Common Sense For New Hampshire

Recently, our brilliant governor Chris Christie showed the astute judgement to pick the MWW agency to create an ad campaign designed to bring tourists back to the Jersey shore.  Everybody knows that MWW is the Cadillac of ad agencies and well worth the $2.2 million premium over what the runner-up bidder wanted.  His choice had nothing at all to do with MWW’s political connections.  Christie knew he would take heat for making this bold decision, but he selflessly put the recovery in tourism ahead of his own political interests.  What leadership!

But there is a negative element in this state, that, for political purposes, opposes this badly needed recovery.  Personified most notably by State Senator and gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono and Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Frank Pallone, they wish to see the post-Sandy recovery in tourism spiral down to a new all time low.

From the Patch:

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono on Wednesday ripped into Gov. Chris Christie, saying the governor was more concerned about national exposure than helping residents still reeling from superstorm Sandy……………..

Buono called on Christie to return $2 million paid to a politically connected public relations firm that produced, with federal money, the “Stronger than the Storm” series of television commercials touting the Shore’s recovery and prominently featuring Christie and his family.

The $2 million is the difference between the contract that was awarded and the bid of the losing firm.

“This governor has used $2 million in recovery funds not to go to victims of Sandy,” Buono said. “But to secure a starring role in what is the equivalent of a campaign ad.’”

And in today’s Press:

Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s bromance with Rep. Frank Pallone is on hold. The Democrat from Monmouth County wants the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to probe “mismanagement of taxpayer funds” by the Christie administration from the “Stronger Than The Storm” ad campaign that features Christie and his family in TV commercials.

Since Sandy there has been an element in New Jersey that has opposed our recovery in tourism … I’m talking about getting together as a community, getting behind each other and working together moving forward. To have people trying to divide a community is simply wrong.

While I understand that everyone is entitled to their opinion, I think it’s reprehensible what some people have been doing in this state.