Cynical Nation

This probably didn't get much attention outside the immediate area, but Newark just elected its first new mayor in two decades. Cory Booker, a former Rhodes scholar, was elected in a landslide victory after incumbent mayor Sharp James declined to run for a sixth term.

James can't be too happy about his successor, however. He narrowly defeated Booker in the previous election, after a nasty campaign in which Sharp James's supporters urged his constituents to "vote black."

Yes, it should be noted that Sharp James is African-American.... but so is Booker. But the latter is, evidently, insufficiently "black" to adequately represent the citizens of Newark, according to the outgoing mayor. I don't know whether this assessment stems from Booker's fairly light skin tone, or from the fact that he graduated from Yale. Either way, I'd rather not speculate. I just thought I'd share some of the local color that is New Jersey's political scene for all of you readers not privileged enough to have a ringside seat.