself mentioned on the front page of The Record this morning, in an article by Matthew Van Dusen concerning the use of online tools for political purposes. Paragraph 2 of the piece states:

"Republican activist George Ajjan of Clifton uses his MySpace and Facebook profiles, a YouTube channel and a blog to promote his party and punditry."

Then it goes on to discuss my YouTube page specifically:

"YouTube is particularly useful because people don't need to join the site to see a message, they just click a link in an e-mail, said Ajjan, who ran for congress against Paterson Democrat Bill Pascrell Jr. in 2004. He has his own YouTube 'channel' that features his collected appearances on news talk shows and speeches."

Apologies for the hiatus...
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My9 TV appearance - 2008 Presidential

Apologies for the delay - this past Sunday I appeared with South Jersey Democrat operative Steve Ayscue (someone referred to him recently as the "Lord Vader" of South Jersey Democrats). Good fun as usual.

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Stumping for Murray Sabrin, Round 1

From last night's GOP club meeting in Bergenfield.

Many thanks to Frank Cifarelli, who ran a great race for District 37 Assembly in 2007, for the invitation and endorsement of Murray Sabrin's campaign.

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Stumping one last time for Ron Paul

Last night, I travelled down to Middletown in Monmouth County, NJ to speak to the Republican Club and deliver my Ron Paul pitch. I was very well-received as was the message.

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An exciting DC trip: Ron Paul endorses Murray Sabrin

Yesterday, I accompanied Murray Sabrin, US Senate candidate from New Jersey (for whom I serve as a spokesman) to Washington, DC, where he videotaped an endorsement from his decades-long friend, Dr. Ron Paul, candidate for President of the United States.

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Murray Sabrin for US Senate

A respected conservative leader in New Jersey, Ramapo College Professor Dr. Murray Sabrin, has announced his candidacy for the US Senate.

I could not be more delighted, as I share Murray's positions on many issues of critical importance. I have gotten to know him quite well over the past several months, and he is one of the few people who challenges the go-along-to-get-along mentality of most elected Republicans, and courageously calls attention to fundamental problems.

This year's Presidential cycle has, thanks to Ron Paul and Murray, made me realize that if the United States today had the Federal Budget of barely more than a decade ago, we would not need to have an income tax. Where is all the money going? It's not enough for Republicans to settle for only half the new spending that the Democrats propose - who is out there saying that the least compassionate way to help those in need is to entrust their care to the Federal Government?

Well, Murray is. And that gives me lots of confidence, because we are headed for bankruptcy as a nation if we don't "change". That's why I will be working for Murray in an official capacity to help him earn the GOP nomination, and eventually to defeat Frank Lautenberg in November.

Forgive me if my usual style of blogging changes slightly in the coming months - you will likely see less long articles, and more juicy snippets of information related to the ongoing political dynamics not just in Northern NJ, but across the entire Garden State. Remember, at the end of the day, politics - like blogging - should be fun.

Thanks for reading and check out Murray's launch email below. (continued...)
-----Original Message-----

From: Murray Sabrin
Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008
Subject: Ron Paul endorses Murray Sabrin - Ron Paul Revolution expands to New Jersey

Today, I received the endorsement of Presidential candidate (and friend of 25 years), Dr. Ron Paul, in my campaign to become the next United States Senator from New Jersey (see the press release below). We share the same dedication to honor the United States Constitution, which calls for limited federal government, as well as the Founders' commitment to protect Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. The United States Senate could use a little more Life, Liberty and certainly some more Happiness – and that is what I intend to provide!

I am very excited about leading the Ron Paul Revolution in New Jersey as we focus our immediate efforts on Primary Day, February 5th for my dear friend.

I encourage you to visit my website http://www.murraysabrin.com/ and consider supporting this effort.

Thank you in advance your consideration and support,

Murray

Murray Sabrin, Ph.D.
Sabrin for Senate
1075-D Route 34
Matawan, NJ 07747

News Release
For Immediate Release – January 10, 2008

Murray Sabrin: The Gold Standard of "Ron Paul Republicans"
The Ron Paul Revolution expands to New Jersey with Dr. Paul endorsing US Senate candidate

Jersey City, NJ – Presidential candidate Ron Paul, the Republican Congressman from Texas who inspired a massive nationwide outpouring of grassroots support and record-breaking fundraising, has endorsed his friend and colleague of 25 years, Dr. Murray Sabrin, for the GOP nomination for US Senate in New Jersey.

"Murray has devoted his entire career to promoting limited government and personal freedom, and I am proud to have known him and worked with him for more than 25 years," said Paul. "He will not only be an outstanding representative of the people of New Jersey, but the greatest advocate of liberty and constitutional principles the US Senate has seen in decades. I am delighted to endorse him and encourage all Americans who believe in freedom to support him enthusiastically."

"I am very proud to receive Ron's endorsement and to lead the Ron Paul Revolution in New Jersey," Dr. Sabrin stated. "We will continue to focus our efforts in New Jersey towards Ron Paul's victory on February 5th, my victory on June 3rd, and our combined victory on November 4th."

Sabrin and Paul met in 1982 at a monetary conference sponsored by the CATO Institute, and have been friends ever since. Dr. Sabrin credits Dr. Paul for harmonizing a strong defense of the pro-life position with the limited government principles that both men espouse.

Dr. Sabrin was one of the earliest supporters of Ron Paul's presidential campaign in New Jersey, which has a February 5 primary date and is a winner-take-all battleground that looks to be in play given the faltering campaign of its one-time frontrunner.

Murray Sabrin, a noted academic, author, and philanthropist, is a business professor at Ramapo College in New Jersey. He and his wife Florence of 39 years reside in Bergen County. For more information, please visit http://www.murraysabrin.com/.

###

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Review of the Iowa Caucuses - My9

On Sunday, I joined NJ's favorite "struggling lobbyist in America", Leroy Jones, for another lively discussion of the Presidential races - this time focusing on the results of the Iowa Caucuses. Leroy and I have previously covered Sharpe James, Stem Cell research, Rudy Giuliani, and Iraq withdrawal.

My money quotes:

1. "Obama really hasn't been taken to task yet. He makes all these lovely speeches and does that sort of Dr. King impersonation that I'm sure he practiced growing up in Indonesia and in Hawaii."
2. "If [Obama] was running for President of the High School graduating class, I'm sure I'd be the head of 'Republicans for Obama'. But the fact is that he's running for President of the United States, and I don't think that he's demonstrated the credentials to be able to do that yet."
3. "I think [Rudy's is] a very poor strategy...[Is he] really America's Mayor? Clearly he's not Iowa's Mayor!"

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We fudge, you decide; or CNN (Calculator-less News Network)

As if it wasn't bad enough that throughout the night of the Iowa Caususes yesterday, CNN refused to show the slice of the pie that showed Ron Paul in double digits and beating Rudy Giuliani nearly by a factor of 3. By the end, both Fox News and CNN reported reported Rudy Giuliani with 4,013 votes. They ranked him at 4%.

But if you add them all up, you'll see that the total was 116,114. 4,013/116,114 - that makes 3.46%. In what universe does 3.46 round up to 4?

The numbers match what has been reported on the Iowa GOP's official site. (Yes, I understand that only 93% are reporting in, but a calculator still adds and divides properly with 93% of the statistics.)

Are they that desperate to save Rudy Giuliani that they have to fudge the numbers?
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The value of gridlock

Responding to the assertion of former NJ Governor Christie Whitman that gridlock is bad, I offered a different take on the matter:

"Governor, rather than 'shatter the political gridlock that prevents the passage of legislation that is good for America,' I do believe that we ought to encourage the political gridlock that prevents the passage of legislation that is BAD for America.

The lack of gridlock that characterized the George W. Bush personality cult that called itself the Republican Party from September 12, 2001 - November 8, 2006, under which the size of government grew in frightening ways without even the whispered threat of a veto, is much more harmful to American taxpayers than the partisan quibbling that prevents Congress from passing more go-along-to-get-along Bills that lay waste to our nation's fiscal health.

We Republicans ought to be thinking about how to get back to the aggressive spirit of 1994 that curtailed Clinton's socialist agenda, and not how to hold hands with the Democrats so that we expand the size of the Federal Government and bankrupt America just slightly slower than liberals would like."

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My Republican roots

My father was digging through a drawer and found a journal that I kept in the 3rd grade (Ms. Stellhorn's class at Packanack Lake Elementary School in Wayne, NJ).

Here is the entry for November 6, 1984:

"Today is Election Day. People all over the country are voting. I am voting for Reagan. I am voting for Reagan because he has been a good President. However, he is creamating Mondale. I think Reagan will win."

QED.
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