BOB MENENDEZ

Yet another poll shows John McCain closing in on Barack Obama in The Garden State.

A Strategic Vision poll of 800 likely voters released today shows the Barack Obama/Joe Biden presidential ticket leading John McCain/Sarah Palin by a margin of 47%-43%.  

Today's poll comes on top of several recent polls that show McCain closing in on Obama, though September polls historically show Republicans closer in New Jersey.

To U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), the lack of any primetime speakers at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions is just another example of both parties using the Garden State cash machine before abandoning the state to its own devices.

“I think it was an insult to the state of New Jersey because a lot of money comes out of this state for both political parties, and a lot of support for both political parties. So there’s no excusing it,” he said.

Responding to a Star-Ledger report that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) was eventually offered a speaking spot but turned it down because it wasn’t primetime, Pascrell quickly responded that they only offered it “after the fact.”

Danny O’Brien, who was just hired as Sen. Bob Menendez’s new chief of staff in May, faces a happy predicament.

O’Brien, a native of southern California with deep political roots in New Jersey, spent three-and-a-half years as Sen. Joe Biden’s chief of staff before moving on to Menendez. Before Biden, he was chief of staff for former Senator Robert Toricelli, and worked on former Gov. Jim McGreevey’s 2001 gubernatorial campaign.

Now, having just started his job with Menendez, it’s easy to see him being recruited to the executive branch if Barack Obama and Joe Biden win the general election. But as of right now, he has no plans to change jobs.

“I have no plans to make any changes right now. I’m lucky to be working for Senator Menendez,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, won't speak at the convention: Getty Images Photo
DENVER -- Senator Bob Menendez will not speak at the Pepsi Center during the Democratic National Convention, despite the lobbying by fellow influential New Jersey politicians on his behalf.

Menendez was the New Jersey’s delegation’s hope to place one of their own in the spotlight. Politicians were banking on his Latino appeal.

When asked by reporters whether he felt snubbed, Menendez responded said that he didn’t.

“The bottom line is, look, different conventions, different people speak. Speaking is not important. Winning is important.”

DENVER -- Arriving at the Inverness Hotel this morning, Gov. Corzine said that he’s heard no griping about the New Jersey delegation’s seating arrangement at the Pepsi Center or the fact that nobody from the state is scheduled for a speaking spot there.

The latter, however, could change.

Corzine said that, if New Jersey is to have anyone speak at the convention, it should be Bob Menendez, although he acknowledged that most attention will be focused on speakers from swing states. PolitickerNJ reported last night that members of the New Jersey delegation were pressuring national Democrats to give Menendez a spot.

Corzine apparently is one of those members.

“I think Bob would be a tremendous spokesperson for New Jersey and the country. I think it has a lot of the outreach for a very important community that goes beyond New Jersey. I think he’s the foremost spokesperson for Hispanic unity in the United States Senate, if not more broadly in the country,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) at Sunday night's dinner at the Inverness Hotel.: Politicker Photo

DENVER - Members of the New Jersey delegation are button-holing hard the Obama campaign to get U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Union City) a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention this week.

"You don’t understand how important this guy is," a source told PolitickerNJ.com. "When Menendez won his Senate seat, it was a full banner, front page headline in Florida."

As he entered the Inverness Hotel tonight on his way in to a kickoff dinner hosted by U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) and U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn), Menendez fielded a question about whether or not he would speak at the convention.

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8), right, with U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).: Politicker file photo 

On a regular basis now, Gov. Jon Corzine reminds audiences that he’s running for re-election. If he doesn’t end up running for whatever reason, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) says he wouldn’t mind personally stepping into the breach.

But whoever ends up out there on the barricade facing the GOP in a statewide race, Pascrell said his party should not fear likely Republican candidate U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, whom Quinnipiac University last week listed one point above the governor in a statistical tie - 41% to 40%.

Of his own gubernatorial run, "I would think about it very seriously," Pascrell said. "Right now I’m supporting the governor and I would urge him to run for re-election.

Barack Obama campaigns for Bob Menendez in the 2006 U.S. Senate race: Getty Images Photo
During the primary season, Sen. Bob Menendez’s name circulated as a possible vice presidential pick for Sen. Hillary Clinton.

With Clinton now out of the race and Menendez doing his best jockeying on her behalf to get her on the ticket as Barack Obama’s running mate, the New Jersey senator fielded a question Thursday regarding his filling the role himself as backup to the party’s leading man.

Is he interested? Is he on any Obama short list or has anyone from the campaign approached him?

On the flight to Puerto Rico, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) turned to former President Bill Clinton and told him one of the reasons his wife was losing was because the campaign too often allowed Sen. Barack Obama to frame the issues.

When Clinton ran in the 1990s, he stayed on message - most famously with his "it’s the economy, stupid" rundown of the first President Bush. He won, Menendez observed, because Clinton forced his opponent to respond to the issues on his terms.

A flummoxed Bush was left marveling at supermarket product scanning devices while Clinton told voters, "I feel your pain."

Sixteen years later, his wife didn’t capture the issues and present them aggressively enough, in Menendez’s view, and she suffered the consequences.

Now, as he shifts gears from Clinton to Obama, Menendez is on the offensive, trying to frame the immigration and ethics debates against Sen. John McCain, a day before the presumptive Republican presidential nominee lands in New Jersey for a Burlington County campaign rally.

U.S. Sen. FRank Lautenberg (D-NJ) exults with Gov. Jon Corzine and Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex). 

NEWARK - The Democratic Party allies of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg stood with their nominee tonight in the Gateway Hilton shortly after challenger U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) conceded in Cherry Hill.

After thanking his family, supporters and his defeated challenger for the congressman's offer of friendship, Lautenberg - who won by a margin of 61-34% - came out swinging in front of an animated crowd.

Hard economic times. The War in Iraq.