The main point of this story from The Hill is that Chris Christie, a Mitt Romney supporter and surrogate, went on Meet the Press and insulted Newt Gingrich ("This is a guy that's had a very difficult career at times and has been an embarrassment to the party") -- despite the fact that Gingrich appeared on the same Meet the Press broadcast, and despite the fact that Gingrich could be the presidential nominee of Christie's party. (The latter suggests to me that, as I've said before, the GOP establishment really might not back Gingrich if he's the nominee, treating him the way the party treated David Duke when he made it to the general election in the Louisiana governor's race years ago. The party might try to secure the Americans Elect line for an establishment Republican instead.)
But beyond that, there's a quote from Christie that's interesting if you think the man he's endorsed, Mitt Romney, is still a likely GOP nominee, although the Hill reporter draws exactly the wrong conclusion:
In the same interview Christie shot down the possibility of joining Romney on the Republican presidential ticket if the former Massachusetts governor won the nomination. He said he would listen if Romney offered him the job but, as of now, he plans to stick in his current job....
"I absolutely believe that come November 2012 I'm going to be governor of New Jersey," Christie said.
Excuse me, but that's a very clever weasel-word answer, for the simple reason that Christie's still going to be governor of New Jersey in November 2012 even if he's on the ticket and it wins, because he wouldn't be sworn in as VP until January 2013.
Say what you will about Christie, he's not Rick Perry -- I'm sure he knows exactly what he's saying when he says that. So, yeah, he wants it.
And if you doubt that, go to the transcript:
GOV. CHRISTIE: ... Now as for the vice presidency, let me say again, I want to be governor of New Jersey. I ran to be governor of New Jersey. I absolutely believe that come November 2012 I'm going to be governor of New Jersey and not in any other office. The fact of the matter is, if Governor Romney, who's going to be our nominee, picked up the phone and called me to talk about this, I love my country enough and I love my party enough to listen, but in the end, David, if you were a betting guy--and I know you are, I know you are, David. If you're a betting guy, you should bet Chris Christie being the governor of New Jersey in November 2012.
Well, I'd take that bet, just as I would have taken a bet that Joe Biden would still be the senior senator from Delaware in November 2008 -- just not two months later.
I think Christie's at the top of Romney's short list -- or he's trying to get there.
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By the way, the exchange (with interviewer David Gregory) gets a bit sickening:
MR. GREGORY: But you said once, who would want me as a number two?
GOV. CHRISTIE: Well, I still feel that way.
MR. GREGORY: But you'd be a good vice president, wouldn't you?
GOV. CHRISTIE: Oh, listen, I think that certain personalities...
MR. GREGORY: Not to appeal to your ego or anything.
GOV. CHRISTIE: No, listen...
MR. GREGORY: I'm saying you'd be wonderful, wouldn't you?
"You'd be wonderful"? There's your liberal media, folks. I mean, yeah, he smiles when he says this -- watch it in the clip at about 9:00 -- but you tell me whether he's really joking.
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Oh, for the love of TIMMEH, what the fucking Hell did we do to deserve Gregory?
ReplyDeleteI think that he was aptly nicknamed "Stretch" by Little Boots.
Not because of his height, but because of how wide he can stretch his mouth to suck Conservative dick.
And he has almost no chance of being Romney's VP.
He may be a fat blowhard and a bully, but he's looked at as too Liberal by the ignorati base. And Romney can't afford to add someone from the NE.
I still think if Romney IS the candidate, he'll need someone with real Conservative bona fides.
McDonnell or Ryan are more likely to be the VP. Maybe Nikki Haley, if they think the base can forget her Sikh background, before she converted to JAYsus. But her star is dimming, because even in SC, her poll numbers are plummeting.
Maybe Rubio, if his bullshit about his parents can be forgiven. And if the base can forgive serial staff-schtupper Newt, they can forgive anyone.
And he has almost no chance of being Romney's VP.
ReplyDeleteHe may be a fat blowhard and a bully, but he's looked at as too Liberal by the ignorati base.
Yeah, but what defines you as a conservative is how much you hate liberals. Hey, look at Gingrich -- he keeps saying the wrong things, but then he unleashes the liberal-hate and the rubes swoon. Christie is basically Gingrich if Gingrich had some Italian genes.
Good point.
ReplyDeleteChristie could be Newt, minus two wives, and who knows how many affairs. But then, could he, even if he want to?
As much as the Mitty-type R's seem horrified at The Newt's resurrection, I don't think they'd run a 3rd-party "true R"/AE ticket if NG were to get the R nom. They'd figure the gen'l election was lost either way, & would give pro forma support to the ticket while really concentrating on Congress for 2012 and getting the party back in their hands in time for 2016. I think the model would be what the Nixon/Rockefeller/Romney the Elder R's did during & after the '64 election.
ReplyDeleteAs for CC, like most bullies he's a coward underneath. A badass when he has the only microphone, a stage, & plenty of security (not to mention contemptible sycophants like Gregory in attendance), but one doesn't always get to play under those conditions. I thought Biden handled Palin quite well & I think he might likewise handle Christie well - if he can keep his temper & provoke CC into losing his.