ASBURY PARK PRESS :: MONMOUTH EDITION APP.COM $2.00
12.13.15
VOLUME 136
NUMBER 297
SINCE 1879
@ISSUE 1AABUSINESS 6AACLASSIFIED 1DSUNDAY BEST 1ELOCAL 3A
LOTTERIES 3AOBITUARIES 14AOPINION 4AASPORTS 1CWEATHER 10C
‘Like’ us on Facebook and join the conversation on APP’s hottest stories: facebook.com/asburyparkpress.
THE FORCEIS WITH YOUA local look at “Star Wars”mania, from books to toys tothe movies. In Sunday Best
ONLY ON NEWSTANDS: COUPON SAVINGS UP TO $1,321 INSIDE
Delegates from 195 countries approve a historicclimate accord. STORY, 1B
Tom Bernard, the Jersey Shore-raised co-presidentof Sony Pictures Classics, attended the inaugural As-bury Park Music in Film Festival in April.
He liked what he saw.“It reminded me of Asbury Park when I used to work
on the boardwalk in the early ’70s,” said Bernard, whoworked the cigarette wheel and was a guard at the for-mer Casino ice rink. “It was real spontaneous, all differ-ent types of people: movie people, people who were partof the local scene, a part of the art scene — all gatheredat this event.”
As one of cinema’s top movers and shakers, Bernardhas been to a few film festivals.
“This was not like other festivals,” Bernard said.“The people there were into the music of Asbury Park.They were into the movies and it was all for charity.There wasn’t anyone trying to be the star of the festival— it was a celebration of what Asbury Park’s been aboutfor so many years.”
Bernard’s films have garnered more than 100 Acad-emy Award nominations, and he and partner MichaelBarker were called Kings of the Art House by the Holly-
ASBURY PARK MUSIC IN FILM FESTIVAL
Music, filmmoguls back2016 Asburyarts festivalTom Bernard of Sony Classics signs
on for upcoming Music in Film fest
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMMY STEINLIGHT
Chairs of the Asbury Park Music In Film Festival Advisory BoardTom Donovan (from left), Danny Clinch and Tom Bernard.
See FESTIVAL, Page 6A
CHRIS JORDAN @CHRISFHJORDAN
“This was not like other festivals. The
people there were into the music of
Asbury Park. They were into the movies
and it was all for charity.”
TOM BERNARD, CO-PRESIDENT OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICSIn recent days their candidate for president has beendescribed as “unhinged,” “unsuited” to lead, even an“existential threat” to the GOP — and that’s just by fel-low Republicans.
The Democrats have been no gentler, calling DonaldTrump a “racist,” a “xenophobe,” a “bigot” and worse,this after the GOP frontrunner proposed banning Mus-lims from entering the country.
The backlash, however, only has Trump backers dig-ging in their heels, threatening to bolt the RepublicanParty if GOP leaders — many have soured on his candi-dacy — try to derail his campaign.
Trump supporters in New Jersey, where he leads theGOP pack by a wide margin, view his candidacy as abreath of fresh air, never mind the doubters.
In interviews, they likened his candidacy to a heap-
THE TRUMPSUPPORTERSNEXT DOOR
GETTY IMAGES
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets guests after speaking at a campaign rally at BurlingtonMemorial Auditorium on Oct. 21, in Burlington, Iowa.
Why he’s catching fire in New Jersey
GETTY IMAGES
Trump shakes hands and signs autographs withhis supporters after speaking at a campaignrally on Nov. 23 in Columbus, Ohio.
BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPPNICQUEL TERRY @NTERRYAPP
See TRUMP, Page 8A
IF THE 2016 REPUBLICAN NOMINATION WERE TO BE DECIDED TODAYAccording to the Dec. 10 Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, Donald Trump would gain the Republican presidential nomination
among New Jersey Republican and GOP-leaning registered voters, with Gov. Chris Christie finishing a distant second.
DONALD TRUMP
30%CHRIS CHRISTIE
14%MARCO RUBIO
13%TED CRUZ
10%
