Last time President Obama and Gov. Chris Christie strolled along the Jersey shore together, the chill of fall was in the air. Now it’s summertime, the state is getting back on its feet after Hurricane Sandy, and it’s time for the rekindling of the bromance.
Christie waited for Obama at the base of Air Force One’s stairs in a light drizzle, sans umbrella, according to the White House pool report. Obama jogged down the steps to shake the governor’s hand and give him a bro slap on the shoulder.
The pair beamed as they shook hands along a rope line, then headed to Point Pleasant. A man with an anti-Obama sign gave the motorcade the finger as it rolled past.
Obama and Christie chatted with a sand-castle designer looking to break a Guinness record, then moved on to the arcade where Christie won Obama a stuffed bear with a Chicago Bears sweatshirt in a game where you throw a football through a tire. Obama tried to win on his own but missed a few times before Christie scored on his first try, reminiscent of Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ hole-in-one versus Obama on the Andrews Air Force Base golf course.
The president high-fived and clasped hands with Christie after the bear win. “That’s because he’s running for office,” he said.
The pair lingered on the drizzly boardwalk while the press pool was sent back to the holding vans.
“Governor Christie and I just spent some time on the Point Pleasant boardwalk,” Obama subsequently told a crowd at Asbury Park. “I got a chance to see the world’s tallest sandcastle being built. We played some Touchdown Fever — I got to say, Christie got it in the tire the first try — although I did pay for his throws. I played a little Frog Bog, and Governor Christie’s kids taught me the right technique for hitting the hammer to get those frogs in the buckets the way I was supposed to. And, of course, I met with folks who are still rebuilding after Sandy.”
On Air Force One en route to New Jersey, White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked what the relationship between Christie and Obama is like.
“I wouldn’t want to speak for Governor Christie,” Carney said. “I know that the president has respect for Governor Christie and for his efforts on behalf of the citizens of New Jersey, and has found that focus to be key in creating the kind of coordination between federal, state and local entities that is so important when you have to recover from a storm like Sandy.”
Here with President @barackobama on the Point Pleasant Boardwalk #STTS twitter.com/GovChristie/st…
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 28, 2013
Last stop on the Point Pleasant Boardwalk was a quick game of “Frog Bog” with the kids #STTS twitter.com/GovChristie/st…
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 28, 2013
Bear won by Gov Christie in football toss given to Pres Obama. Cute tyke. (Photo by Mike Majchrowitz/Fox News Radio) twitter.com/markknoller/st…
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 28, 2013
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