Chris Christie: GOP White Knight or White Elephant?

from the Nation:




Chris Christie: GOP White Knight or White Elephant?

Leslie Savan
May 11, 2011


Desperate Republicans, panicking over the pathetically weak field of presidential hopefuls (a Fox focus group declared the winner of last week’s GOP debate to be Godfather Pizza founder Herb Cain), are still holding out hope that New Jersey governor Chris Christie doesn’t really mean it when he swears he won’t run in 2012. Even heartland conservatives are certain that the tough-talking East Coaster—who to much of the country reads like the offspring of Tony Soprano and Snookie—is their long-awaited Great White Hope.

On May 31, a group of small-government Iowa Republicans will make a pilgrimage to the governor’s mansion in Princeton, NJ, to urge him to close his eyes and think of the party. Headed by businessman Bruce Rastetter, the Iowa delegation played an important role in returning Republican Terry Branstad to the Iowa governor’s office last year, so they may feel they’re on a roll. "There isn't anyone like Chris Christie on the national scene for Republicans," Rastetter told the AP. "And so we believe that he, or someone like him, running for president is very important at this critical time in our country."

But have these people read up on Christie lately? Their fantasy of a wildly popular and invincible Jersey guy has already gone stale. In fact, Christie’s approval ratings have been sliding downhill ever since he took office almost 16 months ago.

The man would even lose a presidential race in his own state: New Jerseyans would vote for President Obama over Christie 52 to 39, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll (taken last month before the bin Laden killing). Unbeloved at home, Christie’s 47 percent approval/46 percent disapproval rating is down from 52-40 in February. More important, his gender gap is huge--men approve of him 56-38 percent while women disapprove 53-38 percent. And when asked for one word that best describes the governor, by far the term that most often sprung unprompted to Jersey lips was “bully.” ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blog/160605/chris-christie-gop-white-knight-or-white-elephant

There's your answer.

winning your home state doesn't kill a candidate.

which he won handily, and where he was formerly a governor. Gore had lived in TN or Washington DC most of his life before the 2000 election.

How he won in the first place is because the Democrats chose an unpopular incumbent. Had Corzine been primaried and someone else won, then we would still hold the governor's office.

however, I do think a governor will end up being their nominee - Pawlenty, Huckabee, McDonnell from VA, Christie, Daniels, Huntsman, etc. And, just because they have unlimited funding thanks to the radical SCotUS and most of the media on their side, it will be a formidable challenge for Obama to win in 2012.

unless you like hockey, beer, donuts and toques, eh?

Despite his radical policies, he-who-must-not-be-named is still popular in Virginia, a state Obama won in 2008. Christie has made a national splash with some tough words, but his popularity has tanked.

:evilgrin:

He's trying to do the same kind of stuff as Walker in Wis., strip collective bargaining rights and bust unions, privatize everything etc. The voters just love that kind of treatment in Wisconsin and I'm sure they'll love it in NJ too.

Americans are visually fickle.

When was the last time they put an obese person in office?

And he has no chance of winning.

. . . perfect for the GOP presidential nominee!

BTW, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss him as a GOP prez candidate. He has little chance of reelection in NJ, so if he wants to stay in politics, he has to do something nationally.

as yet un-indicted..give him time

Im surprised his corrupt past already hasn't caught up with him.

Then again, he IS a Republican.

Obama will beat him, but less easily than any of the other nobodies running.

:shrug: