Travellers carry their luggage through a snow bank on 7th Avenue in front of Penn Station after a snow storm in New York December 27, 2010.[Photo/Agencies]

Newark mayor shovels

As former President George W. Bush learned with Hurricane Katrina and President Barack Obama did with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, politicians are often judged on how they respond to disaster.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a rising star in the Democratic Party, has played the blizzard for political gain in his New Jersey city. Using Twitter, he personally responded to distress calls, offering to shovel snow form the doorsteps of disabled people and delivering diapers to a snowed-in new mother.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, basking in national attention for balancing the state budget while emerging as a moderate voice within the Republican Party, has come under fire for staying on vacation after the storm.

Christie and Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno remained on holiday throughout the blizzard, leaving Senate President Stephen Sweeney as acting governor.

Democratic Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman said their absence left New Jersey "rudderless."

"In the future, I would hope the Governor and Lieutenant Governor will ... better coordinate their schedules in order to put the safety and welfare of our residents first," she said.