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Booker: 'Leading Newark Is the Greatest Challenge of My Life'

Cory Booker says community collaboration is the secret to Newark's progress, in this series sponsored by Grape-Nuts.

About this sponsorship: In honor of the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic ascent of Mount Everest, Patch and Grape-Nuts are teaming up to highlight those who inspire people around them to climb their own mountains. As the mayor of Newark, New Jersey’s largest city, Cory Booker says he understands the importance of leadership. But he especially acknowledges the importance of inspiring and engaging local leaders to assist in achieving community goals. Q. PATCH: What is the biggest challenge you’ve taken on?   A. BOOKER: Leading Newark is the greatest challenge of my life, but it’s not a policy challenge.  I’m proud we’ve notched victories — fought to improve education, create jobs and cut crime. But the challenge has been the…

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Booker Releases Emails On $100 Million Donation to Newark Schools

Newark officials released 36 emails about the $100 million donation Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg made in 2010 to city schools.

After Newark officials were order to release emails about the $100-million donation Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg made to the city’s schools in 2010, they showed it never happened. The emails revealed the donation was dismissed by one of Mayor Cory Booker's top aides as too small, according to NJ.com. However the emails also showed Newark philanthropist Ray Chambers was in favor of it. “It is unfortunate that it took a lawsuit and ruling from the judge to force the City of Newark to turn over public documents," the American Civil Liberties Union Legal Director, Ed Barocas, said. "We and our clients will now review the documents. And if there are no bombshells in these emails, the public has a right to ask why the city was so adamant in …

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Booker Talks Governor Run, Food Stamp Challenge [Video]

Booker to HuffPo Live: "When I go out and campaign next year for myself as a gubernatorial candidate or for another gubernatorial candidate should I decide not to run..."

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In Poll, Booker Has Strong Showing Against Christie

Newark mayor tops among potential Democratic challengers

A new poll reveals Cory Booker’s chances in a race against Gov. Chris Christie would be none too shabby.  Running a close second in the polling is another Essex Democrat, state Sen. Dick Codey. Quinnipiac University today released a poll showing that of four potential Democratic challengers, the mayor of the state’s largest city would do the best against the tough-talking governor in a gubernatorial race.  Christie’s four-year term expires next year. Booker received support from 42 percent of those polled, versus Christie’s 46 percent, a fairly narrow margin for the incumbent governor. Booker polled particularly well among the college-educated and city dwellers, while Christie is especially popular with men and suburbanites. Overall, …

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Report: Booker Considering Run for Governor

Newark mayor says he is meeting with Democratic county chairs on Obama's behalf

Cory Booker is eyeing a run for New Jersey governor in 2013, according to reports. The Newark mayor and his political consultant Mark Matzen have reportedly been meeting with state Democratic county chairs to discuss challenging Republican Gov. Chris Christie, according to PolitickerNJ. Some see Booker as the best candidate to run against Christie, the publication also reported. "He’s the most viable candidate who comes to mind at this moment," said Charlotte DeFilippo, chair of the Union County Democratic Committee, PolitickerNJ reported. Booker, who has been traveling the country in recent months to stump for President Barack Obama with whom he's been closely tied to since 2007, deferred questions about a possible gubernatorial run last …

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Democratic Party Supports Same-Sex Marriage

Platform committee, co-chaired by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, backs issue for first time

The national Democratic party's platform committee, co-chaired by Newark Mayor Cory Booker, voted Saturday to endorse same-sex marriage for the first time. In a meeting in Detroit this weekend, the committee also called for the repeal of the 1996 law that recognizes marriage as between a man and woman, saying that it supports the "movement to secure equal treatment under law for same-sex couples," the Associated Press reported. Booker told Bloomberg Businessweek that while the committee's action to endorse same-sex marriage was "very significant," the top issue in the presidential campaign would be the economy. "At the end of the day, it'll maybe repel some and attract others to be more engaged," Booker told the Associated Press. "This …

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Cory Booker Hints at Chris Christie Challenge, Senate Run

Booker said at a Democratic County Committee event in Fair Lawn Wednesday that although he's focused on running Newark for now, he's strongly considering seeking higher office in the future.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker is having the time of his life leading his city's urban revitalization, but it hasn't kept him from strongly considering a run at higher office when his term expires in 2014. That's what the rising Democratic star told a partisan audience of about 200 on Wednesday night at a Fair Lawn Democratic County Committee event at the Fair Lawn Community Center. "I came [to Newark] and said I was going to do a mission," said Booker, responding to an audience question about his future political aspirations. "But I'll tell you this, I'm strongly considering the options at the end of my term." Booker said he has his eyes set on either the governor's seat or the U.S. Senate seat currently held by 88-year-old Frank Lautenberg. If…

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Legs2

9:35 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Are you saying we should elect a fireman?   more ›

Booker Lands Major Democratic Party Role

Newark's mayor will help formulate party platform

  Reports of Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s death as a player in national Democratic Party politics have apparently been greatly exaggerated. Booker, along with Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts and others, has been selected to help craft the party’s platform for the next four years , the National Journal reported today. The mayor, who has fans from coast to coast thanks to his attention-grabbing exploits and huge following on Twitter, will help chair a committee advising delegates to the Democratic National Convention being held in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 3. In May, Booker angered many in the party by defending presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s career with Bain Capital, which was the subject of recent attack ads put…

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Adam Kraemer

8:22 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012

How about having the mayor of Newark focused on fixing thing in Newark: Budget issues, crime, the old infrastructure, makeng sure the trash get piked up. You know what a mayor should do. He can stay off the state national stage and do what he needs to do at home.   more ›

PHOTOS: 46th Annual African-American Heritage Parade

State's largest celebration rolls through Newark on Memorial Day weekend

Newark's Broad Street was bursting with stunning skydivers, giant dinosaurs, spirited dancers and more Sunday for the 46th annual African-American Heritage Parade, the biggest cultural celebration in the state. The two-and-a-half hour parade, which spanned from Lincoln Park to Mulberry Street and Edison Place, was dedicated to the late Rep. Donald M. Payne Sr., with brother and former state Assemblyman William D. Payne serving as grand marshal. The longstanding parade, organized by the African-American Heritage Parade Commission, is the premier event of the four-day festival held every year at Weequahic Park. "Every child must know of the contributions that African Americans have made to make this country what it is," said Payne. This year…

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Booker, Christie Ham It Up for Video

Mayor and governor have fun with their images

Just because they're the state's two most prominent politicians doesn't mean they don't have a sense of humor. The office of Gov. Chris Christie yesterday released a lighthearted video co-starring Newark Mayor Cory Booker as a peripatetic go-to guy, riffing off his now national-scale image as a man of action following his rescue of a neighbor from a burning building several weeks ago. As the Democratic mayor of the state's largest city is depicted doing everything from coming up with a spare guitar for Bruce Springsteen to catching a falling baby, a faux-frustrated Christie hisses "Booker!" The video was produced for the New Jersey Press Association's Legislative Correspondent's Club show. Click on the video above to see the Cory and Chris…

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Mildred Bayes

7:41 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Good one Bob S.   more ›