George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
From George Will's latest column. Beautiful writing about a gorgeous political figure. Read it and weep.
Christie was one of the first rocks on which Barack Obama's overrated political potency crashed. In 2009, Obama campaigned for Gov. Jon Corzine and against Christie in July, October and the Sunday before Christie won handily. No one outside of Washington has made more political waves in the last 20 months than Christie, and no one inside Washington has been as successful.
But he has four children, ages 8 to 17, he will not abandon for presidential politics.
When he visited a workaholic aide during her difficult labor before her daughter was born, he said, "Put away your BlackBerry, you are in the middle of a miracle." As subtle as a linebacker, as direct as an uppercut, Christie, explaining why he will not run, demonstrates why many wish he would. When supporters argue, "You can't say you're not ready — look at Obama," he replies: "Yeah, look at him."
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Jun '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
The most recent President that was actually qualified on day one is probably George HW Bush. The fruits of experience are not always appreciated at the time, but the way he handled the collapse of the Soviet Union--preventing any and all gloating from the White House--was masterful. And in hindsight, his decision not to chase down Saddam doesn't look so stupid either. At the time, it looked like an easy bonus point. Was probably not.
Nov '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
I think our real problem is that we have a very strong farm team, people who will mature into exactly the kind of presidential fodder we need, but they just aren't ready quite yet.
I have this nightmare where we elect our own Obama - a pretty face, speaks well, says the right things and holds the right positions, and wafted into the White House on a wave of public discontent, but who doesn't have the resume for the job. I think it's safe to say that if we elect a strong conservative who screws up as badly as Obama has, the national news media won't be nearly as eager to cover for him.
Edited on Aug 20, 2011 at 8:44pmAug '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
When I find myself in a position in opposition to Ann Coulter, my first impulse is to check my premises to find my error, but I'm not having much luck on the Christie matter. I think the enthusiasm for Gov. Christie's entry in the race is about 20% "Fred Thompson effect" and "80% Donald Trump effect."
Thompson in that he is the 'new thing' (greener grass) who is remarkably effective in his current capacity, and who, one hopes, will be able to translate that efficacy into a wholly different field. A field that requires a very different and specific skill set. I believe we are all familiar with the power of hope at this point.
Trump in that the pugnacity that Mr. Will mentioned is like water in the desert to those of us who feel personally insulted when subjected to the poll-tested talking points the current bench of candidates trade in. We know you get attention and make independents think when you fight back un-apologetically, especially in the form of well-delivered ripostes (e.g. President Reagan, Gov. Brewer, et. al.).
*This post is in no way an endorsement of Trump's sincerity or decency.*
May '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Ryan is more acceptable to the Tea Party than Christie.
Apr '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
If Christie says he's not ready, he's not ready. I'll take the man at his word. He seems rather good at keeping it.
The main problem I have with Christie is that he's a New Jersey Conservative. That puts him right on an even keel with a Massachusetts Conservative (Brown, Romney). We currently think of all the conservative things he's doing because they are in the spotlight. Yet, to survive in a state as blue as New Jersey there necessarily must be some Liberal/Progressive things that never hit the news (think Romneycare).
Apr '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Starve the Beast: I have this nightmare where we elect our own Obama - a pretty face, speaks well, says the right things and holds the right positions, and wafted into the White House on a wave of public discontent, but who doesn't have the resume for the job.
Edited on Aug 20 at 08:44 pm
I feel the same way.
There is no political savior. Giving speeches, even if you say the right thing, doesn't qualify one for the presidency.
All anyone can reasonably expect is a human being will fight effectively to advance the issues that matter most. No one will agree with you all the time and no one will win every fight.
The Democrats' disappointment with Obama experience should be a cautionary tale.
Jan '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
There are two levels here. The first is policy, and the second is executive skill.
Obama has neither. The liberal policy agenda, with Keynesian spending, smothering regulation, and a resentment of wealth is terrible policy. But when you combine that with ineffective and (let's face it) whiny narcissism, the whole package is a disaster.
Bill Clinton was no less liberal than Obama, but he had executive skill. He could smell success, wherever it came from. His executive skill saved him from his liberalism.
The saving grace of conservatism is that the policy works, all things being equal. It's been proven to work. The things that went wrong under Bush weren't faults of conservatism. The housing bubble wasn't a conservative policy that went wrong. The problem was never a lack of government involvement.
Paul Ryan lacks executive experience, and he espouses conservatism ... but he actually understands it. He knows why it works. I doubt that Christie knows it as well, but I'll bet (like Clinton) he can smell success. A good executive can follow his nose.
Dec '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
If you're willing to tackle the unions, you're my guy. Sign this man up! Please!
Jan '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Let me amplify one point from my last post (#7). We conservatives don't follow conservatism as a romantic intellectual flavor. It isn't an idyllic fantasy that we merely aspire to.
We actually think it works. We follow it because we trust that it works. These are proven, tried-and-tested principles that the American experience has shown to be practical and successful.
Christie is, after all, a first term governor, and Paul Ryan has no elected executive experience at all. The difference between these two and Obama is that they're conservative. If they stick to that conservatism, they'll do just fine.
Apr '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
A president has to have personality and the ability to herd the cats of the legislative branch. Chris Christie has shown not only the gumption to put his foot down and fight for needed reforms in New Jersey he has done it with a Democratic legislature. I don't think Rick Perry can say that. His biggest accomplishment might be to not have rocked the Texas economic boat, and win elections, but do we know he can turn the boat around?
Romeny's big accomplishment is that he was elected for one term in Massachusetts proving he can seem appealing to the independent crowd. Bachman's big accomplishment is saying all the things Die Hard conservatives like to hear, but so can Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. Neither of them is presidential material nor is Bachman. Paul Ryan's big thing is he is bright and committed to making his point, but can he actually get his point to pass a Democratic filibuster in the Senate?
Chris Christie has the gumption to be a good president. I don't think he will run now or should. I want him to fix New Jersey, then he can run and win.
Jun '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Christie is a doofus on climate change. Better he should spend more time with his family.
Apr '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
There is much to like in Chris Christie. I cheer whenever I seen the video clip of a Christie Town Hall meeting. He's made a good beginning but, so far, it's only that: a beginning. We do not yet know if he will succeed in turning New Jersey around for the long term and until we do it's too soon to say his ideas and methods are scalable to a national level.
Beyond that it seems to me that the contemporary fetish of wanting to send any politician who appears effective to Washington cedes the argument to those who say all power must be concentrated in and all decisions made by the central government. The only way to counterbalance Washington is to have good and effective governors generating solutions in the states, those 50 laboratories of democracy.
As Governor Chris Christie has the chance to actually improve the lives of the people of New Jersey in a way he never will as President - at least not in today's poisonous political climate. Let's leave him where he can do the most good, then watch and learn and then copy what he gets right.
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
It is worth noting that the state constitution in New Jersey differs from the one in Texas in one pertinent particular. The one in New Jersey confers immense power on the Governor; the one in Texas gives the Governor very little leverage. The New Jersey Governor is the most powerful political executive in the United States. Rick Perry has not yet been in a position to show what he can do. Chris Christie is, in that particular, in the catbird seat.
Jun '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Christie is not running. I know that for a fact...because he says so. If he is lying, I wouldn't want him as a President anyway.
Without being presumptuous, I believe I am with KC Mulville. The most important thing a true conservative has going in a crises or not, is their conservatism. Relying on those values, in a crunch, rather than liberalism, relativism, Keynesian- ism is the backbone of the "pretty face that speaks well" mentioned earlier (while wringing hands and sweating from the brow). Have faith Beast and Quinn. Remember the last pretty face that spoke well, was a conservative, and was President has been out of office for 33 years.
Jun '11
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
As in any complex, executive position, the single most important skill a President should have is the ability to successfully delegate.
Sep '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Ryan is much more acceptable to me. Maybe it's cultural, but I'd rather someone whose first inclination isn't to throw a punch. Also, katievs, I agree with you that his weight would become a major problem, especially if people don't feel good about his VP choice. I'm overweight myself, so I do not mean to be mean, but every time he gets enraged I fear a heart attack.
Jun '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Not exactly. Christie offered the unions a reasonable compromise which they foolishly rejected. He then pushed back, but his effort was more rhetorical than meaningful. He might have pulled a Reagan and sacked every teacher in the state in an effort to destroy public sector unions all together. Half measures. Big deal.
We need a president who's willing to take on the administrative super-state with a chainsaw, not a whittling knife. Whole departments need to be eliminated and their infrastructure dismantled right down to the last brick. You don't prune weeds; you eradicate them down to the roots. If the administrative state isn't eliminated, it'll make a comeback in 4, or 8, or 12 years under a Democratic administration.
Quite frankly, I don't think we have a candidate radical enough to reduce the federal government down to its essentials: state, defense, treasury and justice. Just watch, we'll have to fight this battle of encroaching government again in a generation or less. Like we always do.
Nov '10
Re: George Will Explains Why Chris Christie Won't Run
Well, but he also had a resume. He was ready. There are a number of prospective Republican candidates that I like a whole lot, but they all seem to have some deal-breaker flaw.
We'll do our best, and please God, it will be good enough. All I'm saying is that we need to be a lot more careful than the left needs to be, because they own the press, the entertainment industry, and the academy.
Mea culpa on the hand wringing.