The Chamber of Commerce's annual train ride to Washington, a rolling convoy of lobbyists, business leaders and politicians which often serves as a kick-off to primary campaign season, was rather tame this year, according to those who attended.

The trip was dampened by both the economy, which had business groups scaling back and attendance down, and protests by three Republican candidates who slammed the trip as an insider-only extravaganza that they wanted no part of. Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and Assemblyman Richard Merkt all, in one way or another, called the trip a symbol of what's wrong with Jersey politics. (Although plenty of other members of both parties rode).

Gov. Corzine was on board and said his presence doesn't mean the rest of the people on board will influence policy, according to The Star-Ledger's Josh Margolin and Claire Heininger.

The Record's Charlie Stile noted that attendance was down 20 percent.

Even if the train was short a few Republicans, it wasn't missing their talking points. Sen. Jennifer Beck teed off on Corzine's record, according to PolitickerNJ.com.

Will train attendance really matter in the long run? I guess Republicans, seizing on the "change" argument this year, may make the case that Corzine's participation ties him to the status quo. But to get much mileage on that argument, the general public would have to know what the Chamber trip is, and care. My guess is that they don't.

More likely, it's just some early jockeying and gamesmanship. As former Gov. Brendan Byrne told the Ledger:

"What happens in politics is you look for an issue . . . This guy says one thing, so you do the other."

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.