Corzine Considers 'Apprentice' for Lieutenant Governor

Considering New Jersey's recent history with governors failing to serve out their full term (see Jim 'Knees' McGreevey and Christie Whitman), we're now going to have an elected Lieutenant Governor. To date, the State Senate President has assumed the role of governor.

So considering the possibility Jon Corzine's second in command could be elevated to governor, it would seem to make sense he'd go with a candidate with some experience. Then again, we're dealing with a pandering Democrat.

RANDAL Pinkett, the only African American to win "The Apprentice," is seriously being considered as a lieutenant-governor running mate for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine this fall, according to reports over the weekend.

Pinkett, 38, is a former Rhodes Scholar who now runs a Newark-based consulting firm.

So a guy can go from running a consulting firm to being a heartbeat away from the governor's mansion?

Good grief. There's got to be a superior candidate among elected Democrats, no?

Democratic officials have said Corzine has been looking for an African American running mate this year.

Pinkett has been close to Newark mayor Corey Booker but does not have a long record as a Democratic party regular.

For his part, Corzine is playing dumb.

When asked if he had decided on a choice for his running mate, Corzine yesterday afternoon told PolitickerNJ.com, "If I had, you'd be the first to know about it," before plunging with outstretched hand into another gaggle of potential voters.

As Corzine pivoted after making contact and started off in the direction of another densely packed group of people at the festival, he ran into two words followed by a question mark: "Randal Pinkett?"

The governor kept moving, electing not to answer the question about the Somerset County businessman turned reality TV star whom Democratic Party power players say has made the governor's lieutenant governor shortlist along with state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) and state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen).

Corzine has been trailing GOP nominee Chris Christie in the polls but has been saturating the airwaves with commercials the past several weeks. He's clearly in trouble and selecting an unelected political neophyte would appear more of a gimmick than anything. To think we could wake up a year from now with a Governor Pinkett in office is disturbing to say the least. Considering the disastrous performance of David Paterson next door in New York, the selection of a running mate should be taken seriously.