What Makes Chris Christie Different?
So it's Election Day 2008 and someone tells you that in two years' time one of the biggest sensations in the GOP is going to be the overweight, demotic Republican governor of New Jersey. He's going to be the object of admiration for every would-be Republican governor in the nation. And, oh yeah, his YouTube videos are going to get more views than Barack Obama's. You buying?
I’m fascinated by the Chris Christie phenomenon because (A) I’m swept up in it and (B) I think he might be the reincarnation of the sainted Grover Cleveland (I also think Mitch Daniels may be the second coming of Calvin Coolidge – check out the hairline).
Speaking as a recovering speechwriter, I think one of the major elements to Christie’s success is that he doesn’t need people like me (or even far more able hands like Peter and Bill). He may have some help on prepared remarks, but the Chris Christie you remember is extemporaneous and authentic. In modern politics, that’s not just remarkable; it’s revolutionary.
Given Christie’s meteoric rise, we should expect a bumper crop of copycats (leave it to politicians to think that authenticity is best achieved through imitation). This is akin to the Hollywood phenomenon where everyone copies the last box office hit until the next original idea breaks through – and gets its own mimics. In the end, though, it’s the truly innovative that we remember. Chris Christie is a delightful tonic for those of us who worried that species was going extinct in professional politics.
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Jul '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
Americans love a scrapper. There's a reason the Rocky movies, awful as they were, made gazillions at the box office.
Republican politicians long ago allowed themselves to believe that speaking the forceful, unvarnished truth would come across as "mean". So they gelded themselves, while the Left engaged in unbridled, ugly demagoguery.
Chris Christie is your buddy at the barbeque. Yeah, he's fat and he's loud, but he's not afraid to speak his mind - and if a fistfight breaks out, he's the guy you want on your side.
Dec '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
I like Christie a lot, but he's a pol born and bred. Let's not forget that. Exactly what are his principles, and does he stick to them through thick and thin?
I don't know, yet.
Jul '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
Johnmark7: I like Christie a lot, but he's a pol born and bred. Let's not forget that. Exactly what are his principles, and does he stick to them through thick and thin?
I don't know, yet. · Dec 7 at 12:45am
Quite right. Let's let the man put together a track record. If he can govern prudently in New Jersey he can do it anywhere. Can he avoid an albatross like Romneycare in Massachussetts? Time will tell.
Jul '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
Kenneth: Americans love a scrapper. There's a reason the Rocky movies, awful as they were, made gazillions at the box office.
Republican politicians long ago allowed themselves to believe that speaking the forceful, unvarnished truth would come across as "mean". So they gelded themselves, while the Left engaged in unbridled, ugly demagoguery.
... · Dec 6 at 11:59pm
The national environment has been bewildering and frightening for Pubs for forever. The "Maverick" was broken at MSM Stables, Inc. after a long period of slowly being lured out of the wild and convinced that these horsemen with twinkies were friends. The lesson Nixon taught us was never hire a POTUS with perpetual 5 o'clock shadow, the press will work that into all manner of things.
The bad news is that part of being a political party in this country is to cultivate a loyal press to offset the opposition press. On this point the Pubs cannot find their rump with a Grey's Anatomy for reference, and do not even appear to understand the need. Rupert Murdoch seems to have cornered that role all by himself, which is an improvement but also not healthy. AM radio will have to do.
Aug '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
Christie seems to relish going on offense in support of basic common sense.
Most Republicans seem stuck in a defensive 'fighting retreat' mentality, never even considering the possibility that strategic victories are possible. How uninspiring! It's no wonder the Tea Party has come to the fore.I listen to the old Ronald Reagan speeches to hear the spirit that is largely missing from the GOP - Chris Christie being a lonely exception .
I'm not saying that Christie is another Reagan. I'm just saying that he will fight based on principle instead of fretting about what journalists will write about him.
Edited on Dec 7, 2010 at 4:17amMay '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
Christie's "give 'em hell" moments on Youtube are fun, but his finest moments, and those that make him effective--not just a novelty act--are his articulate, deliberate explications of his state's challenges: He explains without a hint of condescension; he considers Jersey's residents fully capable of grasping and accepting hard truths. With such a demonstration of obvious, pander-free respect, he's capable of coaxing shared sacrifice.
Which is precisely the leadership formula the country will need in the next decade, be it Christie or someone else.
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
I don't think a bumper crop of copycats would be a bad thing -- we'd be better off if more of our elected officials were no-nonsense straight-talkers like Christie. I love that Christie is able to articulate his vision with a tone of confidence unlike so many on our side who are always taking such a defensive tone, as though they aren't necessarily sure of the truth of their convictions.
Nov '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
Scott Reusser: Christie's "give 'em hell" moments on Youtube are fun, but his finest moments, and those that make him effective--not just a novelty act--are his articulate, deliberate explications of his state's challenges: He explains without a hint of condescension; he considers Jersey's residents fully capable of grasping and accepting hard truths. With such a demonstration of obvious, pander-free respect, he's capable of coaxing shared sacrifice.
Which is precisely the leadership formula the country will need in the next decade, be it Christie or someone else. · Dec 7 at 7:59am
Precisely. It's not his combativeness per se, but rather the fact that he can clearly articulate a winning argument, on the fly and in front of an audience. To overcome the suffocating media bias, effective conservative candidates must be able to defeat the inevitable wave of efforts to confuse and redirect. And combativeness is useful, no doubt, but clarity of purpose is even more important, I think.
I'm also reminded of Claire Berlinski's portrayal of the way Margaret Thatcher could demolish her opponents with her mastery of the issues.
Sep '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
There's a reason the Rocky movies, awful as they were, made gazillions at the box office.
Actually, for the aspiring screenwriter, the original Rocky and the last one Rocky Balboa are excellent screenplays. The ones in between are piffle, of course.
Edited on Dec 7, 2010 at 9:25pmOct '10
Re: What Makes Chris Christie Different?
I like the Bush and Christie approach best: Time spent worrying about the press can be better spent on governing.