Bob Hennelly

New York, NY —

President Obama will be at Farleigh Dickinson University in Hackensack, New Jersey today, campaigning for Governor Jon Corzine. With less than two weeks until the election the incumbent hasn't closed the deal with voters.

Getting out ahead of his Republican opponent, former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie ...

New York, NY —

For the second time in the campaign, President Obama is in New Jersey to lend his star power to Governor Jon Corzine. WNYC's Bob Hennelly is there and has this report:

HENNELLY: The energy is electric with anticipation for President Obama's appearance. Close to 3,500 Democrats ...

President Obama hits the campaign trail this week, stumping for some vulnerable Democrats. He starts his trip fundraising among Wall Street bankers, a group the White House is simult...

New York, NY —

City Democrats are denouncing comments former Mayor Giuliani made in support of Mayor Bloomberg as race-tinged and fear mongering. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: At a Sunday breakfast in Borough Park, Brooklyn, former Mayor Giuliani assured Jewish Community leaders that Mayor Bloomberg's re-election was the ...

Bob Hennelly, WNYC senior reporter, recaps the gubernatorial debate and reviews the candidates' stands on school funding and education issues.

New York, NY —

In New Jersey, independent gubernatorial hopeful Chris Daggett has gotten a lot of media attention, but his obscure place on the ballot will be a challenge to overcome. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: In New Jersey, with a long tradition of home rule, each of ...

With just a few weeks to go before election day all eyes are on New Jersey, where the only Gubernatorial contest with the re-election of a Democratic incumbent at stake is unfolding. The White House hopes to ease the fears of members of Congress anxious about their own 2010 races by sending the party’s biggest names to the Garden State to campaign on behalf of Governor John Corzine. Vice President Biden will visit New Jersey on Monday, with former President Clinton stopping in on Tuesday and President Obama arriving on Wednesday.

There are over two weeks to go in this marathon slugfest, the major party candidates sharpened their attacks during Friday’s Gubernatorial debate at William Paterson University. Republican hopeful and former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie cast Governor Corzine as out of touch with a state reeling from skyrocketing foreclosures and near double-digit unemployment figures. Corzine countered by linking Christie to so-called “trickle-down economics” that only favor the rich.

Meanwhile, the presence of Independent candidate Chris Daggett appeared to be changing the dynamics of the contest. Daggett took both men to task for end-running state campaign finance laws by benefiting from negative ads paid for by out-of-state special interests. Daggett continued to tout his plan to cut property taxes by expanding the sales tax for services used by the state's wealthier households. And in a sign that it's now a three-way race, Christie took time to attack Daggett's plan as a burdensome tax increase.

The new ban would outlaw flavored cigarillos like these. (photo by Stephen Nessen)

New York has become the first major city to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. The city council ...

New York, NY —

It was a raucous atmosphere at El Museo del Barrio last night, for the first mayoral debate. The issue of term limits was front-and-center from the start. Mayor Bloomberg was barely through the first sentence of his opening statement when he was interrupted by a ...

New York, NY —

Last night Mayor Bloomberg and his Democratic rival City Comptroller Bill Thompson squared off for their first broadcast debate at El Museo del Barrio. Early on, it was WNYC's Brian Leher's question on Mayor Bloomberg's push to extend term limits, that produced the most direct ...

New York, NY —

New York has become the first major city to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. The city council approved a ban this afternoon 46-to-1.

According to Michelle Bonin of the American Cancer Society overall cigarette smoking is down, but the fruit and candy-flavored smokes are ...

New York, NY —

Outside the debate venue, hundreds of partisans from both the Bloomberg and Thompson campaigns made their voices heard. WNYC's Bob Hennelly filed this report

REPORTER: The chanting of Bloomberg boosters, backed by a strong presence from the building trades could be heard for blocks. Laid off ...

Bloomberg, Al Gore, and a small army of volunteers push around the eco-friendly white paint on the roof ...

New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg faces Democratic rival Bill Thompson in a live broadcast debate tonight on WNYC. So far, the Mayor, who is once again self-funding his campaign, is outspending his rival by more than 10-to-1. But that's not the only advantage the Mayor brings to the ...

New Jersey Development week wraps up. Robert W. Burchell, director of the Urban Planning and Policy Development Program at Rutgers University, and WNYC senior reporter Bob Hennelly discuss the problems of suburban sprawl in New Jersey.

New York, NY —

Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta will be stepping down at the end of the year. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: The announcement comes in the midst of Mayoral campaign where Scoppetta's FDNY tenure became an issue. The Firefighters Union faulted Scoppetta for management lapses flagged by ...

New York, NY —

Democratic Mayoral hopeful Bill Thompson says he has been endorsed by President Obama in his bid to unseat Mayor Bloomberg. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

HENNELLY: The Thompson claim is based on an answer to a reporter's question from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs at ...

Bob Hennelly, WNYC senior reporter, discusses the latest for Xanadu, the unfinished $2 billion shopping and entertainment complex in New Jersey’s Meadowlands.

New York, NY —

According to the latest filings, Mayor Bloomberg is spending a lot more in his third bid for the City's top job than he did in his two previous campaigns. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: With a month to go, the mayor has spent a record ...