The volume of Republican resentment of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for what many in his party think was an overenthusiastic embrace of President Obama has gotten louder. The Daily Caller’s Tucker Carlson speculated on the Rush Limbaugh radio show this week that Christie was doing more than venting a latent resentment of Mitt Romney. He said it showed Christie wanted “a clean slate” when the governor runs for president in 2016, something that would be impossible if Romney was the incumbent president that year planning his re-election. Carlson was not the only person saying that, since the pictures of the unlikely “bromance” between Obama and Christie became the new symbols of bipartisanship.
But angry Republicans need to tone it down a bit. Though I don’t count myself among Christie’s biggest fans, and think the assumption that his tough guy persona will work as well on the national stage as it does in New Jersey is probably mistaken, I doubt that his goal this week was to slip a knife into Romney’s back. His emotional response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy was genuine, as was his gratitude for federal help. But if there was any political motive in the back of his mind this week as he went about his duties amid the chaos of the hurricane, it was probably related to what will happen in 2013, not 2016. Whatever Christie may be thinking about Romney these days, any softening of his hard partisan image has a lot more to do with a desire to set the stage for his re-election campaign next year than it does with a possible future presidential run.
If Christie has already set his heart on running for president in 2016, it would obviously be in his interest to see Obama re-elected, since a Romney victory would put off the next open GOP presidential nomination until 2020. But Christie isn’t running for president in either year unless he can fend off what is likely to be an all-out Democratic effort to deny him re-election as governor in 13 months. As such, it wouldn’t be too surprising if Christie did spend much of the coming year trying to smooth out some of his rough edges as he attempts to remind New Jersey voters that he actually has a strong record of reaching out to Democrats in the state legislature to get things done. Getting that picture of Obama and Christie shaking hands embedded in the memory of voters in blue New Jersey also will help him fend off a challenge from Newark Mayor Corey Booker, who has had his own problems sticking to the president’s party line.
The idea that Christie’s embrace of Obama’s aid to New Jersey was strictly motivated by animus for Romney also is out of context. It should be remembered that Christie actually made a very strong argument for a GOP that stuck to its conservative principles but that was still ready to work with opponents where possible in his keynote speech at the Republican National Convention.
We can’t know for sure what Chris Christie wants to happen next week, but the idea that he deliberately pursued an agenda to undermine Romney (whom he enthusiastically backed in the Republican primaries after he made it clear he wouldn’t run in 2012) is probably an exaggeration. There’s little doubt that Christie remains, as he always has been, in business for himself. But he knows his main challenge now is to get re-elected, not maneuvering for 2016.
A President Christie in the White House is too gruesome to contemplate. Haven't we all had enough of headline hungry opportunists like Obama and Chriistie for a while? Bottomless ambition and bottomless appetite aren't what we need in the Oval Office.
Don't you think that Romney is equally ambitious?
Whatever the motives, it was either really dumb of Christie or really selfish or both. Conservatives should remember this act of idiocy/selfishness.
I guess, for a moment, Christie acted like a human being. People don't like Obama because he's black. A week after he was in office, people were talking about how he isn't creating more jobs. Face it: Republicans are morons and everything is a conspiracy against them. If someone acts like a human- it's a conspiracy. Furthermore, if those people in NJ would have just worked a little harder, their homes wouldn't be flooded right now. Long live conservative rationale!
Christie acted like a human being. Obama did what a politician should do (visit a hurricane-ravaged state) but looked human doing it. The headline in New Jersey papers last weekend was "Romney CONSIDERING New Jersey Visit." Since his thoughts never got beyond considerations, he didn't at least feign the appearance of an empathetic human being but rather came off looking like a politician, who decided that amidst a busy last minute crunch New Jersey was not likely to be a swing state so why bother? Not saying that was his motivation–but that's what it looked like, and in politics perception is everything. Doubt that? Just look at who won–and who didn't–Tuesday. If we Republicans don't figure that out, we aren't going to be in office.
I agree this has more to do with 2013 than 2016 and it was quite appropriate to express appreciation and work cooperatively – but did he really have to gush? Over Obama? Christie never gushes.
"Christie’s embrace of Obama’s aid to New Jersey" made perfect sense – Newrak had lost all power for 24 hours, and, Christie managed to deflect any cries of "racist GOP" for a few days. nPlus, I assume, Christie needs to make sure the PATH tunnels and Hoboken get back in service without New York getting in the way. n nIdeological Purists have no place in actually governance.
Christie is finished in GOP politics outside New Jersey. If he had larger ambitions, he can hang them up.
Quite right. Remember one of the big killers for Charlie Crist in Florida was his warm embrace of Obama and the Porkulus money. After that he lost conservatives and Rubio was on his way. Same with Christie. His shameless pandering will not be forgotten. Hope that he likes the governor's mansion because he's never going to see the White House.
Yeah, I think Tobin is 100% correct. n nAnd frankly that makes me think more than ever that Christie is filth. n nPaisley is right. n nChristie is finished in the GOP outside NJ. He may be able to waddle to the US Senate for NJ but he will never go anywhere on a national scale. n
Everyone hates traitors, especially when they're big-mouthed and vulgar. n nIf Romney loses, Christie wll be a man without a party. If Romney wins, he will still be a man without a party – which is fitting.. n n
I think The GOP Should embrace This sort of Bipartisanship. I see nothing Inherently wrong with acknowledging the President did a good working with you. That is what is wrong with politics in America? its all party over people. Sadly, The Democrats and The GOP refuse to embrace this sort of thing and so his rise of the republican ladder may be finished. Despite being a democrat i have a bit of faith in the republicans and I think they will embrace it. Everyone loves him and i kinda want him to become and Independent but i will probably vote for him in 2016 either way this whole Obama incident just put him over the top for me.