"Brokered Convention?"

Will Nevada or South Carolina complicate or weed out the competition as New Jersey braces for February 5th presidential contest?

BCDO to endorse Hillary, Granell endorses Obama, rest of NA Democrats mum on what to do!

NORTH ARLINGTON - Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero announced he's endorsing NY Senator Hillary Clinton in the upcoming February 5th Democratic presidential primary.

The question now is will the rest of the BCDO follow?

Presidential politics for many is a personal decision and many resent being asked to endorse or support a candidate for president they may not like. For many Bergen County Democrats, the decision of the leadership to endorse Hillary Clinton could pose a problem into translating into actual support at the polls come primary day.

With so many possibilities between now and February 5th, a "blank check" guarantee that the BCDO can deliver for Hillary will be very interesting and have a chilling effect on the party as the infighting between Ferriero and State Senator Loretta Weinberg continues to boil over.

Outside factors like the results in Nevada as well as South Carolina will no doubt effect poll data as Hillary's lead in the Garden State continues to decrease and the momentum of the Obama effort with party activists, liberals and progressives continues to mount at a fever pitch. Some Democrats in the county would simply like to support who they like versus the race between Obama & Clinton becoming an extension of the Ferriero/Weinberg dispute.

"Most Democrats in Bergen County simply want the ability to select who they feel is best for the country and the party. In the end, there is little policy distinction between the front-runners. Others want to make this an extension of a political battle that has become embarrassing, and to some, just stupid," said another Bergen insider who asked not to be identified.

To those in the know, they view Hackensack, Teaneck and Englewood as key towns for the Obama camp while others see Hillary's strength with female voters in the more northern portion of the county along with those BCDO controlled municipalities like Paramus or Fairview.

Congressman Steve Rothman, the longest serving Bergen Democrat and regarded by many as the most respected of elected officials is pledged to Obama.

This week, Ferriero announced the selection of the Rev. Vernon Walton of Englewood to replace Connie Wagner of Paramus on the seven-member board of chosen freeholders. Wagner resigned her seat to succeed Assemblyman Robert Gordon in the legislature who was tapped to replace outgoing Senator Joe Coniglio of Paramus, who is under the cloud of a federal probe and aborted his own campaign.

Walton's appointment makes him the first African-American freeholder in the history of Bergen County. This will be the fifth time an African-American will be on a major party ticket for countywide office and the fourth time since the candidacy of the legendary mayor of Teaneck, the late Bernard Brooks.

"While the addition of Mr. Walton as an African-American is great for diversity, how will his candidacy do come November? Mr. Walton is a bit of an unknown outside Englewood and was beaten for re-election as a councilman," noted one county operative.

Does this mean Walton will meet any internal opposition?

"Doubtful. The BCDO has spoken. The tail does not wag the dog," chuckled one committeeman.

The selection of Walton while historic, continues a pattern of the BCDO choosing candidates rejected previously for local office.

Freeholder Julie O'Brien was a one-term Ramsey councilwoman who upon being easily defeated for re-election was tapped by the BCDO to run for freeholder. Former Fair Lawn Mayor David Ganz was rejected overwhelmingly for re-election, but was nevertheless re-elected to the board of freeholders. McPherson, whose term expires this year was trounced for re-election as mayor of Rutherford in 2007 and some are speculating she will not be on the freeholder ticket in 2008 because of that embarrassing defeat.

"Some Democrats have actually seen their political stock rise in defeat. It's a strange course of events," said one observer of the county scene.

While the days of grass roots competition for the Democratic nomination for county offices have all but been eliminated, the conventions are now just ceremonial in function. But with Democrats controlling all seven seats, it's hard to gage if anyone even cares.

"Many believe the Bergen Republicans are so incompetent, so irrelevant that it doesn't matter any longer and the Democrats can do what they want. Given the unusual closeness of last year's freeholder results and the continued inability of Democrats to address the issue of property taxes statewide, it will be interesting to see what kind of GOP effort will be mounted come November with what can be regarded as a vulnerable ticket," noted one Bergen area pollster.

"I believe Bergen is squarely a Democratic stronghold to be no longer viewed as a swing county," said NA Councilman Al Granell, who is supporting Barack Obama for president come February 5th. Granell, the former Jersey City resident is part of a growing number of elected Hispanics within Bergen County who are bilingual.