No matter how many times Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey has said that he wasn’t running, the top GOP donors wouldn’t take no for an answer. Believing Christie’s plain spoken, tell-it-as-it-is way was tailor-made for 2012, they simply wouldn’t give up. Gov. Christie has tried everything to make it clear, including telling the audience after his speech at the Reagan Library to take a look at Politico, that had strung together videos of him saying “no,” and even that didn’t slow down the parade of suitors knocking on his door.
Today Gov. Christie made one final attempt saying “now is not my time.” Yet Mr. Christie bears at least some of the responsibility for the non-stop speculation and endless line of financial bundlers seeking entrance to his office in Trenton. Christie has said many times over the past year that he would not run, but he allowed influential Republicans to attempt to woo him. A simple, “go away, I won’t discuss it,” might have sufficed.
Christie allowed the appeals to continue, till today, God-willing, giving the final words on the matter. With national coverage, hoping to catch Christie saying something either non-committal or announcing he would join the race, Christie said he had “a commitment to New Jersey that I simply will not abandon.”
“So, New Jersey,” he added, “whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me.”
Hopefully today’s announcement will be an end to the flurry of political speculation on Gov. Christie’s presidential aspirations for 2012. Christie, only 20 months in office as New Jersey’s governor, has repeatedly said that he did not feel ready to pursue the presidency, even at one point joking that he would have to commit suicide to convince people he was not running. Perhaps the consideration of a future run for national office persuaded Christie to at least be cordial with those seeking his entrance to the race, but the end product is that the recent gossip froze the GOP race much as the supposition of Perry’s run did this past Summer. While recent debate performances and 2 straw-polls have helped bolster Herman Cain, the Christie speculation has dampened almost any media attention to the other candidates.
“For me the answer was never anything but no,” Christie said. “My job here in New Jersey was always my passion.”
Any further discussion of a Christie run would be purely irresponsible journalism; and any attempt by GOP glitterati to change his mind would be a gift to the president. If this is the end, which it certainly should be, focus should return to those who have been pounding the pavement for months or years. Unfortunately with a few meager weeks left before registration remains in the early primary/caucus states, you can be sure that all eyes will turn to Sarah Palin.
Sane people we begin to concentrate their assessments on the current field that has been a pendulum swinging back and forth between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry. Perry has taken a beating and it shows in the polls. Romney, meanwhile, is failing to solidify his support as the Tea Party and GOP standard-bearers aren’t yet sold on his candidacy. The pumps appear primed for another in the field to rise, and at this time that appears to be Cain and Gingrich. Both Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich have eaten into support for Perry and Romney in recent weeks, with Cain skyrocketing in the last 2 weeks.
Sadly, much as Perry’s weaknesses have come to light of late, Christie would have had many issues had he joined the race. His support for gun control, position on immigration, his stance on global warming and high unemployment in New Jersey would provide great fodder for his Democratic opponents; not to mention Christie’s short span of experience.
Clearly the unease among some in the Republican Party was based on concern that the current field doesn’t include a candidate strong enough to insure an Obama defeat in 2012. Christie’s in-your-face approach would have made for entertaining debates, but could he have survived the primary season when his moderate positions came to light? Not likely. In a general election Christie’s tough-talking style and blunt approach to governing would contrast well with the president, but much as Romney has learned with RomneyCare, sometimes your position on an issue can be a steep hill to climb.
A strong message to conservatives should’ve been the Democrats positive view of a Christie candidacy. Christie’s announcement today led to quick comment from several Democrats in New Jersey’s legislature.
“The governor clearly understood that he cannot run for president when his own house isn’t in order,” Barbara Buono, the Senate majority leader, said. “Unemployment is 9.4 percent — higher than the national average. Property taxes have increased since he took office. He has a budget deficit of almost $8 billion. Not the best record on which to base a presidential campaign.”
Of course Ms. Buono’s comments seem rather dubious given the fact she reigned over the state’s last legislature that together with former Democrat Gov. Jon Corzine drove New Jersey into a ditch; nonetheless, Democrats in New Jersey would’ve liked nothing better than to see Christie make a rapid departure from the state’s political scene.
The fact is that New Jersey needs Chris Christie and until he leads them into a more stable position there’s no place for him as a national candidate. Christie is right; now is not his time. Despite any misgivings over the current field, it’s time for the GOP to find their answer to Obama and to stop looking for alternatives.