There are protests seemingly every day in New Jersey and this weekend, Donald Trump was scheduled to come to town – or at least to his golf club in Bedminster.

Actually, he pulled the plug on that.

But earlier today, Phil Murphy was asked today if the state was ready.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about security,” he said at his daily briefing. The governor added that this is “not the first time” the president has spent a weekend at his Somerset County golf club.

OK. But he is certainly not visiting at a normal time.

The president is set to visit during a pandemic and more immediately, during unrest nationwide.

The Trump National Golf Club is on Lamington Road.

In the past, Trump-related demonstrations – both pro and con – have taken place a few miles away on the lawn of the Bedminster Public Library. This is right at the intersection with Route 206. So, we’ll see what happens this weekend.

As he has done all week, Murphy praised the protests in New Jersey, saying most have been peaceful. He also commented favorably that many demonstrators are wearing masks.

Social distancing, however, is another matter; that’s hard to maintain in a group protest.

It was pointed out that some organizers of anti-lockdown protests have been summoned. So by not ticketing the organizers of the George Floyd-related protests, is the state “picking and choosing” relative
to political preference?

The governor said he accepts and acknowledges these protests as long as they are peaceful. He did not directly address the “picking and choosing”  question.