Chris Christie’s Continual Tease: Will He Enter the Race for the Republican Nomination?
With the speech by Governor Chris Christie at the Reagan Library on Tuesday night, the speculation about a presidential run and clamor to have the governor enter the race will now only increase. Despite his persistent denials, and his answer to the second question in which the governor cited the headline at Politico titled “Running: Chris Christie’s Many ‘No’s,’” his entire tone tonight tonight as well as the venue for his address spell presidential contender.
In the speech, delivered clearly and with passion, Governor Christie sounded — well — it was as you would expect at the Reagan Library: simply Reaganesque. Starting with his reaction to President Reagan’s famous firing of the PATCO air traffic control strikers, Christie noted: “President Reagan ordered them back to work, making clear that those who refused would be fired. In the end, thousands refused, and thousands were fired.” He made that statement not as a parable for how to handle labor relations, Christie said, but as “a parable of principle,” which showed that “Ronald Reagan was a man who said what he meant and meant what he said.”
To those prominent conservatives and Republicans hoping that he will enter, a group that extends from columnist Ann Coulter to former First Lady Barbara Bush, the speech was a possible sign that, despite the denials, he is contemplating a run. Indeed, Politico now runs a story by Maggie Haberman, whose sources say just that. These sources include former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean, and those urging him to run seem to include both Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch.
Christie said that the country is now ruled by a “bystander in the Oval Office” who has been unable to “shake off the paralysis that has made it impossible for him to take on the really big things that are obvious to all Americans and to a watching and anxious world.” Christie appears to many to be just the man for the job — since he did it in New Jersey by taking on the public sector unions, and thereby helping the state achieve fiscal responsibility.
For those who think the governor has no foreign policy experience, he sought in the speech to address their concerns as well, noting that Reagan acted abroad just as he acted at home, addressing issues like Social Security and the Cold War. As Christie put it, domestic and foreign policy work together:
But, there is also a foreign policy price to pay. To begin with, we diminish our ability to influence the thinking and ultimately the behavior of others. There is no better way to persuade other societies around the world to become more democratic and more market-oriented than to show that our democracy and markets work better than any other system.
Turning to the contentious Middle East, Christie noted that “a Middle East that is largely democratic and at peace will be a Middle East that accepts Israel, rejects terrorism, and is a dependable source of energy.”
Strongly defending “American exceptionalism,” in essence he contrasted what a Christie approach would be to that taken currently by Barack Obama. Unlike an isolationist like Ron Paul, Christie argued on behalf of having the necessary resources for defense, intelligence, homeland security, and diplomacy. He said, however, that makeover of other societies cannot be done; hence, “We need to limit ourselves overseas to what is in our national interest so that we can rebuild the foundations of American power here at home – foundations that need to be rebuilt in part so that we can sustain a leadership role in the world for decades to come.”
The words sound good, but like other potential candidates, Christie gave no details as to how he or any other leader would decide when to act abroad and when to limit our foreign involvement.
If nothing else, this is perhaps the most interesting Republican contest since Reagan challenged Ford.
Americans love a man unafraid to speak his mind, and they despise a man who trims and parses his words to win the biggest possible audience. When a woman asked him how he could deal with public schools, when Christie’s children attended parochial schools, he said, “it’s none of your damn business where I send my kids to school.” End of discussion, and thousands of people chalked up Christie as their kind of guy. We are sick, sick, sick of phonies. Romney is a stiff,and Perry is a snake oil salesman. They suck all the air out of a room. Go Christie.
Americans love a man unafraid to speak his mind, and they despise a man who trims and parses his words to win the biggest possible audience.
Americans love a man unafraid to speak his mind, and they despise a man who trims and parses his words to win the biggest possible audience.
Given the antipathy to Sarah Palin, the key word here must be man. In any event read the other comments on this thread, especially #3. Go Christie – away.
Perry is a former fighter pilot, cotton rancher and farmer. He never took a debate class and does not have a debate coach. Snake oil salesman? What do you base that on?
Let’s review. Chris Christe:
1) believes in AGW and supports the idea of Cap and Trade
2) supports the Ground Zero Mosque
3) supports “immigration reform” i.e. amnesty for illegals
4) supports restrictions on the 2nd Amendment
5) supports Obamacare (he refused to have New Jersey join the other states that have sued the Federal gov’t over Obamacare, sighting the legal costs, even though the legal services to the state were offered gratis)
Aside from pimp-slapping a few hack teachers on camera, a couple of YouTube moments does NOT a president make. Christie is just a fat version of John McCain, an establishment, statist RINO, maybe even than McCain.
We need a strong, unabashed CONSERVATIVE as our candidate, NOT Chris Christie or anyone like him.
Totally agree. You have to ask who is pushing him to get into the race and why. Perhaps the MSM will elevate him to McCain status to set up the GOP AGAIN. What I heard in his speech last night was “compromise” and put party politics aside. People are fed up with “compromise” and want a “kick ass” candidate with all of our conservative values, not just two or three of them. I keep thinking about the joke of Donald Trump’s potential candidacy and how he shot up in the polls above everyone else. One reason, he articulated the frustration which most of us feel and didn’t care what “other” people thought. If these candidates are the “best” we can do, I think we’re in trouble.
I don’t know where you are getting this that Christie buys into cap and trade. He recently got NJ out of the REGGE cap and trade scheme all northeastern states have signed on to, saying simply, “it doesn’t work for NJ.”
“hack teachers”
Hmmm. Are you personally familiar with the teachers in question or, more likely, are you just a wingnut who considers all public school teachers hacks?
Yes, I live in NYC where the main concern is the union, its maintenance of power and getting even more money from the taxpayers without any concessions to reform and accountability – NOT education. As for the other issues that the concern-trolls on this thread are whining about, they are all very easy to verify on Google. Have fun.
J.J. Sefton: Show us something to back up those five statements, and Christie will have lost a backer. Maybe you’re right, but show us where you got your info on Christie.
There is a lot about this man that screams RINO, and the second coming of McCain: a “reach-across-the-aisle” republican who will be the graceful loser to Obozo.
But more disturbing is the fact that he does not at all get the threat of the radical islamist agenda. Check this out:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/chris-christie-lashes-out-at-crazies-after-appointing-muslim-judge-the-sharia-law-business-is-just-crap/
He also fired a PATH servant for ripping a Koran at a protest over the GZ Mosque. What you don’t hear about is that this man was forced to sue to get his job back, and he won, getting back his job with back pay. When Muslim sensibilities clash with American constitutional law, Christie is on the side of the Muslim brotherhood, as can be inferred from his handling of this case and his pooh-poohing concerns over shariah.
In addition while I like people who are plain-spoken Christie has come across as a **** in his plain speaking.
There is something to be said for someone who can be hard without being a ****.
Well said.
If the Establishment succeeds in nominating a RINO like Christie, it’s 4 more years of Obama, and we won’t win the Senate.
This guy is your typical loudmouth, talk tough, bag of wind. After the ultimate black man, I suppose he should be a breath of fresh air. But you are really lobbing softballs with the following sentence.
“•And some environmental positions not in tune with many conservatives.”
Tell it like it is. He is a believer in the global warming crap parade which ultimately means cap and trade and a load of new carbon taxes just like the ultimate black man.
Get over him and his BS.
tommy gunn: As a total skeptic of man made global warming and one who thinks carbon taxing would destroy this country, tell us where you read or heard this about Christie.
That’s old news, Mr. O’Brien. Google it.
As bad as that is, there is worse. Christie is not just soft on Sharia, he’s deeply in bed with the Islamists.
Christie can enter the race but like Perry he will get exposed as a RINO and Islamopanderer. Hell, Christie is even further to the left than Perry.
WHAT!? We can’t post a single link to keep fellow Americans informed?? That’s pathetic!
Search: Chris Christie – A Conservative Myth
Part 1 – Budget Myths
Part 2 – Unions and State Employees
Part 3 – Conservative Appointees
Part 4 – Political Endorsements
Part 5 – Cap & Trade and “Green Technology”
Part 6 – Gov. Christie and Obamacare
Part 7 – Illegal Aliens, Gun Control and the GZ Mosque
Part 8 – A Conservative Myth Exposed
Wanting to have Christie run as the Republican nominee proves to me that while Ann Coulter writes a good article and is mostly conservative she is blind or has some connection that prevents her understanding, that Christie is NOT at conservative. He may be a strong, forceful principled man but his principles are not conservative and he does not follow the constitution. His stand on Gun Control proves that. He is no more conservative that John Huntsman.
1. Ann Coulter is not a conservative. She’s someone who has some conservative ideas. It would be more accurate to call her a very confused person.
2. She’s very partial to Catholics (her father was one); Christie is Catholic.
We are now witnessing the desperate, dying gasps of life go out of the Republican establishment.
Governor Chris Christie is the last sacrificial goat in a long line of establishment / media chosen looser candidates selected for the people over their objections and will.
Much to their dismay the establishment / media has come to the realization that the American people have said what they meant and meant what they said more so than Ronald Reagan ever did, or would have thought possible.
November 2012 will be the end of the establishment / media’s condescending snobbery and controlling power. If Governor Christie is dumb enough to be their hero, then by all means do bring it on.
2010 was child’s play compared to what the voters are going to do in 2012 in both political parties and on both sides of the aisle.
RINO Game Over:
“Governor Chris Christie is the last sacrificial goat in a long line of establishment / media chosen looser candidates selected for the people over their objections and will.
Much to their dismay the establishment / media has come to the realization that the American people have said what they meant and meant what they said more so than Ronald Reagan ever did, or would have thought possible.”
Hope springs eternal but I fear that the king makers and would be king makers will never give up their attacks on a well rounded group of Republican candidates from which the voters can choose and then support the last man or woman standing. As long as Mitt Romney is in the field the cry will continue for more entrants even though it is reported that 75% of potenial republican voters are satisfied with the current group.
http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres2012/primary/rep/ia/
Those who reside in the real world and want the Marxist gone should take a moment and read the above link. Facts are a wonderful antedote to propaganda.
“Governor Chris Christie is the last sacrificial goat in a long line of establishment / media chosen looser candidates selected for the people over their objections and will.”
— No, Mittens ObaRomney is still the approved establishment / media candidate
We don’t need another President who can make a speech! We have that now.
Christie is NOT a Conservative and I would never vote for him. Why do people keep believing the RNC is going to give you a Conservative? WHY?
Christie is a warmist. He’d be a disaster worse than Graham or one of the Maine Senator loons. Just remember, a family fight with the unions doth not make a President.
Good point on family fight with Unions. I could think of one simple reason why Christie and Cuomo had far more harmonious exchanges with Unions than Scott Walker.
“Turning to the contentious Middle East, Christie noted that ‘a Middle East that is largely democratic and at peace will be a Middle East that accepts Israel, rejects terrorism, and is a dependable source of energy.’”
Dependable for who?
We have enough energy here to at least wean ourselves from our dependence on Middle Eastern oil – obviously resource-poor Europe could benefit.
But the way that statement is phrased and Christie’s general stance on global warming (aside from the proper decision to drop out of the RGGI – wish we would do the same here in Maryland) makes me wonder if he’ll be the type of President to give the domestic energy industry the green light without hassle from an out-of-control EPA or allowing environmentalists to dictate policy via judicial fiat.
And if he’s that convinced he can only be a one-term governor in New Jersey, wouldn’t he also be persuaded that he’d be a one-term president and some Democrat will undo any good he’s caused? If Chris runs for President and loses it’s almost certain he’ll lose the governorship too because there won’t be a lot of time to rebuild a grassroots campaign structure for an election one year away.
Christie is a fiscal conservative. Other than that, he would be a catastrophe as the Prez. His best chance is with the socialist/fascist party dimcrats.
Who cares? He is a rino (not a dig at his weight) and a liberal one at that. Hoping he’ll make a sudden turn to the right when he takes office is both naive and frivolous.
We need to be serious about a real conservative. Every time we have run a false conservative against a real leftist, the left wins. The independent middle recognizes bullsh*t as well as anyone else. Why trust a bullsh*tter? If he’ll lie to get elected he’ll lie while in office. Don’t we have enough of that now?
You might want to consider, the “independent middle,” brought us Obama.
I am reminded of the crowd urging the man to jump from the scaffolding. You need to remember he’s washing the windows. When he finishes that job he will go on to another. Do I think Christie will run for president? Yes, but not in 2012!
Since nobody but Pawlenty has dropped out, why shouldn’t Christie and Palin both enter the race. There’s quite a gap between Romney and Rick Perry, the new “rino”. Maybe Christie can fill it. And if a pizza executive with a radical tax plan is the new front running conservative purist, why shouldn’t Palin have her say as well?
The spectrum would be complete: from right to left we would have Bachmann, Cain, Santoreum, Palin (?), Perry, Gingrich, Christie (?), Romney, and Huntsman…with Paul and Johnson as the libertarians. That’s actually a broad choice ideologically, and experience-wise.
If they could avoid the current tendency to be a circular firing squad, it would be a good thing. Nobody would be able to say that there just wasn’t a candidate for him or her.
For a while, I was worried that Palin would suck all of the air out of the other candidates and perhaps turn the race into a grocery store magazine shoot-out (through no fault of her own), but that no longer seems likely.
I also wonder if Pawlenty is thinking he might have made a mistake dropping out. Most of the candidates are saying they need money, so Pawlenty might now be thinking that he could have hung on and perhaps catch fire if he had come up with a compelling enough sound bite.
Excuse me, but what “tease”?
Christie has been as clear as can be that he isn’t running. The only teasing is coming from the likes of Tom Kean, whom we should totally listen to. Yeah.
I thought Perry was the end to end all. Christie will be more of the same.
Go Cain!
“Christie is probably aware that a good chance exists he will not win re-election as governor of New Jersey”
Who says? For the first time in years (if ever) the state is on a fairly sound financial footing and he has broken the horrible grip the unions have had on this state. That alone should qualify him for re-election. I live in New Jersey and would welcome a second term from him. But as president? I’m not sure he’s conservative enough for the rest of the country. But he is tough and he is a fighter, so I think he would make it. Question is, if a Repbublican becomes president in 2012, he or she will probably be re-elected in 2016. That means the soonest Christie could be elected would be in 2020. The last time there were three consecutive terms of Republican rule was Reagan and George H.W. Bush. So Christie would have to wait quite a while for his next chance at president. But, seeing the guy and hearing the guy, I do NOT think he’s going to run.
To believe that Chris Christie is a continual tease, is to believe that he is not being honest with us.
If you don’t take him at his word, then you should not want him to run!
If nothing else changes between now and the Florida Primary, Hermann Cain is going to get my vote. Chris Christie running will not change that.
Please correct the title of this article to something more accurate like
“Chris Crhistie Continues to Say ‘I am not running for the Nomination’ every time he is ask — Media & Liberal Republicans Keeping Teasing the Idea”
I think you guys are being too hard on the big man. What he said was we need to squarely address entitlements like adults. The only person I am sure that gets that right in the Congress is Tom Coburn, who I wish would run. But Christy is not bad on this issue. On global warming he can be educated. I would have not thought twice about it myself except I had the great good luck to have taken a course from Reid Bryson fifty years ago.
Some very good points Ron Radosh but I agree with Libertyship46 – claiming Christie is at some now or never crossroads is going way overboard. The Big man is in the prime of his life Ron, and hopefully he takes the Huckabee diet program to stay with us a long long time.
I watched him address this question in the comfortable venue of Imus in the Morning some weeks back – and I believe him. And his answer wasn’t that far off from what he told the woman in the balcony who did everything but rip off her blouse like it was a Southside Johnny show circa ’76 – when begging him to run – instead of trying to get the bass player to drag her by the hair back to the hotel. (In a VH1 Behind the Music kinda way – sans of course the daughter)
He is not ready to run anything but his agenda to repair his beloved New Jersey.
Like many here I also am concerned just how committed to conservatism this guy is. That said, the speech was absolutely riviting. Watching him address this rapt audience – with Nancy Reagan sitting center up front along side Pete Wilson and his wife – right down to viewing Andrew Breitbart shaking hands with Mark Halperin when it was all over – all of it was just incredibly inspiring and uplifting.
All I could think of was Reagan’s Goldwater speech. And I think that fits if somewhat crudely on a figurative time line for Christie as well. Reagan was ready to publicly define his own conversion to conservativism as much as his support for Goldwater. Was Reagan ready to run the country in ’64? No, but he was ready for running California, and it was those political tests and lessons that made him ready – as well as a later nominal run for Prez in ’68 & finally a very serious run under very unique circumstances in ’76 – to become arguably one of the greatest leaders our country has ever produced.
I can’t really explain the Bill Kristol and Ann Coulter cheerleading, although I suspect it has as much to do with their own brand of remaining interesting and relevent when on TV as it has to do with genuinely believing Christie is the answer for the country today.
I don’t really agree with the lead of your post when it comes right down to it. Because I don’t believe Christie is playing the tease ala Mario Cumo circa ’84 or ’88. Look, doing these kinds of ‘big moment’ events, just like doing Imus on the low end, is important.
[tell me that Maryland Gov O'Mally wouldn't kill to get half the attention Christie does]
This kind of national attention generates political capital that serves him well – and besides – Doing Imus has to be a hoot – and for a guy who obviously doesn’t golf much – an excellent way to relax in plain sight without bending over much.
So I take him at his word; he’s not running for all the right reasons. Nor do I believe he can’t win re-election no matter how blunt he is when confronting the big problems New Jersey faces. The big fella scares me a little when it comes to Immigration and a few other majors, but he is a full gale force – one hellva dynamic person. And for a novice who came out of right field and nowhere just a few years ago – I don’t see a major snafu of a goof up besides some bad timing for a family getaway during a nasty storm.
Pretty good track record – for the past few years.
WE have been getting a bit impatient when it comes to our leaders – expecting relative novices to decend and provide sage and successful solutions. And we’ve been pretty dissappointed for good reason. Obama is the easiest example -but we had to learn the hard way with Bush as well.
There is no substitute for experience. AS far as greatness – Christie – as was Reagan at such a relative point in time – is still in his formative years. Reagan spent about forty years refining his governing view of capitalism and how government fit in. Would he have been as dynamic if he hadn’t barnstormed the country through the 50′s stumping for GE? Could he have dealt as adroitly with Gorby or Thatcher without the seasoning of difficult defeats, spending almost twenty years laboring near what was considered the fringe of the american right – although not so far out that he was buried as allied with crazies like the Birchers. From his time as Union rep right through his serious committment to hold office – he had 40 years to weave together the personal networking to come to the White House with serious convictions and thus a deep bench besides just the Cali kitchen cabinate.
Really Ron Radosh, I would think that you more than most Posters here at PJ would appreciate that seventy can still be more vital and relevant than the elegant and elequent 48-something who unfortunately hasn’t really ever been tested.
Politically speaking, Christie is just a pup. His public life is just beginning.
Well said, Phoenix 48, and one of the best posts I’ve seen in some time. Shows me you’ve been around for some time and can put events and people in historical context. Some of the young [or old?] firebrands could take a lesson and tone it down. P.S, that was one hell of a speech Reagan gave for Goldwater at the Republican convention. Gave me goose bumps and confirmed me as a life-long conservative.
Nancy Reagan with that RINO? Disgusting.
Christie may someday become a conservative, but he sure isn’t one now.
Where’s the beef?
Yeah, I like that he’s willing to smack some public-union mooches up the side of the head over in New Jersey, but where does this man stand on the issues of unrestricted illegal immigration; the ongoing war against Islamic jihadism; U.S. energy policy; our unsustainable & anachronistic entitlement programs; ObamaCare (does he want to kill it, modify it, live with it? — what?)???
Chris Christie is running for Vice President.
Perhaps “auditioning” would be a better word than “running”
Radosh asks: “Why else would he give this particular address tonight at the Reagan Library?”
Was it a purely rhetorical question, or was my answer too obvious?
Awaiting moderation, indeed.
You cannot be anti-gun rights and conservative. Period. No matter what.
Could Christie be this dumb? Imagine his ego takes over and he lays down his version of Hamlet and throws his big hat into the ring. He is now one of many. He is no longer the darling in his little playpen. He’s now just another fish in a big pond. Soon enough people find out he is just another RINO. A colorful entertaining RINO but a RINO nevertheless. Thereafter he begins to realize that he has been USED by those who really don’t care what he will have to endure once he makes that decision and who will soon distance themselves from him when he flounders and realizes that what passes for conservatism in New Jersey is a hell of lot different for the rest of the country. He will return back to New Jersey a REJECT and a LOSER. And having achieved that parlous status he will have LOST a great deal of influence and stature in his own state. For nothing. It’s enough to make the left lend its voice the growing chorus, isn’t it.
How many of you believe that Governor Christie’s unmistakable similarity in stature to a Rhino is merely coincidental? I don’t. I believe that it is an example of nature’s distinct warnings — akin to the bright coloration of poison arrow frogs in the Amazon rain forest.
I can’t believe that Roger Simon joins John Podhoretz and Bill Kristol in not even mentioning Christie’s appointment of Sharia Islamist Moslem Brotherhood supporting scum to the Superior Court of New Jersey, the same court where another judge ruled that a husband could beat his wife because he was a Moslem and Moslem law allowed him to do so. Christie’s excuse for these two judges was as arrogant as Rick Perry’s justification for in state tuition for illegals. Perhpas lawyers for jihadists who support Hamas should be allowed to practice law, but they should NEVER be allowed to sit in judgement of any American. Christie’s appointment of this jihadist scum should be made an issue and az disqualifying one at that!
I was srong–Radosh DID mention the judicial appointment of a Jihadist. But it’s VERY disappointing that Podhoretz and Kristol have not done so, even if they work for Murdoch. So did Michael Medved and he was critical of Fox’s overemphasis on salacious sex in their newspapers and programming.
My apologies to Ron Radosh!
I’m sorry, but I haven’t heard a single potential candidate with one exception who has said “Drill, Baby, Drill”. That’s one of the fights we have ahead of us. Will we concede and compromise? We sure as hell better not.
I know the potential candidate (who shall be nameless for now) of whom you speak, and I couldn’t agree with you and that fine, outstanding, but as yet undecided potential candidate more.
Like Sarah says, the more the merrier. Chris may be the establishment darling this week, but that won’t do him much good. Will he or won’t he? He will or he won’t. He may be sincere in what he says, he may not. I hope he does run and soaks up a whole lot of GOP Beltway money to no avail. Less for Mitt and Rick.
We got the answer today from Christie.
NO.
“Herman Cain has moved ahead of Mitt Romney. Can you believe that? Political analysts say this is because Americans don’t understand Mormonism but they do understand pizza.” –Conan O’Brien