Obama: I Have More Executive Experience Than Palin (Because I managed my campaign)

Thank you Obama - you just proved our point that you also have bad judgement in admitting it. It's laughable to say you are more experienced becuse you managed your Presidential campaign - you just proved our point..
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Barack Obama contends that he is more experienced in executive matters than Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin because he has managed his presidential campaign for the past 18 months.

Speaking on a cable news channel Monday night, the Democratic presidential nominee said he is better prepared to handle a disaster like Hurricane Gustav because of his pursuit of the White House.

“Well, my understanding is that Governor Palin’s town of Wasilla has, I think, 50 employees. We’ve got 2,500 in this campaign. I think their budget is maybe $12 million a year. You know, we have a budget of about three times that just for the month. So I think that our ability to manage large systems and to execute I think has been made clear over the last couple of years,” Obama said.

John McCain’s spokesman called the suggestion “laughable.”

“For Barack Obama to argue that he’s experienced enough to be president because he’s running for president is desperate circular logic and its laughable. It is a testament to Barack Obama’s inexperience and failing qualifications that he would stoop to passing off his candidacy as comparable to Governor Sarah Palin’s executive experience managing a budget of over $10 billion and more than 24,000 employees,” said spokesman Tucker Bounds.

Republican National Committee Victory 2008 Chairwoman Carly Fiorina also blasted the Democratic campaign.

“I am appalled by the Obama campaign’s attempts to belittle Governor Sarah Palin’s experience. The facts are that Sarah Palin has made more executive decisions as a mayor and governor than Barack Obama has made in his life,” Fiorina said, adding that the Obama camp’s attacks raise the question of sexism.

“Because of Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the presidency and the treatment she received, American women are more highly tuned than ever to recognize and decry sexism in all its forms. They will not tolerate sexist treatment of Governor Palin,” she said.

Manalapan Republicans calling for positive committee campaign

This was reported in today's APP and reported by Alesha Williams Boyd

MANALAPAN — The GOP candidates for Township Committee have challenged their Democratic opponents to limit campaign spending to $5,000 per candidate and limit the signs they post to 250 per campaign.

But the Democrats say they plan to follow state and municipal guidelines — not their opponents' — in a "clean and fact-driven campaign."

"In this economy, never has it been more important to use money efficiently and make the most of every dollar. We're prepared to show the residents of Manalapan that we can do more with less. That's what's needed on the Township Committee," said Republican Ryan D. Green, who is seeking a committee seat in the November election with running mate William Garcia.

The Republican candidates say they're also challenging their opponents not to accept contributions from special interest groups and political action committees and to run a "positive, issues-based campaign."

But the Democratic candidates, Mayor Michelle Roth and running mate Donald Holland, say they already initiated a meeting in August with their opponents to discuss debates and keeping the campaign clean.

"We are pleased to see that the Republicans have agreed with our request for a clean and fact-driven campaign for Township Committee, free of any mud slinging," Roth said. "We intend to make sure the voters are well informed before Election Day utilizing town-wide mailers, walking door-to-door and publicly debating our opponents."

Regarding limiting spending, Roth said she and Holland aren't planning to comply with Green and Garcia's demands, adding "one mailer with postage and printing is over $5,000." Roth said she spent roughly $17,000 on her last political campaign in 2005.

"As always, we will abide by the state regulations concerning campaign spending and contributions," Roth said.

But Green and Garcia said state regulations, which allow the contributions, don't go far enough.

"We need to limit the power of special interest groups in political campaigns in Manalapan, and campaign spending limits are the best way to accomplish that," Garcia said.

"We just wanted to keep the air clear right from the start," Green said. "We just don't want to see third parties having too much say in what happens in Manalapan."

Campaign signs became the focus of another conflict down party lines in December when the Township Committee's Democrats, including Roth, voted against adopting an ordinance that would limit the signs. Republican Committeeman Andrew Lucas then said the signs caused "sight pollution" in town, but Roth said she was concerned the ordinance could violate First Amendment rights.

Green said he wouldn't comment on Roth and Holland's decision not to meet their challenge, but that he and Garcia planned to comply with the limits they set for themselves.

"People are tired of seeing a sign at every turn come the fall political season. Limiting campaign signs is a responsible way to consider the residents of Manalapan," Green said.

Sarah Palin - Everything Corzine isn't

NJ GOP PRAISES McCAIN VP PICK

Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson issued the following statement regarding Senator John McCain’s announcement that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president:

“New Jersey is going to love Sarah Palin, She is everything that Jon Corzine isn’t. She is a straight talking fiscally conservative reformer who has fought corruption, attacked wasteful government and delivered real results. Like John McCain, she has a record of doing what’s right and working with those from both sides of the aisle to deliver change and shake up the status quo.

When it comes to change the McCain Palin team hasn’t just talked the talk they’ve walked the walk.”

Discussion of degrees may come in Sept. ... yeah right

BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer, News Transcript

Members of the audience were not pleased when Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education Attorney Lawrence S. Schwartz advised board members not to discuss the issue of Superintendent of Schools James Wasser's doctorate degree at the Aug. 25 meeting of the board in Englishtown.

Schwartz said Wasser had not been provided with legal notification, referred to as a Rice notice, that the situation involving his receipt of the advanced degree could be or would be discussed by the board.

The board's next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 22.

Although the board members did not discuss Wasser specifically, they voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the state Department of Education's investigative report to adhere to tuition reimbursement procedures that stipulate a reimbursement payment should be made to an individual upon the completion of course work.

Patricia Horvath, Ron Lawson, Joan Leimbach, Diana Cappiello, Kathie Lavin, Christopher Placitella, Thomas Caiazza and Bunny Hammer voted on the matter concerning the tuition reimbursement.

Katie Goon, who is Marlboro's representative to the board, was not present at the meeting. She was out of the country.

The Department of Education's investigation was sparked by a citizen complaint after questions were raised about the validity of doctoral degrees obtained by Wasser, Assistant Superintendent Donna Evangelista and Frank J. Tanzini, a retired assistant superintendent.

Wasser, Evangelista and Tanzini each received a doctorate from Breyer State University, an online institution that until recently was operated from Alabama.

Each administrator was awarded a $2,500 pay increase by the board for receiving a doctorate and the district paid $8,700 in tuition to the university.

Breyer State, which was declared to be an apparent diploma mill by the Alabama Community College System Department of Postsecondary Education, was unable to have its operating license renewed in Alabama in July. The school is said to now operate out of Idaho, but an operator told Greater Media Newspapers there is no listing for the school in the state.

The Department of Education's report found no violations except in the matter of tuition being paid by the FRHSD directly to Breyer State instead of being reimbursed to the individuals after they had paid the costs associated with the online school.

While the board members accepted the report of examination, they did not discuss recommendations made in the report by the Department of Education into what ways they may wish to adjust the school district's existing policies and contracts, which currently do not require a degree from a federally recognized accredited institution.

Part of the issue surrounding the degrees awarded by Breyer State concerns the fact that while the online institution is accredited by a private organization, that accrediting organization is not recognized by the federal government.

There have been questions raised about the legitimacy of the organization that accredited Breyer State and one other institution.

Schwartz suggested that all discussions and considerations related to the Department of Education recommendations be heard at the board's Sept. 22 meeting.

When the board's attorney noted that a Rice notice had not been provided to the administrators in question, Placitella, an attorney who is Colts Neck's representative on the board, asked if it would be illegal to discuss the situation that evening without the notice having been provided.

Schwartz said it would be illegal and explained that a Rice notice must be provided to an employee three to four days in advance of the meeting at which the matter may be a potential subject of discussion.

Residents asked why Wasser was not provided with a Rice notice when it was evident that concerned citizens would want the topic addressed at the Aug. 25 meeting. The subject of the administrators' online degrees was initially discussed by members of the public at the board's July 28 meeting.

"We will be prepared as a law firm to come forward with all changes that we deem necessary for you to look at or possibly adopt," Schwartz told the board in regard to possible policy revisions.

In a statement she issued on Aug. 21, Goon asked Wasser, Evangelista and Tanzini to return the tuition money and pay increases or, in the case of Wasser and Evangelista, to resign from their positions in the FRHSD.

Evangelista is the assistant superintendent in charge of curriculum/instruction, according to the district's Internet Web site.

Wasser oversees the operation of the entire district, which has six high schools and just under 12,000 students enrolled. He has been the superintendent since late 1998.

Wasser was an FRHSD assistant superintendent at the time Daniel McGuire left the position of superintendent in early 1998. Wasser was immediately named the interim superintendent and subsequently appointed as superintendent several months later.

Schwartz said since Goon was absent from the Aug. 25 meeting, any discussions relating to this topic should be conducted when she is present.

Some board members appeared frustrated at not being able to discuss the possible policy changes that evening.

Leimbach, who is one of Howell's two representatives on the board, asked if the board members could at least discuss what they may want to see included the district's policies.

"Yes, but forgive me, I think we (the legal firm) should have an opportunity to tell you what we think should go into those policies," Schwartz responded.

Leimbach said all contracts should now be reviewed for other possible loopholes that are not yet known.

The floor was opened to public comment.

One woman sarcastically complimented the board on orchestrating the strategy of not issuing a Rice notice to Wasser, which prevented board members from commenting on the superintendent.

A

nother speaker, Edward Tobias, discussed

the issue of accreditation. He said receiving that status is voluntary and would not guarantee the type of education an individual would receive. Tobias said the individuals' longstanding records with the school district should be considered more than the accreditation of their degrees.

"While accreditation may be a good thing, we must realize it's not the only thing," he said.

Other residents said teachers work hard, especially in attaining their degrees, and expressed the general belief that the way in which the three administrators' received their advanced degree was wrong.

Applause filled the meeting room when one woman told Wasser that if he is going to be the district's superintendent, he has to deserve it.

Marlboro resident Barry Hochberg asked the board members if they would tolerate this type of situation in their own businesses. Requesting that board members ask for the tuition money and raises to be returned to the district, Hochberg encouraged members of public to reject future school budgets and to elect new representatives to the board if their expectations are not met.