PRINCETON: Councilwoman attends convention

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
   Borough Councilwoman Heather H. Howard had a unique perspective on the controversy that flared up this week about the Democratic Party’s platform.
   Ms. Howard, a past commissioner of the state Department of Health and Senior Services under former Gov. Jon Corzine, is a member of the platform committee of the Democratic National Committee.
   The document made headlines with its omission of the word God and not mentioning Jerusalem as the capital of Israel — both of which were in past platforms and were added back despite sharp disagreement within the party.
   ”I’m comfortable with the changes that were made and glad that the platform reflects a strong commitment to Israel,” she wrote in an email Thursday.
   Republicans, though, hit Democrats, with presidential nominee Mitt Romey leading the chorus.
   In a subsequent phone interview, Ms. Howard charged that the GOP were trying to create issues “where there aren’t” any. She said the GOP platform does not allow abortion even in cases of rape, and that her party’s platform was “more mainstream.”
   She said the changes to the platform demonstrate “that we have an open process.”
   Though not a convention delegate, she was in Charlotte, N.C., from Sunday to Tuesday for the party’s convention.
   During the time she was there, she heard Newark Mayor Cory Booker speak and saw other political notables.
   This was the third convention that Ms. Howard has attended, having gone in 2000 and 2004 in Los Angeles and Boston respectively. From her perspective, she said Democrats were enthusiastic about re-electing President Barack Obama.
   Ms. Howard will be on the ballot with him this year, as she is one of the council candidates running to serve on the governing body that takes office in January for the consolidate Princeton. This is her first year on the Borough Council.