Word is that Bill Clinton is feeling a little better, walking a mile or so a day in cardiac rehab, still has some pain and fatique from his heart surgery. (A confidential source reports that Clinton was walking more than two miles from his Chappaqua house this weekend). Thrilled to hear he's OK. As soon as he's able, the Kerry campaign should send a limo to Chappaqua and send it across the George Washington Bridge for a day in New Jersey.
Chervokas is right: the Garden State is in play and KE04 needs to play some solid defense over the next two weeks to keep it blue. Jersey and its 15 electoral votes is crucial to the electoral coalition Kerry needs to win the Presidency. As Jason points out, "The northern part of the state is full of upper middle-class suburban voters who are center-left socially but who think Kerry is soft on terrorism." He targets uber-blogger Jeff Jarvis, reliably centrist and stubbornly (even annoyingly) on the fence so far, as emblematic of NJ voters Kerry needs.
Another ominous sign, according to this AP story:
The president took a day off from campaigning. While his rival was in Ohio and Florida, Bush readied what aides called a major speech on terrorism for Monday in New Jersey, where millions live within sight of the terrorist-scarred lower Manhattan skyline.
So saddle up Bubba, and get him to NJ. And while you're at it, schedule a day for John Edwards. I know from personal experience that he's quite popular among Democrats, and raised serious funds in NJ during his primary run. Oh, and those pro-Kerry concerts? Can Springsteen add just one more date - in his hometown?
UPDATE: New Rutgers poll has Kerry up big in NJ - 51-37.
