It was advertised as a "tele-rally" for Jack Ciattarelli with Donald Trump.

And sure enough, at 7 p.m. Friday, Ciattarelli introduced Trump and the president was on the phone.

Trump reminded listeners that he's in New Jersey a lot and as such:

"I know the good, the bad and the ugly."

It was quite clear who fits in each category.

The president specifically praised Ciattarelli for his commitment to energy prices and projected that if "Jack" is elected, energy prices in the state will fall by 50 percent. And he said there will be no windmills off the Jersey Shore.

More rhetorically, he said a win for Ciattarelli "will change your life."

On the other hand, Mikie Sherrill, who he called "corrupt," will be a disaster. He said she was "thrown out of school," which, to put it mildly, is quite the exaggeration.

Trump said Ciattarelli will have a friend in the White House while Sherrill definitely will not.

The exercise tonight was geared to increasing Republican turnout for early voting, which begins Saturday.

Trump, of course, is well known for questioning the integrity of elections. In that realm, he offered this cryptic observation about elections in the state.

"New Jersey has a rough reputation."

The president said he was speaking from the Oval Office, but that he soon will leave for the Far East. But he plans to watch the voting in New Jersey.

And when he returns in about five days, Trump said he's going to "campaign for Jack."

That would be "news," if it actually happens.