Posted on 10/31/2012, 9:47:54 AM by markomalley
The media have thrilled to the sight of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie offering words of praise for President Barack Obama’s response to Hurricane Sandy. The prospect of the president’s tour of the devastation Wednesday has journalists and Obama supporters giddy with glee.
Viewing the event--as usual--through a purely political lens, the left’s pundits are celebrating their luck: could this be the October surprise that saves Obama?
Conservatives have largely ignored the supposed Christie-Obama bromance, because most understand that this is simply what elected leaders are supposed to do. Governors must look out for their states’ interests first, and in disasters, that means working closely with the federal government, including the president. Presidents are, likewise, supposed to do what they can to help, and rally the nation’s support without causing distraction.
So, when President Obama gave a moving address at a memorial for the victims of the Tucson shootings in January 2011, conservatives were united in their praise for his appeal to national unity--even though most also understood that his calls for “civility” fed an anti-Tea Party narrative, and that he had no intention of honoring them himself. Most leapt to embrace the president for doing what he had so rarely done before: his job.
In fact, conservatives only noticed the détente between Obama and Christie--who just last week offered Obama “a plane ticket back to Chicago”--once the left started acting as though it was some sort of defection, akin to Colin Powell’s endorsement of Obama in 2008 (which, unlike his endorsement in 2012, was significant and unexpected).
And so conservatives have begun, belatedly, wondering if there is some political edge to it.
But the truth about Christie’s outreach to Obama is blindingly obvious: Mitt Romney is now running away with this election...
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
I also think Christie is in total shock. I thought he was going to cry yesterday. He grew up in Jersey and when he saw parts of the shore he’d gone to as a kid, the old shops, homes and boardwalk gone, he knew it would never be the same.
What a load of crap. Since when does giving a speech about how the federal government is going to give away billions of other people’s money represent a president”doing his job”?
IMO, he handed votes to the zero on a silver platter.
I'll take the flowers, for now, but I am not settling for either one of these guys long term. Anne Coulter’s endorsement of Christie notwithstanding.
While it is our money and NOT obamas, he is doing what he should do with OUR money. They will report it as a gift from Obama to the people of this disaster and most will eat it up and believe it is true. The rats will use this opportunity like ghouls who feast on the dead. This is a move used by commies and dictators to the idiot masses like those whoo voted for this fraud and they will eat it all up and say thank you may I please have another? And the reply will be........who are you voting for on tuesday?
NJ would have voted for Obama anyway, so I dont think it matters much.
That said, I think it was very bad judgment. Christie is very uneven.
He’s buying votes with our money.
He couldn’t be bothered to help Texas out when they needed it.
He clearly is not material for President or Vice President.
I’m guessing some Freepers wants Christie to scream FUBO into the cameras at a news conference and tell Obama to pound sand?
After an event of this magnitude? I don’t think nor hope he would.
Watch for his words to be played ad nauseam in the media and in political ads up to Election Day.
He should have thanked the Federal government for its timely assistance and left it at that.
A simple, “He did what presidents are to do in situations such as this...” would have sufficed. In my view, the gushing about the wonder of the president’s response to the situation speaks more about Christie’s attempt to garner praise for himself.
I agree. Conservatives are like elephants (no pun intended). We have extremely long memories. Christie will probably eventually come to us conservatives with hat in hand wanting our votes but I, for one, will remember.
Christie is by far my least favorite GOP governor.
Yes, he’s devastated by his state’s devastation, but there’s no excuse for boosting Obama as he has.
...And that is the rub for me. He is NOT doing what he should be doing with our money. How can I say such a thing in the face of this disaster?! I offer you these thoughts for consideration...
with you, and you had as much right to give $20,000,000 as $20,000. If you have the right to give to one, you have the right to give to all; and, as the Constitution neither defines charity nor stipulates the amount, you are at liberty to give to any thing and everything which you may believe, or profess to believe, is a charity, and to any amount you may think proper. You will very easily perceive what a wide door this would open for fraud and corruption and favoritism, on the one hand, and for robbing the people on the other. No, Colonel, Congress has no right to give charity. Individual members may give as much of their own money as they please, but they have no right to touch a dollar of the public money for that purpose... Read the entire speech Not Yours To Give
Christie was stupid to allow his state to be used as a photo op for Obama. I just heard there are some more fires today.
He should have said “no thanks” because having Obama there with all the security he has to have, is a big distraction from relief efforts.
Obama has done nothing personally to help. Just sat in the WH made speeches and signed off on some FEMA aid.
No BFD!
He’s a gov in a very blue state, he has to appear as if he’s non-partisan in crises like this one. He needs all the federal money he can get to rebuild the infrastructure.
Time will tell what kind if legacy he’ll have but I don’t fault him for doing what he has to do. He obliterated the dem mayor of AC for telling people to stay put, thereby encouraging them ignore evac orders so he’s doing his job.
In our modern country...0bama is doing the job. And my disgust is that the media will trump this up as leadership.
BTW, unlike many so-called "conservative" red states, NJ has been sending billions more in taxes to DC every year than it has been receiving. Any federal aid Christie gets he does not need to beg for. It is owed, since NJ has been subsidizing DC for generations.
Those of us in NJ who go to church on Sunday, raise our children, work hard every day, pay our taxes and are married to our first wives are tired of the lectures from wannabes who live in their moms' basements and fancy themselves ideological warriors.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.