Nil on rally, but Hil still showed up

Many people attend Clinton's private Newport fundraiser

Ricardo Kaulessar -- Hudson Reporter -- 08/03/2007

While a public rally by presidential candidate and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton was canceled last week, many people attended a $1,000-per-plate private fundraiser for her at the Newport Financial Center.

Among the invited guests at the fundraiser were Gov. Jon Corzine, U.S. Congressman and former West New York Mayor Albio Sires, and City Councilpersons Michael Sottolano and Mary Spinello. There was a cross section of local developers and businesspeople that also showed up for the event.

The event was organized by the Lefrak family, who are the builders of the Newport developments, and downtown City Councilman Steven Fulop.

Even though the public rally was canceled only three days before her scheduled Monday appearance, many residents came out to try to catch a glimpse of the former First Lady.

One was a Korean woman, a resident of Newport for the past five years.

"It was really exciting to see her," said the woman, who declined to give her name. "I hope she comes back again."

According to the organizers of the fundraiser, Clinton raised over $150,000 for her campaign.

The impression of Hillary

Corzine, Fulop and Sires all praised Clinton before she spoke. Corzine commented that it was "time for a woman president."

Among those impressed with Clinton was James Carroll, a Jersey City attorney and former police officer. He is also considered an ally of Fulop and a future candidate for City Council.

"I like what she had to say about wanting to improve health care in this country," Carroll said. "I think she's great and she's my choice for president, and I hope she does become president."

Clinton's campaign website (www.HillaryClinton.com) states her seven-point plan for improving this country's healthcare system, including a prevention initiative to reduce the costly illnesses such as diabetes and cancer, and a new "paperless" technology system for tracking healthcare data.

Spinello was convinced that she heard the next president of the United States speaking.

"She presented a real plan on how she will run this country," Spinello said. "And based on her past experience, she will be an asset in the White House."

Developer Paul Silverman and his brother Eric head Jersey City-based Exeter Properties, builders of such projects as the Majestic Condominiums on Montgomery Street and the current Hamilton Square Condos next to Hamilton Park.

Silverman said he wasn't sure he was allowed to comment since it was a private fundraiser. He also would not commit yet to endorsing Clinton for president. "I donate to everyone, like I did with Barack Obama," Silverman said.

Candidate and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama came to Jersey City in May for a fundraiser at the Liberty House Restaurant near Liberty State Park. He has been endorsed by Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Not everyone was supportive


It was estimated by organizers that over 500 people waited behind barricades for Clinton to step outside.

Once she came out of the Newport Financial Center, there was applause followed by spectators holding up their digital cameras and camera phones.

But amidst the hoopla and good feelings, a loud voice cut through with: "BRING THE TROOPS HOME!"

The chant continued until Clinton was escorted by Security Service agents into a black, tinted van and whisked away to a fundraiser in Bergen County.

It turns out there was a person behind those words.

Eric Anders-Nilsson, Jersey City resident and activist featured in the documentary "Confessions of a liberal actor-vist" (see recent article in the Hudson Current at www.hudsoncurrent.com). Founder of the Jersey City Peace Movement, an anti-war activist group, Nilsson came to the impromptu rally to join a small group of fellow activists expressing their disapproval of Clinton's support of funding of the war in Iraq.

"Democrats who were supposed to have ended this war, and they could have if they brought the troops home," Nilsson said. "And for Hillary Clinton to plead naivet? about how it would turn out in Iraq when she voted to give George Bush authority is just insulting."

Nilsson said while he was disappointed only seven came out in a show of dissent "instead of 700," he was thankful for the response they got after the crowd dispersed.

"About 20 or more people came up to us and shook our hands and thanked us for telling the truth," Nilsson said. "They wanted to take pictures with us."

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.

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I can't seem to find the article that attributes the rally cancellation to anything but Clinton's schedule. I don't remember getting a call from the well oiled HCDO machine telling me that the fundraiser was cancelled. Please enlighten me...and not just "well, it's Jersey City, that's how these things work. Don't you think Fulop would have been all over that if it were the case?

According to politicsnj, if anything, it was Hillary playing politics. http://www.politicsnj.com/clinton-nix ... s-rival-jersey-city-10611

Will Fulop be at any the Obama rallies?

And with Harvey, Sandy, Jerry, and Steve in the Mayor's race, it's never too early to start campaigning. If you think Fulop's not, you're crazy.

nice pictures that are on line i can actually spot my balding head in one of the shots.I tried to pick out fat ass but was unsuccessful.

Hill takes in $150K from Jersey City visit

Tuesday, July 31, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The public rally was officially nixed, but it happened anyway.

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had just finished taking questions from campaign donors at a fund-raiser held at the Newport Financial Center building in Jersey City yesterday when an organizer tapped her on her shoulder and said a crowd had gathered outside.

A rally that was supposed to take place had been officially canceled due to "time constraints" on the part of the candidate, but no one told the well over 500 people who wanted - and waited - to hear from Clinton.

Wearing a gray jacket, black pants, and her trademark wide-eyed grin, Clinton worked the police line, shaking hands and exchanging greetings.

"She will be the next president, the first woman," said Jersey City resident David Medina, who waited over an hour with family members to glimpse the New York senator.

"She is going to bring us peace," added Emelda Medina, David's daughter. "The country needs that now."

The fund-raiser was hosted by Jamie LeFrak, managing partner of the Lefrak Organization, the builders of Newport, and Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop.

Gov. Jon Corzine and Rep. Albio Sires, D-West New York, attended, as well as Jersey City council members Michael Sottolano and Mary Spinello. Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who along with Newark Mayor Cory Booker endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president in May, was invited, but didn't attend, organizers said.

"More than anything she comes across as extremely competent," remarked LeFrak, who said Clinton touched on topics ranging from health care, to the war in Iraq, to U.S. global competitiveness.

Fulop called the event "a success on every front."

"She was phenomenal and we exceeded our goal of $150,000 we wanted to raise for her," Fulop said. "We are going to deliver a lot of votes for her and she is going to win Jersey City."

According to a Quinnipiac University Poll completed earlier this month, Clinton has gained ground on former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in the 2008 presidential race in New Jersey and now trails the Republican front-runner 47 to 44 percent. This compares to a 49 to 40 percent lead by Giuliani on April 19.

"No can't let Fulop look good,Healy could have went there and been the bigger man.I'm sure they would have extended happy hour until he got back.Asshole...."

Mr. Rogers your post really sums up the achievements of the current administration in a nice, concise way. More interested in the unstarted 2009 election campaign than bringing attention, growth and life to the City.

The fundraiser part never was cancelled.Thats just what the J__koff Politions who run this city wanted you to think.How utterly stupid and selfish the Healy and sires people were in getting the rally cancelled.How great would it have been for Jersey City to be seen on the Six o'clock news with thousands of people in Newport Square.No can't let Fulop look good,Healy could have went there and been the bigger man.I'm sure they would have extended happy hour until he got back.Asshole....

If you look really closely you might see my fat-ass in one of those photos. Once again, good call on the Clinton cancellation - us construction guys knew it was still on, way before any residential association or Fulop!

At least I was able to post some parcels at the UPS shop there with no-one in the store!

There are some pictures here:

http://www.newportresident.com/mb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11#p41

Hillary arrived and waved - cops everywhere in Newport today around 5pm

So much for 'insider' information!

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Both Stevn Fulop and neighborhood groups have sent email qs to why the rally was sceduled. Another reason to join your neighborhood group so you'd know this info:

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It appears that the Hilllary Clinton visit to Newport's "Town Park" has been cancelled...no reason given.

Hillary's coming to town

Dem presidential frontrunner in JC for private fundraiser

Ricardo Kaulessar
Reporter staff writer

Note: The web version of this article is different from the one published in the printed edition of the Jersey City Reporter.

Former First Lady and current U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton is coming to Jersey City this Monday, July 30.

The 2008 presidential contender will appear at a private fundraiser in Newport.

Clinton is the leader in a pack of Democratic hopefuls, including popular U.S. Senator Barack Obama from Illinois and Ohio Sen. Dennis Kucinich, both of whom already have visited the city.

Hosting Hillary Clinton's appearance are Downtown City Councilman Steven Fulop and developer Jaime LeFrak of Newport Associates. According to Fulop, last week he received confirmation that Gov. Jon Corzine and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, both of whom live in Hoboken, will join Clinton.

"She has the correct and reasonable perspective on policy to end the war in Iraq, in which I still have friends serving," Fulop said last week.

According to Fulop, he and other local Clinton supporters worked for months to schedule the event, and they are looking forward to seeing her address the public.

"There was certainly a demand and this will be great, as it is her first appearance in Hudson County," Fulop said. "And I am just happy to be a part of it."

Clinton's appearance is the third by a Democratic presidential candidate in Jersey City in the last three months. In April, Kucinich met with a small group of Downtown Jersey City residents for a dinner discussion at the Brownstone Diner on Jersey Avenue. In May, Obama held a fundraiser at the Liberty House Restaurant in Liberty State Park, hosted by Obama supporters Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Healy said last week that he chose to support Obama because he has "the right temperament." Healy also pointed out that Obama reached out to him for support early in the campaign.

"This is not to take away from Hillary Clinton, who I respect a great deal," Healy said, "but he's very good one-on-one with people; he's terrific one-on-10. And I believe he is the best person."

Hillary is their woman

It is not the first time a Clinton has come to town. Former President Bill Clinton came to Jersey City in 2005 to lend support to Menendez in his successful run for the U.S. Senate.

Clinton is coming into friendly territory on Monday. Various polls show she leads in popularity amongst Hudson County residents over her Democratic rivals.

Fulop said that as a Iraq War veteran who served there in 2003, his respect for Hillary Clinton is borne out of her stance on the war.

Fulop said, "As a veteran of Iraq, this issue is important to me, and she has been a strong and vocal supporter of veteran issues."

Fulop added, "On the domestic front, she will be good for business and the economy."

Other Jersey City residents weighed in last week on Clinton as candidate.

Newport residents weigh in

Sonia Maldonado, a Newport resident for over 10 years, said she will be meeting with Clinton at the private fundraiser and has sent out numerous e-mails to friends and acquaintances informing them of her appearance.

"I think it's time for this country to have a woman president," Maldonado said. "I think when she is in office she will do a tremendous amount of work in terms of health care reform."

Richard McCormack is an employee of the Hudson County Division of Welfare and a longtime freelance photographer whose work has appeared in this newspaper.

"I believe she is the strongest of the Democratic candidates running," McCormack said. "And I am not afraid it will be a Bill Clinton administration, as some people I know are worried that she will have his people running things. If there is an overload of Bill Clinton, what's wrong with that? What did Bill Clinton do to hurt this country?"

McCormack joked, "That's one Bill she won't veto."

McCormack, who is a diabetic, said that he also believes her presidency will lead to more funding for juvenile diabetes research.

But one longtime unnamed Jersey City resident, currently living in the city's Heights section, said she doesn't "bet on going there" unless she could question Clinton one-on-one.

"She funded the war in Iraq, but now calls for the troops to be immediately withdrawn," the resident said. "I would ask her if all the troops are pulled out, how she thinks this will affect this country."

Why Jersey City?

Jersey City has become a popular destination for presidential candidates this year.

Fulop believes next year's early presidential primary in New Jersey on Feb. 5, 2008 is one reason why candidates are showing up here.

"The primary moving up has had an impact and the wealth of the state makes it an important place for politicians to get their message out," Fulop said.

New Jersey residents donated $16 million to Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in 2004, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Responsive Politics. Jersey City residents alone donated approximately $2.6 million to 2004 presidential candidates.

City Councilman Steve Lipski, who represents the city's Journal Square area, said there is another factor attracting presidential hopefuls.

"The Democratic Party [in Hudson County] is split on who it's going with, so there's an opportunity for candidates to pick up some major support here," Lipski said.

Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com

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Good article.

Here is an Pro-Clinton article about the fundraiser here in Jersecy City from NJpolitics.com:
================================

"The world is not in the mood for that"
By Max Pizarro - July 29, 2007 - 8:39am
Tags: Hillary Clinton, John Graham,

The Hillary Clinton camp says Clinton?s quick, detail-oriented response during a CNN debate last week shows she?s ready to lead in a crisis.

"It?s experience here," said John Graham, one of the chief fund-raisers for the Clinton for President Campaign in New Jersey, which will welcome their candidate to two private events on Monday - one in Jersey City and one in Cresskill, in which they hope to raise around $200,000.

Graham said the face-off between Clinton and Obama on foreign policy hinges on a key distinction, which Clinton nailed and Obama did not. To the question of whether he or she would negotiate with sworn enemies of the United States "without preconditions," Obama said he would, while Clinton said nay.

Here?s the question from the debate: "In 1982, Anwar Sadat traveled to Israel, a trip that resulted in a peace agreement that has lasted ever since. In the spirit of that type of bold leadership, would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?"

Here?s the money part of Obama?s answer: "I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -- is ridiculous."

And here?s the germane portion of Clinton?s answer: "Well, I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I will promise a very vigorous diplomatic effort because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are. I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes. I don't want to make a situation even worse. But I certainly agree that we need to get back to diplomacy, which has been turned into a bad word by this administration."

Clinton later called Obama?s response "irresponsible and naive."

"He didn?t pre-qualify it the way she did," admitted Graham, who also said it?s naive to think Obama would negotiate without preconditions - but the fact that Clinton was attentive to that nugget in the question shows she?s better prepared to be president.

"Barack didn?t know how to say it yet," said Graham."Hillary, as smart as she is - she understood what needed to be said at that moment.

"Barack is very bright, but we don?t need on-the-job training right now," Graham added. "We?ve just been through that with Bush. The world is not in the mood for that."

Graham said he likes Obama and would love him for the number two spot on the ticket.

Of the opposition candidate?s on-stage comeback in New Hampshire on Thursday, in which Obama likened Clinton?s foreign policy approach to "Bush-Cheney-lite," Graham said, "He?s under such pressure from the ultra-liberal end of the party, which thinks he?s not strong enough, and he?s not distinguishing himself enough, that he?s trying to position himself by saying, ?I?m different from her.?"

Graham said Clinton demonstrated she has the spot-on instincts "not to be sitting down there in that school for 20 minutes the way Bush was on 9/11."

http://www.politicsnj.com/world-not-mood-10591

Published on Thursday, July 26, 2007 by The Nation
Clinton, Kissinger and the Corruptions of Empire
by John Nichols

Of all the corruptions of empire, few are darker than the claim that diplomacy must be kept secret from the citizenry.This hide-it-from-the people faith that only a cloistered group of unelected and often unaccountable elites - embodied by the nefarious and eminently indictable Henry Kissinger - is capable of steering the affairs of state pushes Americans out of the processes that determine whether their sons and daughters will die in distant wars, whether the factories where they worked will be shuttered, whether their country will respond to or neglect genocide, whether their tax dollars will go to pay for the unspeakable.

It allows for the dirty game where foreign countries are included or excluded from contact with the U.S. based on unspoken whims and self-serving schemes, where trade deals are negotiated without congressional oversight and then presented in take-it-or-leave-it form and where war is made easy by secretive cliques that are as willing to lie to presidents as they do to the people.

Unlike the excluded and neglected people, however, presidents have the authority to break this vicious cycle by making personal contact with foreign leaders, by publicly meeting with and debating allies and rivals, by taking global policymaking out of the shadows and into the light of day. When the president is personally and publicly in contact with the world, diplomacy is democratized.

As the most scrutinized figure on the planet, an American president who meets and maintains contact with leaders who may or may not follow the U.S. line on any particular issue involves not just him- or herself in the discussion but also the American people. The president lifts the veil of secrecy behind which horrible things can be done in our name but without our informed consent.

So it matters, it matters a great deal, whether those who seek the presidency promote transparent and democratic foreign policies or a continuation of a corrupt status quo that has rendered the United States dysfunctional, misguided and hated by most of the world - and that has caused more than 80 percent of Americans to say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

In the race for the Democratic nomination for president, the two frontrunners are lining up on opposite sides of the question of whether foreign policy should be conducted in public or behind the tattered curtain of corruption that has given us unnecessary wars in Vietnam and Iraq, U.S.-sponsored coups from Iran to Chile, trade policies designed to serve multinational corporations and a seeming inability to respond to the crisis that is Darfur.

Hillary Clinton, the candidate of all that is and will be, wants there to be no doubt that she is in the Kissinger camp.

The New York senator?s campaign is attacking her chief rival, Illinois Senator Barack Obama ☼, for daring to suggest that, he would personally meet with foreign leaders who do not always march in lockstep with the U.S. government.

In Monday?s night?s YouTube debate, candidates were asked it they would be willing to meet ?with leaders of Syria, Iran, Venezuela during their first term,? Obama immediately responded that, yes, he would be willing to do so. He explained that ?the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them ? which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration ? is ridiculous.?

Clinton disagreed in the debate and now her camp is declaring that, ?There is a clear difference between the two approaches these candidates are taking: Senator Obama has committed to presidential-level meetings with some of the world?s worst dictators without precondition during his first year in office.?

Leaving aside the fact that Venezuela?s Hugo Chavez, a popularly elected leader, is not one of the ?world?s worst dictators,? it is particularly galling that Clinton ? in her rush to trash Obama ? is contradicting her own declaration in an April debate that, ?I think it is a terrible mistake for our president to say he will not talk with bad people.?

Unfortunately, Clinton?s vote to give Bush a blank check for war in Iraq and her defense of that war, her support for neo-liberal economics and a Wall Street-defined free trade agenda and her general disregard for popular involvement in foreign-policy debates suggests that the senator is showing true self when she dismisses the value of presidential engagement with the leaders of foreign lands.

Clinton is playing politics this week. But in a broader sense she is aligning herself with a secretive and anti-democratic approach to global affairs that steers the United States out of the global community while telling the American people that foreign policy is the domain only of shadowy Kissingers.

She is not just wrong in this, she is Bush/Cheney wrong.

If I was a betting man, Hillary will be the next president and the first woman to do so - good luck to her and I hope she learned from her Bill's mistakes.

Just to keep you updated, both Governor Corzine and Senator Menendez have confirmed that they will be participating this coming Monday!

Hope to see you there
Steven Fulop

Considering its a Fulop event she must be pissed off that she is not included.I wonder if Bob Vivien is going.that would really be Funny.

What's the bet that Sonia makes an ass of herself during her visit.

PS - Not construction work overlooking that area (security) - we are paid to stay home, hooray!

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I hope you have been well and I just wanted to keep you informed that this coming Monday, July 30th, Senator Clinton will be in Jersey City at a free public event.

Senator Clinton is the first presidential candidate to have this type of rally in Jersey City and it will be a great opportunity to hear her speak on the issues that face the country. I have attached details below and I look forward to seeing you there.

Who: Senator Hillary Clinton

When: Monday, July 30th at 5PM

Where: Newport Town Square (located in front of South City Grill in Newport)

Please forward this information to any individuals that you think would be interested in attending.

Sincerely,

Steven Fulop
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

email: info@stevenfulop.com
web: http://www.stevenfulop.com


Steven Fulop For Jersey City | NA | Jersey City, NJ 07302 | NJ | 07302

I will be there with rotten vegetables in hand

Secret service, I'm just kidding.

Senator Clinton will be speaking at a public rally in Downtown Jersey City on July 30th.

This will be a free event and a great opportunity for people to see and hear her firsthand. I have included below details for anyone who wishes to attend.

Who: Senator Clinton
When: Monday, July 30th at 5:15PM (sharp)
Where: Newport Town Square

If you have the opportunity, I hope to see you there.

Best regards
Steven Fulop

July 30 fund-raiser for Hillary Clinton at a Newport tower

Friday, July 13, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Hillary is coming to Hudson County.

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign confirmed yesterday that the front-running Democratic presidential candidate will hold a fund-raiser at the Newport Financial Center in Jersey City on July 30.

The event hosts are Downtown Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop and Jamie Lefrak, managing director of the LeFrak Organization, the builders of Newport.

"There is no question that she (Clinton) is the most able and capable and experienced presidential candidate that's competing for the job," said Lefrak, who has met the New York senator twice before and has contributed to her campaigns.

"She was involved in national politics during a time when the financial services industry, which is regionally very important to Jersey City, thrived," Lefrak added.

As an Iraq War vet, Fulop said he backs Clinton because of foreign policy experience. "I agree with her positions," said Fulop, a $2,300 donor to the Clinton campaign. "She has the experience to do a terrific job."

Former President Bill Clinton is not expected to attend the $1,000-per-person event, which will be held in a party room in the office building, organizers said.

In May, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and Newark Mayor Cory Booker endorsed U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. for president and attended a $2,300-a-plate fund-raiser luncheon at the Liberty House Restaurant in Liberty State Park.

Healy has said he supports Obama because of his commitment to invest in urban areas. Fulop is a potential challenger to Healy for mayor in 2009.

According to a Quinnipiac University Poll completed July 5, Clinton has gained ground on former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in the 2008 presidential sweepstakes in New Jersey and now trails the Republican front-runner 47 to 44 percent. This compares to a 49 to 40 percent Giuliani lead on April 19.