Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Chris Christie surprised to find people not happy that he lavished Obama with praise before election
Hot Air ^ | 11/20/12 | Allahpundit

Posted on 11/20/2012 8:51:44 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

I keep thinking, “Christie can’t possibly come back from this.” And then I think, “Wait, did we actually just nominate John McCain and the guy responsible for RomneyCare?”

Never underestimate the Republican capacity to forgive, my friends:

But behind the scenes, the intensity of the reaction from those in Mr. Christie’s party caught him by surprise, interviews show, requiring a rising Republican star to try to contain a tempest that left him feeling deeply misunderstood and wounded...

The tensions followed Mr. Christie to the annual meeting of the Republican Governors Association in Las Vegas last week. At a gathering where he had expected to be celebrated, Mr. Christie was repeatedly reminded of how deeply he had offended fellow Republicans.

“I will not apologize for doing my job,” he emphatically told one of them in a hotel hallway at the ornate Wynn Resort...

Inside the Romney campaign, there is little doubt that Mr. Christie’s expressions of admiration for the president, coupled with ubiquitous news coverage of the hurricane’s aftermath, raised Mr. Obama’s standing at a crucial moment...

“Christie,” a Romney adviser said, “allowed Obama to be president, not a politician.”

Romney 2012 donors, many of whom were doubtless prospective Christie 2016 donors, are supposedly “furious.” Two things here. One: While Christie will wisely and strenuously attempt to frame this as an argument over whether he was supposed to “do his job” in the aftermath of a ferocious disaster, that’s a total red herring. The objection isn’t that he worked with Obama, it’s that he seemed bizarrely determined to lavish fulsome praise on the guy with election day bearing down. He could have simply said, “I’ve been working with the president throughout the crisis. He and FEMA have been helpful.” Mike Bloomberg, who ended up endorsing Obama, politely declined his request to visit NYC after the storm on grounds that it would have been disruptive. Christie could have done that too. Bottom line: How would it have interfered with Christie’s ability to “do his job” if he had merely refused to provide Obama with a glorious bipartisan photo op just a few days before the election? Was O not going to take his calls for FEMA aid anymore otherwise? It’s impossible to believe that this was all a product of storm-induced blindness to the political implications rather than Christie working an angle to appeal to Democrats in New Jersey ahead of a tough gubernatorial race potentially with Cory Booker.

Two: How much will it hurt him really? If Booker does run and Christie beats him next year, it’ll be a morale booster for conservatives nationally who are still bummed about 2012. Then, eyeing a presidential run in 2016, he’ll start tacking to the right. He’ll do a lot of grumbling about Obama to media outlets to try to purge the lingering aftertaste of his Sandy press conference. He’ll also do some outreach to Latino voters and young voters, both in New Jersey and nationally, to build media buzz that he’s “building bridges” to key demographics that the GOP lost in 2012. (His Jersey persona lends itself to a paint-by-numbers “in touch with the middle class” narrative too.) He’ll have more viral-video confrontations and people will ooh and aah over those. He’ll stand out at the debates too as the brusque, no-nonsense guy among more polished candidates. The point in all this won’t be to ingratiate himself with grassroots conservatives; between the Sandy episode with O and his various other heresies, including his belief in man-made global warming, that bridge is probably burned. But, per my McCain/Romney point up top, it’s certainly possible to win the nomination even if grassroots righties disdain you, especially if the base is split several ways among other candidates (Rubio, Ryan, Paul?). I’m not saying he will win, just that it’s silly to write him or anyone off right now. We nominated Mitt Romney and John McCain, guys. Repeat that to yourselves until it sinks in. And then, when it does, tell me how you did it. Because it still hasn’t sunken in for me.

Anyway. Even if Christie rehabilitates himself in time, it won’t be anytime soon. Via Mediaite, here’s “The Five” dumping on him on yesterday’s show.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: chris; chrischristie; cinos; election2012; rino; stupid; whatdidyouexpect
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last
To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

That fat ba$tard is dead to me. Not that he was my favorite to begin with - with his reflexively anti-gun stance and his nomination of multiple pro-Islamist judges in the name of “diversity” - but he all but gave Bathhouse tongue during Sandy and positively sunk any chance of getting rid of that Commie SOB.

I will be a broken glass Republican for anyone BUT Christie.


41 posted on 11/20/2012 9:32:12 PM PST by Ancesthntr (Why do blacks think that a half-white multi-millionairre really cares about them?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hildy

Narcissitic behavior is the “new Normal”!

Where ya been Hildy?
/s


42 posted on 11/20/2012 9:34:38 PM PST by acapesket
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

I think you are right. I think those lunatics would indeed nominate Jeb. I swear by all thats holy, i will NEVER vote for anyone named Bush. Even if they aren’t related. Even if the dems run Lenins grandson against him.

I mean it, i really do. At that point it would be better to vote for the democrats directly, rather than endure the death of 1000 cuts with the GOP.


43 posted on 11/20/2012 9:37:43 PM PST by DesertRhino (I was standing with a rifle, waiting for soviet paratroopers, but communists just ran for office.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
“I will not apologize for doing my job,” he emphatically told one of them . . .

And I will not apologize for donating to any Conservative who runs against you, Two Ton.
44 posted on 11/20/2012 9:38:22 PM PST by righttackle44 (Take scalps. Leave the lance and the arrows as a warning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

I formerly loved Christie.....not anymore. I can understand working for your state and being emotional about the devastation, but he went too far praising and hugging Obama. Fool.


45 posted on 11/20/2012 9:38:22 PM PST by tioga (On suicide watch. 4 more years is too much.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: righttackle44

Does anyone think that people will vote for a guy who could keel over at any time from a massive coronary?


46 posted on 11/20/2012 9:40:59 PM PST by dfwgator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

47 posted on 11/20/2012 9:51:43 PM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cableguymn

The colloquial New Jersey comment would be: “He thinks who he is’’.


48 posted on 11/20/2012 9:52:31 PM PST by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Two "GOP" pols I will never vote for - anyone with the last name of, or relation to, Bush, and Chris Christie.
49 posted on 11/20/2012 9:53:50 PM PST by Major Matt Mason ("Journalism is dead. All news is suspect." - Noamie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Too comfortable in one’s skin.


50 posted on 11/20/2012 9:55:53 PM PST by Gene Eric (Demoralization is a weapon of the enemy. Don't get it, don't spread it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hildy

Not far at all. A fat-ass Lou Costello look-a-line f’ing RINO would be a heavy load indeed.


51 posted on 11/20/2012 9:56:34 PM PST by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

Chris Christie is the new Charlie Crist and will soon suffer the same fate!


52 posted on 11/20/2012 10:00:16 PM PST by Randy Larsen (Aim small, Miss small.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tioga

I enjoyed watching his take no prisoners attitude but that was te end for me. He is dead to me. He is worse than a rino. He is a traitor.


53 posted on 11/20/2012 10:20:56 PM PST by Newton (All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

That fat freak will never get my vote for anything...including dog catcher.


54 posted on 11/20/2012 10:32:06 PM PST by ASouthernGrl (BHO sucks)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

When Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie took Obama to a Atlantic City, New Jersey to see the storm damage from the big storm called Sandy and Christie decided to bizarrely gush over Obama and hug him, I could not believe my eyes. My first thought was that Obama or an Obama inner circle person or an elect-Obama person must have threatened him or his family in some major way. That thought was only strengthened when a day or so later Mayor Bloomberg of New York City also surprisingly put on a big nervous over the top act of praising Obama and recommending him for president and scraping the barrel for a plausible reason. Reason: the environment. I understand they both needed federal disaster relief aid for their regions. But, their behavior seemed to go further. Under the not too good acting, both Chris Christie and Mayor Bloomberg looked pained and frightened when as they lunged overboard and acted out of character, as if their very lives depended on pushing Obama over the top to being reelected president.


55 posted on 11/20/2012 10:54:09 PM PST by Best and Brightest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

What an unmittigated pantload!!!


56 posted on 11/20/2012 11:04:13 PM PST by SierraWasp (Welcome to the next 50 months of an unprecedebted lame duck session!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doc1019

A political anminal with a futre I don’t intend to have any part in.

His choice to lavish Obama at the critical hour rather than simply making like the New York Democrat and tending his States business seems to demonstrate that this man has at the very least very poor judgement. Perhaps not as poor as his new York Counter parts in all other areas but in the critical political area he is sorely lacking.

Assuming hes not wolf in sheep clothing which I am prepared to believe he is as you suggest. Hes got me wondering what Ann Coulter sees in the man, and if she really still sees it.


57 posted on 11/20/2012 11:06:30 PM PST by Monorprise
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
(Art.) It’s impossible to believe that this was all a product of storm-induced blindness to the political implications rather than Christie working an angle to appeal to Democrats in New Jersey ahead of a tough gubernatorial race potentially with Cory Booker.

That has the solid ring of "now we're down to the brass tacks".

If his political ambitions extend no farther than another five years in the governor's residence and maybe 12-18 years in the Senate, he needn't care at all what Republicans or conservatives in other States think.

But it won't work. Blacks will elect Booker with a 98% straight-ticket Democrat vote (and some help from Axelgrease sending extortion threats to key election officials, and a big chunk of runaway Mexicans voting 75/25 Democrat), and 12 years from now we'll have to think really hard to remember who this guy was.

58 posted on 11/20/2012 11:14:05 PM PST by lentulusgracchus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: onyx
These East Coast Republicans are always built up by the East Coast media and East Coast pundits, like Ann Coulter.

Like their coverage of NCAA football: They always have perennial faves, like Notre Dame and anyone in the ACC.

59 posted on 11/20/2012 11:18:37 PM PST by lentulusgracchus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
I think I would much rather for him to be in New Jersey than the radicals who are planning to run against him. Think twice before you write him off completely. Let time take care of him and see what happens. You have to realize Mitt had to carry the ball. It's odd to see so many people walking on glass or pins and needles, making excuses while eating their own. Maybe he is done politically-though, let time sort it out. He was good standing up to the teachers unions. When a storm comes, govs and presidents suck up to one another. Bush even hugged that goof ball Major Nagin (Nagin blamed Mr. Bush for most of the problems) This is not my cause (Christie) Do what you want with him. Just saying..think about it.
60 posted on 11/20/2012 11:27:45 PM PST by Christie at the beach (I like Newt. .Our nation's foundation is under attack.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson