N.J. governor puts background to use

TRENTON, N.J. -- Gov. Jon Corzine apparently has yet to convince a lot of New Jersey residents that he has the financial expertise to fix the state's economic problems.

Despite his success as chief executive of global investment firm Goldman Sachs in the 1990s, a Monmouth University-Gannett statewide poll conducted Oct. 15-18 found 47% rated his financial expertise as either "poor" or "only fair."

Nevertheless, Corzine has been serving as an economic spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on national television programs and at campaign rallies.

He has been on NBC's Meet the Press and CNBC's Squawk Box in recent weeks and appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Thursday night.

He was part of Obama's July economic roundtable in Washington and campaigned for him in Florida last month, Philadelphia this month and at various rallies in New Jersey.

"He's a guy whose got a lot of experience in this stuff, who has a deep breadth of knowledge and can talk about it in a way that's pretty easy to understand for folks who aren't as knowledgeable about it as he is," says Andrew Poag, an Obama campaign spokesman on leave from Corzine's staff.

"He's certainly someone the campaign looks to for advice, but there's a number of people they talk to," Poag says.

According to the Tax Foundation, a tax research organization based in Washington, D.C., New Jersey residents pay 11.8% of their income for state and local taxes — the nation's highest rate. That number has not improved since Corzine took office in 2006, foundation figures show.

"It's funny how he's become an expert on CNBC and we heard references made during the Democratic convention to good things that are happening in New Jersey, which certainly comes as a surprise to many New Jerseyans," Monmouth University pollster Patrick Murray says.

"If Obama really looked into what little Jon Corzine has done for the state, to me, it makes Obama's judgment more suspect," says David Fisher, 53, of Manasquan, N.J., a registered Republican and professional planner.

Low approval ratings

His Goldman Sachs experience aside, Fisher compares Corzine's move from the U.S. Senate to governor without government executive branch experience to Obama's presidential bid.

"My fear is that Sen. Obama may fall into that same category," Fisher says.

Matt Holodak, 21, a Rutgers University senior from Old Bridge, N.J., says he's glad Corzine has become so vocal for Obama after first endorsing Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the primaries. He lauds the governor's economic decisions that may hurt him in the polls.

"He's getting a pretty rough rap from on all sides of the spectrum," says Holodak, citing those upset with toll hikes, increased local property and state sales taxes, and cuts in student aid. "But we needed it to balance the budget."

Thirty-eight percent of respondents in the latest Monmouth University poll approved of the overall job Corzine is doing as governor; 45% disapproved.

However, even critics such as state Republican Party Chairman Tom Wilson concede that Corzine's background as the chief executive who took Goldman Sachs public can make him appear better nationally than at home.

"That gives him cachet to a news organization," Wilson says.

The governor and his supporters argue Corzine has put the state in a better position than most during these economic times.

"People have confidence that we're thinking about the economy in a (sensible) way," Corzine says. "Yes, correcting the problem comes with concerns, but it doesn't come with the abject failure that results from doing nothing, which is what has happened in Washington."

Obama is expected to win easily in Democratic-leaning New Jersey. The recent Monmouth University-Gannett poll of likely voters showed him ahead of McCain 55% to 38%. The last Republican nominee to win was George H.W. Bush in 1988. In 2004, Democratic Sen. John Kerry beat President Bush with nearly 53% of the vote.

Testing Corzine's popularity

Tom Shea, Corzine's political adviser and former chief of staff, says whoever becomes president will parallel Corzine's path.

"Making tough decisions to clean up problems that have appeared over a long time is not necessarily a recipe for popularity," Shea says.

New Jersey Republicans considered testing Corzine's popularity by making the presidential campaign a gubernatorial referendum, says state Sen. Bill Baroni, who chairs McCain's campaign here.

"It just isn't. It's a race between Barack Obama and John McCain," Baroni says. "The people of New Jersey are wise enough to know that choosing the president of the United States is a critically important choice. We're working hard, and hopefully they'll choose John McCain."

Volpe reports for the Gannett News Service bureau in Trenton, N.J.