The Morning Briefing January 24, 2012

TRENTON - Star-Ledger Trenton Correspondent John Reitmeyer put Maria Comella, Gov. Chris Christie's communications director, in a tight spot. Reitmeyer asked Comella for comment on former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's criticism of Christie for making a "rookie mistake," when he called Republican GOP Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich an "embarrassment" to the Republican party. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Comella was Palin's spokesperson. Comella had no comment, but rest assured, her boss will no doubt have some choice words for Palin.

TRENTON - In the high-stakes chess game of gay politics - Garden State style -Democrats thought they had put Gov. Chris Christie in check when they announced their priority in the new legislative session would be passage of a gay marriage bill, a measure the governor opposes. But the cunning governor returned the check by nominating the first openly gay, African-American Republican mayor to the state Supreme Court. Garden State Equality's Stephen Goldstein openly fawned over the governor's choice of Chatham Mayor Bruce Harris. He also had high praise for the governor. "Since Governor Christie took office, his administration has treated us with warmth and responsiveness," Goldstein gushed to The Star-Ledger. Now it will be more difficult for Goldstein and his Democratic allies, who are holding hearings on the bill today in the state Senate, to paint the governor with an anti-gay brush. Check. Your move, Dems.

BRIDGEWATER - Residents of this quiet Central Jersey commuter suburb should brace for the onslaught of national media today when Gov. Chris Christie brings his road show to town. The national media will be looking for some headline grabbing quotes from the governor as he responds to Palin's criticism (see above), as well as his choices for the state Supreme Court.

HAMILTON - Many of us have cars today that can parallel park themselves, slow down if a car ahead stops short, find the nearest gas station or rest stop. In a sign that our cars may be getting too technologically advanced, an unattended car at a strip mall in Hamilton Township apparently started itself and torpedoed through the window of America's Best Eyeglasses. The driver, an unlucky Philadelphian, told police he wasn't in the car, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Perhaps the car was looking for a pair of glasses, which it sorely needs.

OCEAN CITY - A dead whale found in the surf Monday appears to be a juvenile finback, possibly the one seen floating in Lower New York Bay last week, the Press of Atlantic City reports. Local marine experts are waiting for the whale to wash ashore so they can determine if it was hit by a ship in the heavily travelled waterway. If so, add one more to the list of victims of speeding vehicles in the busy N.Y/N.J metro area.

TRENTON - Although it will not happen in time for Giants fans to bet everything but the dog on the Super Bowl, progress has been made to reverse the ban on sports betting in New Jersey. On Monday at a Statehouse news conference, Representatives Frank Pallone and Frank LoBiondo each proposed methods of allowing sports betting. They say allowing sports betting in New Jersey would spur the economy. Meanwhile, bookies everywhere are devising new ways to take your money.

NEWARK - Talk about paying an arm and a leg. One city mortician could've used an extra set of hands in court yesterday after he was denied parole for setting up a one-stop shop for human body parts. The New Providence man was part of a ring of a dozen funeral directors who stole bones, ligaments, skin and sold them on the medical transplant market. And here we thought all the money was in organs.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

On January 24, 1935 canned beer, and the art of shotgunning, made its first appearance in the form of Krueger's Finest Beer and Krueger's Cream Ale. The Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company partnered with the American Can Company to bring 2,000 cans to beer enthusiasts in Richmond, Virginia. Underage college students everywhere rejoiced.