New Jersey Is No Joke Thanks To Sandy [AUDIO]

On late night television New Jersey is often the punch line in a joke, but as Garden Staters pull together and help one another recover and rebuild from the devastation left behind by Sandy, we're becoming a source of national pride.

The country's anti-terror czar is noticing how New Jersey is now setting the new gold standard for resilience.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says, "The thing that really has impressed me about New Jersey is there's just kind of a spirit to the place and people are working together in very tough circumstances."

Napolitano says the federal government is working on the big infrastructure issues in the Garden State like energy, gas and housing. She also thinks full power restoration is vital because as the temperatures start dropping, everyone is going to need to heat their homes if they have nowhere else to go.

Napolitano says, "You can see the assets moving in here to help and that's what we want to do. We want to help New Jersey and help the small communities that have really suffered grievous loss."

Governor Chris Christie and Napolitano are old friends and they're getting the chance to catch up. Unfortunately, it's all business at this point.

"Great sprit in New Jersey, great spirit," Napolitano told Christie as he recently toured flood ravaged Hoboken. "I know we're in this for the long haul, but I'm really impressed with what you guys are doing."

Responding to New Jersey's 'great spirit,' Christie said, "You betcha. Thank you. Thank you. We're hanging in there Janet and you guys (the federal government) have been great. You've been extraordinarily helpful."