Thornton, Gimeno Get Close to President Obama in Jersey Visit

CREST HAVEN – A credit card company once touted, “Membership has its privileges.” That adage came true for Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton and Cape May County Planning Director Leslie L. Gimeno May 28, getting both close to President Barack Obama when he visited Asbury Park with Gov. Chris Christie.
How close?
For Gimeno, a handshake with the president as he pressed the flesh on the boardwalk in that rebuilt seaside resort.
For Thornton, a position about 25 feet from Obama, directly across from the podium, as he told the nation and world that the Jersey Shore is open for summer fun, despite being ravished by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The president told the crowd if only he could, he would like to return for some fun at the Jersey Shore, even though it was a bit rainy and not a perfect beach day.
The presidential party was tightly scheduled, According to the White House website, 1:30 p.m. delivering remarks at Asbury Park Convention Hall and departing at 2:05 p.m. from Joint Base McGuire-Dix, where Air Force One touched down. Once on Jersey soil, Obama met Christie and both then boarded Marine One for the helicopter flight to the beach town.
Thornton is a member of the president’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force Advisory Group. He and Gimeno have attended group meetings in Manhattan with other officials whose states, counties, and municipalities were devastated by Sandy’s winds and tides. They offer input on how to rebuild and prepare for future storms.
Because of that invited proximity with the president, Thornton missed the 3 p.m. freeholder caucus meeting at the county Administration Building. He made it back in time to preside over the regular 4:30 p.m. regular meeting of the board.
After the meeting adjourned, Thornton said that, as a member of the task force, he was invited to attend, and told to pick up his pass between 9 and 11 a.m. Some county mayors were also present. Vice Director Leonard Desiderio, Sea Isle City mayor said he had to decline as he had to conduct the 3 p.m. caucus, at which only two other board members were present, Kristine Gabor and E. Marie Hayes. Will Morey was absent from both meetings.
Thornton was in a group of about 150 VIPs, he said. But thousands of others gathered on the boardwalk to get a glimpse of the president.
Being close to Obama added to the list of other chief executives Thornton has met over his political career. He met Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush when he was vice president.
Thornton believed there were at least 20 television stations from around the globe to cover the event. That is the kind of publicity virtually no amount of money can buy, he said.
“It was really exciting to see the president come in with the governor,” Thornton said. “I was really impressed with impact it’s going to have and the recognition we will get with the coverage of the president saying that the Jersey Shore is open. The president emphasized in his speech how resilient New Jersey is and how far we’ve come in seven months. The Jersey Shore is open and ready for business,” he added.
“I can tell you the governor and lieutenant governor got the additional $25 million to promote tourism, but the amount of media covering president from all over the world has got to be worth $50 million in coverage,” Thornton said. “It was a big plus to the governor for making that effort and commend the effort to help our economy. It’s very important, and the media coverage will send that message out. Well done on the President’s part,” he concluded.