Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Chris Christie is directing his own political soap opera on national television, and he's cast himself as the star. Cue the music, it's As New Jersey Turns. You've got Romney in one corner and Obama in the other. You've got the drama of death and disaster, mixed in with a last minute plot-twisting revelation: Christie finally abandons Romney and acknowledges his true love--Chris Christie.
A bizarre spectacle I never expected to see: Romney's dedicated attack dog licking the sole's of Obama's feet. There's no logical way to explain the way Chris Christie went out of his way to praise Obama on national television during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Striking a polite, complimentary tone would have been entirely appropriate. But making Obama out to be the Mother Teresa of disaster responders was strange, strange, strange.
Watch this:
The president actually gave the Governor of New Jersey his phone number. Wow.
Truly, I'm glad if Obama has done his job and shown concern. He declared New Jersey a disaster area. Hmm. Okay, check, check. What president wouldn't? Although, in reality, many victims of Sandy say FEMA & Obama have done too little to help them.
Being kind and conciliatory in a moment like this is expected. But nothing Obama did was so extraordinary that it would explain why Christie decided to cover Obama's political posterior with wet, televised kisses.
I have five theories going to explain this:
Theory 1) Chris Christie, who doesn't "give a damn about presidential politics," is making his play for 2016 before our very eyes.
Theory 2) Chris Christie, who doesn't "give a damn about presidential politics," went rogue when he found out Romney wasn't going to make him Attorney General.
Theory 3) Chris Christie, who doesn't "give a damn about presidential politics," fulfilled the dream of a lifetime when Obama handed the phone over to Bruce Springsteen, who was riding in the president's jet at the time, and is determined to repay the president for the favor. (True story: Christie wept when recalling his encounter with the rock star.)
Theory 4) Chris Christie, who doesn't "give a damn about presidential politics," decided that, on second thought, he really loves Obamacare, deficit spending, and high unemployment, as well as incompetence and shameful coverups in foreign affairs.
Theory 5) Bath salts.
Something tells me we will learn more about what's going on here in the days and weeks to come.
Your turn, Ric-readers. If you think my five theories are wrong, then you tell me: What in the world is up with Christie?
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Oct '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
I think your first one makes sense, maybe #2, not sure about the others...
I would add two more: (1) He wants to get re-elected in a very blue state next year. Finally I would add that whether you like him or not (and I don't),(2) he is a straight shooter, he may actually have been telling the truth about how he feels.
Aug '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
1, 2 & 3 make sense to me.
I've said it before but...
I think the fact that Christie doesn't call himself a democrat is a testament to how far to the left democrats have gone, not how conservative Christie may be.
Almost by default, the republican party has become a big tent party, but only because the democrats have become a private rave.
Sep '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Maybe Axelrod has some kind of incriminating evidence on Christie. I'm sorry, living in the Phila. area, where he was John Street's campaign manager, I always look for weaselry from Axelrod at times like this.
May '11
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Either way, I am over Chris Christie. Sorry, bud.
Jun '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Chris Christie is all about Chris Christie, haven't we learned that from the RNC? In a way, he is kind of like Obama, who is all about Obama. Doesn't surprise me that they share some common frequency.
Nov '10
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Governor Christie was a federal prosecutor. With some notable and fairly rare exceptions, I have found the breed to be overbearing and not particularly reliable, especially since their underlings were made civil servants and not turned out of office regularly when administrations changed.
I think that his ambition is great and that he finds and finishes his alliances in the ebb and flow of political currents. As governor of a northeastern State, he is a very faded red politician at best. Occasionally, because of his tough talk, he will be useful to the cause, but is not fully trustworthy.
Oct '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
The words I could use to describe this guy are so profane. I shall not utter them here. But Mark Levin describes this guy very well.
les
Mar '11
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
I would argue a seventh option: Christie is worried about re-election in his present job.
Regardless, if we have any spine or backbone whatsoever, this will pretty much end Christie's trajectory as some kind of star in the party. I can understand bipartisanship when appropriate. But crying because you talked to Bruce Springsteen? Really? Don't even BOTHER seeking the GOP POTUS nomination.
Jul '10
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
He's always struck me as a Jersey version; nay, a funny and slightly more articulate version of Bill O'Reilly. In other words, not high praise and certainly no Jeffersonian or Adam Smith disciple. His artificial gas pricing is only the latest populist example.
Jul '10
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
I have personally never been on the Christie bandwagon. When the comments were out to "draft" him for republican presidential candidate, I knew right then that I would not vote for him. Indeed, I thought his choice would be much like McCain - a RINO.
One has to give some leeway to a republican in a democrat state. Sort of like Romney in Massachusetts. Still, there is an outside chance he could "change" - naw, he's what he is.
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Methinks Christie has a vivid Hurricane Katrina video running on endless loop somewhere in the back of his mind.
Then, as now, disaster relief was subpar, with people suffering and even dying. Then, as now, leadership of the federal and state relief effort was split between the two political parties. After Katrina, there was finger-pointing between the Democrats and Republicans. The media sided with the Dems--natch--and the Republican's image was irrevocably scorched in voters' minds.
By embracing Obama loud-and-proud, Christie makes it impossible for the prez to start sending fusillades his way when the fur begins to fly. Otherwise, just imagine what Obama, lame-duck or not, would soon be saying about the terrible, feckless, inhumane, murderous Republican governor of New Jersey.
And you can count on the NY Times amplifying every word.
A profile in courage this is not. It's just Christie watching his own substantial back.
Edited on November 6, 2012 at 4:16amNov '11
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Christie is a bully, a megalomaniac, and an opportunist. (Has no one else noticed this?)
So is Obama.
The two men are mucho simpático, as much as two bullying, opportunistic, megalomaniacs can be with any other human being . (The only people sociopaths respect are other sociopaths.) In other words, it was a case of mutually beneficial exploitation.
So Christie saw an opportunity to don a windbreaker and stand beside the president on national television, and in so doing, potentially sway the course of national politics, thereby increasing his historical significance, while exacting revenge against Romney for not offering him the VP slot.
If Obama wins, will Chistie slide noticeably leftward, a la Arlen? In a heartbeat, if he calculates it would render him a net gain.
Sep '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Ann Coulter had a good point re: Christie, on O'Reilly's show. Obama plays politics with FEMA money. NJ needs the help. Christie had to kiss up.
Never the less, he is dead to me.
Sep '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Rick Perry can testify to this. Obama refused to designate Texas a disaster area when hundreds of thousands of acres were burning.
Sep '10
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
I blame the purchase by Disney of the Star Wars franchise. I find Christie's lack of saving face, disturbing.
Aug '10
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Christie knows that if Mitt wins he won't have a shot for at least 12 years and possibly 16 if Ryan gets elected in 2020. This was - for him anyway - a nuanced shot to take down Mitt so Christie can run in 2016.
The man is a politician after all...
Aug '11
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
I never was a big fan of Chris Christie, and could not understand some conservatives' adulation of him.
However, here's my really strange theory. Obama loves being praised and lauded even if he hasn't done anything to earn it. (cf Nobel Peace Prize.) Christie knows this about Obama. By worshipfully praising Obama for his reaction to Sandy, Christie invited Obama to own the storm response, and Obama, because he cannot refuse being worshiped, happily accepted this ownership.
And then the federal response was revealed to be woefully bad. But by then, Obama had already owned it.
Checkmate?
Yeah, I know this theory is a stretch, but it makes me smile to think that Obama would fall into a trap like this.
Edited on November 6, 2012 at 4:48amAug '10
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
I have no theories. However, Christie has always been a bit of a loose cannon. Perhaps he has a mild case of whatever Lyndon LaRouche has: when LaRouche used to put on his little half-hour infomercials, he would sound erudite and well-spoken, until he would suddenly go off on a tangent about the Queen of England as a drug dealer. I could never figure out what was wrong with his brain, either.
Apr '11
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
So much hate for the Big Man.
Why is it hard to believe Christie is worried about his state and wants to make sure his work with the FEMA to respond to Sandy isn't hindered by partisan fight of an election. So when you need the Feds help you swallow your pride shake Obama's hand say nice things about him and pray he loses the election.
I don't see how defiantly spitting in the O's eyes would help Christie get New Jersey out of the Sandy mess faster. I can however see how it would hurt the recovery effort.
Get off your high horses people.
Edited on November 6, 2012 at 5:23amOct '12
Re: Chris Christie's Obama/Romney Love Triangle
Of course Christie didn't face the false dilemma you claim, Valiuth.
Ann Coulter has been a Christie groupie for some time and her rationalizations come as no surprise.
Christie is a small man in a large body.
Edited on November 6, 2012 at 6:15am