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Michael Smerconish: N.J. race: Boss vs. Bon Jovi
"Well, if she wants to see me, you can tell her that I'm easily found . . ."
THE BOSS sang it, but the man some call "Big Boy" is living it. And, if you're looking for New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie tomorrow night, he'll be easily found at Giants Stadium, attending his 122nd Bruce Springsteen show.
A New York Times report last week detailed Christie's three-decade obsession with the Boss and the E Street Band. It also mentioned Jon Corzine's relationship with Jon Bon Jovi, who helped raise $2 million in June for the governor's re-election.
All of which got me thinking.
Forget Corzine vs. Christie. Come Nov. 3, the Garden State should be voting the Boss vs. Bon Jovi. How's this for a ballot question: Is your candidate "Born to Run" or "Livin' on a Prayer"?
"Let me tell you, I hope that's what it is," Christie told me on Tuesday. "Because anybody who knows, knows that Springsteen would beat Bon Jovi every day of the week. And you know what? In the deep recesses of his heart, Bon Jovi knows it, too."
Of course, the Big Man has come up during the campaign already - but we're not talking Clarence Clemons.
As I wrote last week, I think Corzine has been tacitly making Christie's weight an issue in campaign ads. One recent spot includes slow-mo footage of a bulky Christie getting out of a car. It comes seconds after the voice-over alleges that he "threw his weight around as U.S. attorney" to skirt a couple of traffic violations. I told Christie I thought it was a cheap shot.
"Let the governor run the campaign he wants to run," Christie said. "I think it's beneath the office he holds."
I agree. I was also pleased that Christie believes that taking a couple of hours to attend a concert isn't beneath the office he's seeking. The Times report noted that Christie planned to attend last Wednesday's show despite the next day's gubernatorial debate.
His response to a review that deemed the show listless?
"This is a guy who turned 60 . . . a week and a half ago. And he played for three hours and 15 minutes. Now I don't know how you can call that listless."
Which explains why he's going back to East Rutherford tomorrow night for show No. 122. Frankly, he's probably more qualified to write the reviews than the critics.
"Springsteen represents so much of what New Jersey really is," Christie said. "Even though I don't agree with his politics often, the fact of the matter is the guy found something he's passionate about, works hard and delivers for people. And that's the same thing that people in New Jersey want to see from their elected officials and from each other."
For his part, the Boss has declined to make an endorsement in the race. And if he did, it's doubtful he'd side with the candidate who served at the pleasure of Bush 43 for seven years.
Indeed, neither Springsteen nor Bon Jovi would seem a logical political ally for Christie. The Boss endorsed Barack Obama last year. Bon Jovi was an early Hillary Clinton supporter, but helped raise money for the current commander in chief after the primaries. Both supported John Kerry in 2004.
But forget the politics for a second. Envision the race with the Garden State's two favored sons at the top of the ticket.
Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Last month, Bon Jovi's second shot at the hall passed without even a nomination.
Eight percent of respondents in a recent Monmouth University poll listed Springsteen as their favorite artist. Bon Jovi? Three percent.
The Boss played the Super Bowl halftime show in February. Jon Bon's Philadelphia Soul won an Arena Bowl the year before.
Seems like a clear advantage for Springsteen. But despite all signs pointing toward E Street, Christie made the best case of all for the Boss.
"Bruce was not a hair band in 1980s," he told me, "that much we know."
Listen to Michael Smerconish weekdays 5-9 a.m. on the Big Talker, 1210/AM. Read him Sundays in the Inquirer. Contact him via the Web at www.smerconish.com.
