Gov. Chris Christie today delivered a broadside against the broken politics of Washington and the need for straight talk to solve the country’s problems in a speech that will stoke talk of a 2012 presidential bid by the New Jersey Republican.
“I look at what’s happening in Washington right now and I am worried,” said Christie in an address at the American Enterprise Institute. “What game is being played down here is irresponsible and it’s dangerous.”
Asked whether he would consider running for president in 2012, Christie acknowledged that he “see[s] the opportunity” but quickly added: “That’s not a reason to be president of the United States.”
And yet, Christie’s speech, which spanned roughly 45 minutes, had all the traditional markers of someone eyeing national office.
“Leadership today in America has to be about doing the big things and being courageous,” said Christie. At another point, Christie argued that “we have to bring a new approach and a new discipline to this.”
The national GOP could use Chris Christie but he must be vetted more. If indeed, he decides to open up discussions of a Presidential candidacy, his opponents will certainly do it for him.
But, for now, Christie is a breath of fresh air and believe me on the Presidential stage, the GOP could use it.
The 2012 GOP presidential nomination is too important to waste. And it’s too important for candidates who might be successful to pass up. Any Republican leader who cares about the future of the country, and who thinks it’s possible he or she might be the best nominee, should keep an open mind about running. Donors, activists and citizens should keep an open mind about who would prove to be the best nominee, and watch to see how they all perform–in Congress, in statehouses, in debates, and on the stump–over the next year. It’s worth getting this nomination right.
That is, until Wednesday when Palin released her video, which turned the spotlight back on her and added a new element. Now cable TV news can noodle over whether Palin was deliberately provocative or clueless in using the words “blood libel” – a term coined to describe the spurious and ancient charge that Jews murdered non-Jewish children and then drank their blood in rituals. (And yes, I know a Wall Street Journal opinion piece used the same term Monday.)
The sorry episode confirmed the suspicion that Palin is addicted to getting attention, while her boosters are addicted to defending every thoughtless utterance she releases. And even her boosters know what most Republicans know: Palin is not a serious thinker.
With her Tweets and Facebook pronouncements, she’s become a virtuoso at pressing liberal buttons. It’s too bad that, like the people who live to hate her, she doesn’t know how to stop.
This is fair criticism of Sarah Palin and I think as a defining moment in politics, the Tucson shooting may have directed the GOP away from a Sarah Palin Presidential candidacy.
On the Republican primary side it breaks out like this:
27% Christie
17% Romney
16% Palin
14% Huckabee
5% Daniels
2% Pawlenty
2% Thune
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who has said he would not be a candidate is doing the best but all of the Republican contenders are within the ballpark.
The poll, conducted from Dec. 30, 2010 to Jan. 3, 2011, shows Christie leads among conservative Republicans with 28%, followed by Palin (18%), Huckabee (15%) and Romney (14%). Christie also leads among Born-Again Christians with 27%. He also does well with moderate Republicans (23%). Romney leads that group with 28%.
Looking at age groups, Christie does best with those 18-29 (36%) and 30-49 (33%).
Both Christie and Romney lead Obama among independent voters. For Christie, that margin is 42%-29%; and for Romney, 39%-31%. Of the listed Republicans, Palin does the worst against Obama among independents, losing 38%-32%.
Obama loses to each of the Republicans among voters over age 65; and trails by the biggest margins to Romney (51%-38%) and Christie (49%-39%).
True to his tough-guy persona, Gov. Chris Christie mixed it up today with a political naysayer, who heckled California Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman at a political rally.
Christie was concluding a town hall meeting with Whitman when an angry audience member criticized her for not taking questions.
“What are you hiding?” shouted Ed Buck, in jeans and a light shirt in the front row of the 400-person event. “You’re looking like Arnold in a dress,” he said in a reference to outgoing California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Before Whitman could respond, Christie stepped down from the stage and got in Buck’s face.
“Hey, listen. You know what. You want to yell, yell at me,” Christie said, shutting down Buck as Christie’s bodyguards calmly but quickly approached the two men. “It’s people who raise their voices and yell and scream like you who are dividing this country. We’re here to bring this country together.”
Governor Christie defused the Alinsky situation pretty well, wouldn’t you say?
Rudy Giuliani yesterday jumped into the nasty political fight across the Hudson — calling New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine a “failure” and urging an independent candidate to withdraw and clear the way for Republican Chris Christie.
Giuliani said he wants independent hopeful Chris Daggett to quit and lend his support to Christie, whose poll numbers have dropped amid rising support for the third-party candidate.
“I would think he [Daggett] would not want to be the reason why New Jersey has someone like Jon Corzine for governor for the next four years, who wants to raise taxes, raise fees and basically cave in to special interests,” the former mayor told The Post.
Giuliani is stumping for Christie today and tomorrow in Jersey.
“I think [Christie] has now gotten to the margin where he can win even with Daggett, but it’d be better if Daggett wasn’t in the race,” Giuliani said.
treatment centers - public benefit addiction treatment resource directory, offering comprehensive listings of treatment centers for drug addiction, alcoholism and dual diagnosis.
Comments Off 
Entries (RSS)