As I was walking this morning, I considered the New Jersey Governor’s race, marked now by polls, which, I assume, are not what many democrats expected. I got to wondering how many Jersey democrats are quietly wishing that their party leaders would have nominated Acting Governor Dick Codey for governor rather than Jon Corzine. Might they privately feel that their party leaders were brought along by Corzine money and the then-conventional wisdom that Corzine would steamroll Doug Forrester?

Might they think, as do I, that Dick Codey would have come off as a real person, who, if he were to promise to deal with Jersey corruption, might actually be believed by virtually all democrats, many independents and even some republicans who might not be completely sold on Doug Forrester?

Instead, their party leaders delivered unto them an empty suit, gazillionaire bachelor, who appears to be running because he is bored with all his old toys and whose prior relationships with Torricelli, McGreevey and a host of democrat bosses and at least one convicted felon make his corruption fighting promises downright laughable.

Just thinking out loud here.

Our Mostly Cajun friend was amused at my freaking out over someone spotting a three-foot alligator wandering around in New Jersey. He tells us Northern Ladies and Gentlemen how such a thing would be handled in Cajun country.

I wonder if he has a recipe for clown sauce piquant.