      
             In The Lobby - REPORT: WHITE HOUSE URGED BOOKER TO RUN FOR SENATE INSTEAD                
      
                                                                                  
    
                                      
            
    
                                
                                                                                                                                                                               
            
    
                    
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
   	     
    
           
             
   	     
        
                                                                             
    
                               
             
       
                                          
                   
                    
            
              
                
               
                     
     
                                                                     
            
     
       
    
          
                                                        
                                                                                                                                                                  
       
        
                                                                                 
                 
                                                              
    
                                
         
         
     
    
                     
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           HOLLYWOOD CALLING                     Gov. Chris Christie's post Sandy fan club keeps growing. Now, famed director                                                                                                                 Steven Spielberg has named     Christie as one of his heroes:                "             He was able to put party politics aside for the greater good. And the fact that he would, right at the end of the election cycle, tell the truth about his gratitude — he was my hero."      Also on his list: Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Rachel Madow, among others.                   DEAR CORY                     Newark Mayor Cory Booker is expected to decide this week whether he's running for governor or not, and                                                                                                           NJTV host Michael Aron     has penned an open letter to him, warning him of the pitfalls of a race:     'If you run, you might beat Chris Christie, but you probably won't. The same goes for (state Sen. Barbara) Buono. What you both have going for you is that you probably start with 40 percent to 45 percent of the electorate, just being a Democrat. But Christie is enormously popular, a gifted politician, and someone who probably transcends party labels at this point. Unless his fortunes change -- which is possible -- he's going to be a two-term governor, like Byrne, Kean, and Whitman. He seems worthy of being in their company, don't you think?'      Just a few more days before we find out if Booker takes his advice.      
    
      
        
     
          
     
        
                                                                  
    
                                
         
         
     
    
                     
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                                                                                                                               Daily Muse           : REPORT: WHITE HOUSE URGED BOOKER TO RUN FOR SENATE INSTEAD                                      Posted on Friday, December 21 @ 09:17:32 PST by            dailymuse           
     
                     
     
    
                                
                                     
         
     
    
                     
                 
                                                                                                                                      Well, here's a report sure to sent tongues wagging.        The website Buzzfeed.com is reporting that the White House pressured Cory Booker to take on Frank Lautenberg and sit out next year's gubernatorial race. (Cue all conspiracy theorists chanting in unison: I knew there was more to that hug!)        Anyway,                                                                                                         here's Buzzfeed's report    :                 A senior New Jersey official told BuzzFeed that Booker's choice to run for Senate in 2014 instead — issuing a potential primary challenge to current senior Senator Frank Lautenberg — was influenced in large part by the White House.            
             A second source — a national Democratic official — confirmed that Booker received outside counsel from the White House.           
             "The White House weighed in and convinced him to run for Senate," said the New Jersey Democrat. "They viewed him as an asset that they didn't want to tarnish, and they wanted him in the Senate."           
             The Obama administration appears to have started reaching out to Booker at the beginning of December, the source said.            
             "Cory's hard to read, but when you have the White House and a collection of other people all saying the same thing to you, it becomes very hard to ignore. The establishment of the party was saying, 'Cory, don't run, you're gonna lose,'" the New Jersey Democrat told BuzzFeed.            
             The incumbent Republican Gov. Chris Christie gave President Barack Obama — who is also a longtime Booker ally — a key boost in the last days of the 2012 campaign.           
             The decision was a "disappointment" to state Democrats who felt Booker would have given Gov. Christie a more vigorous challenge than any other potential gubernatorial candidate. The New Jersey Democratic partner will now have to work with a host of bench players — such as progressive state Sen. Barbara Buono, who announced her candidacy earlier this month — as well as now-likely candidates Rep. Bill Pascrell and former New Jersey Gov. Dick Codey.           
             It became clear that Booker would not run, said the source, when "he went into the Bunker last week and you just couldn't get to him."            
             "The White House essentially conceded the New Jersey governor's race in December of 2012," said the Democrat.                   
    How long, do you think, before someone starts suggesting there was a quid pro quo?
     
          
     
    
                                             
                      
                      
     
        
     
          
                 
                                                                      
                                                                      
                                                               
                       
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