Why Chris Christie?
The Gaping Holes in His Campaign Premise
So, Chris Christie, we hear you’re running for President.
You are running despite your record low approval ratings (more than half of New Jersey Republicans don’t think you have the temperament to lead) and disastrous economic record (a historic nine credit downgrades, ranking 48th in the nation for job growth).
So why you?
You say, “pick me because I tell it like it is.”
Ha! You’ve proven you never tell it like it is. Allow me to remind you.
When asked about immigration reform, one of the most important issues we face today, this is what you said: “There’s no upside to me at this moment, to be candid, to discuss it.”
When asked how you would handle our nation’s foreign policy, this is how you responded, “I haven’t given any deep thought to foreign policy.” Asked about terrorist threats, “Is there something you don’t understand about ‘no questions’?”
Asked six times in two months for your opinion on the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act - which protected access to the ballot box for minorities, women, young people and seniors - all you could say was you were “tired of being asked.”
You say, “pick me, I’m a straight shooter.”
It must be your target that keeps moving.
While running for governor, you pandered to Latinos, suggesting that you were somehow their guy. But you’ve consistently shown you would leave them behind with your calls to gut Obamacare, your cuts to education funding, and your comments like this:
Most recently you signed onto Republican efforts to tear immigrant families apart. You even say that a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants is an “extreme” position that lacked thought.
You used to blame your cuts to women’s health (which closed six clinics in New Jersey) on the state’s financial troubles, but now that you’re running for president, we see the truth — you’ve been playing politics with women’s health. You loudly tell conservative primary voters outside of New Jersey that your cuts were really about shutting down Planned Parenthood — proudly announcing you “vetoed Planned Parenthood funding FIVE TIMES!”
And on the question of gun violence prevention, you promised New Jerseyans that you would “strictly enforce” the state’s gun laws, which you touted as “some of the most aggressive in the country.” But as a presidential hopeful, you said you regret that New Jersey “is not yet a dictatorship” that would allow you to scrap the state’s gun safety laws.
You say ‘pick me because I’m bipartisan, I can build coalitions.’
Really?!
Do you hear yourself when you speak to — I mean, yell at — people who simply question you on your policies?
There’s the state legislator, a widowed grandmother, whom you asked reporters to “take the bat out on.” And the advocate for Sandy victims that you believe should “sit down and shut up.” You had no problem calling a veteran an “idiot.” And how could I forget your response to a teacher who just asked you a simple question:
You use your veto pen to play politics, exacting retribution on members of the other party, slashing funding for programs that help disabled children, struggling cities and college students. You’ve even strong-armed members of your own party.
Christie “makes you feel that your life’s going to be very unhappy if you don’t do what he says.” -Former New Jersey Governor and Christie’s mentor, Tom Kean
But that’s not all. Why did members of your inner circle cause an epic and dangerous traffic jam on the busiest bridge in the world? To punish a Democratic mayor for his refusal to endorse your reelection bid. Really?
So if anyone believes that you’re a bipartisan guy who will tell it like it is, we have a congested bridge in Northern New Jersey to sell them.
The reality is that you are running on your “personality” (ego) alone.
That and this terrible economic record are all you’ve got.
Your entire campaign premise is flawed. The reality is that you’re just another failed governor. And that’s just telling it like it is.
