Codey states NJ will have a Lieutenant Governor by 2009

Codey was interviewed by Diana Williams on ABC NY's Eyewitness News Up Close this morning. When the subject turned to NJ not having a Lieutenant Governor, Codey said it would be a ballot item for the voters this year. If it passes, it will take effect in 2009.

What surprised me was his primary reason for being for it. He said the post would prevent another situation where he or another Senate President has to take over the Governor's role. Williams asked if it was because they become spread too thin, having to be Senator, Senate President and governor all at the same time. Codey said that he is handling that okay with a lot of help from others sharing some of the load, especially the Senate Majority Leader. Codey said the real issue is that too much power is now concentrated in one person's hands (his own) and there is just too much opportunity for abuse.

Overall the interview was pretty good. I wish Diana Williams had been better prepared. She seemed unfamiliar with some of his initiatives and some points he made during the recent State of the State address. She was not using the common interview approach of asking questions you already know the answer to in order to give the subject a framework to discuss an issue, which is effective when done properly. For example, she asked him why he had not taken a real stand on ethics issues. When he disagreed, she claimed he had only touched it in general terms and had not made any specific proposals. She looked almost embarrassed when he started rattling off details of plans he had clearly covered in his state speech and elsewhere.

I am really starting to like this guy.

This is a good start, though.

Codey is at least smart enough to realize the problems. But I always laugh at Republicans who complain about "too much power" because they said that when they were in power. IE Donald DiFransico.