Has Chris Christy Switched Party?

[joko104]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

Christie is now hold press conferences to blast all Republicans in the House in Congress. Again, Democrats and the Democratic media are lavishing praises on Christie for his siding with the Democrats and now also condemning all Republicans in Congress.

This is CNN's analysis, declaring Christie's attack on Republicans in Congress is what Washington needs.

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped a bomb on Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Congress for refusing to allow a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief in the final hours of the 112th Congress. It was an instant classic of principled political outrage. It provided a strong dose of what Washington has been missing: blunt, independent leadership."


Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders

"Pulling no punches, Christie declared: "Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch." He also unapologetically named names: "There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner." He added that the relief bill "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority."

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders - CNN.com

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

 

[ThePlayDrive]

No, he's just defending the state and people he represents against people within his own party who have left them out to dry. He's still a Republican - still believes in Republican principles - but he also believes in his state and his residents - two things that members in his own party are selfishly ignoring because they have the luxury to not give a damn.

Side note: If I recall correctly, Romney was declining not rising in the polls prior to Christie's praise of Obama. Christie's comment didn't have much, if any, effect on the election. Obama already had it before that.

 

[joko104]

No, he's just defending the state and people he represents against people within his own party who have left them out to dry. He's still a Republican - still believes in Republican principles - but he also believes in his state and his residents - two things that members in his own party are selfishly ignoring because they have the luxury to not give a damn.

Side note: If I recall correctly, Romney was declining not rising in the polls prior to Christie's praise of Obama. Christie's comment didn't have much, if any, effect on the election. Obama already had it before that.

^ That's the first pro-Christie Democrat to post.

 

[mak2]

I beleive the Republican party is imploding on itself. I think he is positioning himself for a smooth transisition if it comes to that. But for now he is a Repub.

 

[Zyphlin]

No, he's not switching parties. Christie built a reputation partially on being willing to scold his own side. The difference being that when he was scolding "RINO's" he was cheered by some of the more hyper partisan Republican types and now that he's scolding "The good guys" he's suddenly a line jumping fatass that must be destroyed. This isn't out of character for Christie the politician...it's out of character for Christie the caricature that Ann Coulter pitched to hyper partisans. He's still, in terms of principle and primary policy views, closer to a Republican than a Democrat.

 

[iliveonramen]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

Christie is now hold press conferences to blast all Republicans in the House in Congress. Again, Democrats and the Democratic media are lavishing praises on Christie for his siding with the Democrats and now also condemning all Republicans in Congress.

This is CNN's analysis, declaring Christie's attack on Republicans in Congress is what Washington needs.

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped a bomb on Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Congress for refusing to allow a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief in the final hours of the 112th Congress. It was an instant classic of principled political outrage. It provided a strong dose of what Washington has been missing: blunt, independent leadership."


Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders

"Pulling no punches, Christie declared: "Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch." He also unapologetically named names: "There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner." He added that the relief bill "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority."

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders - CNN.com

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

He's setting himself up for a national election. That includes saying what a lot of individuals including a lot of Indepedents and moderates are thinking. Not to mention he is in a Blue State. Criticizing the Republican Party is pretty popular there.

Also...if criticizing the party turns you into a Liberal the Republican Party is just going to turn into a party of zealots.

 

[donsutherland1]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

Christie is now hold press conferences to blast all Republicans in the House in Congress. Again, Democrats and the Democratic media are lavishing praises on Christie for his siding with the Democrats and now also condemning all Republicans in Congress.

This is CNN's analysis, declaring Christie's attack on Republicans in Congress is what Washington needs.

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped a bomb on Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Congress for refusing to allow a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief in the final hours of the 112th Congress. It was an instant classic of principled political outrage. It provided a strong dose of what Washington has been missing: blunt, independent leadership."


Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders

"Pulling no punches, Christie declared: "Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch." He also unapologetically named names: "There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner." He added that the relief bill "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority."

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders - CNN.com

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

The Governor did not "boycott" campaign events. He had more pressing business that took precedence over the campaign. His first task was to help address the needs of his constituents, even if that meant withdrawing from campaign-related activities.

His news conference yesterday held those responsible for prolonging the suffering of his constituents to task. That those responsible included the House Speaker and House majority--the Governor's own political party--made little difference. He was fighting for his constituents. And it seems that the pressure worked and the Speaker has retreated.

That CNN reported that the House Speaker was somewhat surprised by the harsh reaction that ensued from his blocking the package highlights the kind of tone deafness that has undermined Congressional performance. Real people were suffering. Providing aid addressed a basic need. There were no rewards for blocking it and the fallout from doing so could only be great. That Governor Christie has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to put his constituents ahead of partisan considerations, along with a willingness to talk frankly, could only suggest that the Governor would have an intensely critical response.

The aid package will ultimately be adopted, perhaps in piecemeal fashion. Governor Christie will earn credit from his constituents and from the national audience for standing up for them. Speaker Boehner and the House will have nothing to show, but a further eroded image. That damage will have been completely avoidable had he grasped the larger picture.

In the end, Governor Christie is providing an illustration a dedicated public servant who fights for constituents, demands results, and seeks accountability. That does not mean that he is any less of a Republican. Indeed, the GOP might benefit from more such leaders who put results ahead of the posturing, blame-shifting, and excusemaking that has seemingly supplanted the ability to tackle big problems in Washington.

 

[Ikari]

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

No, he's just a blowhard doing anything he can to stay in the news. The only good thing about living in this state is being able to vote against that bloated whale carcass.

 

[TheNextEra]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

Christie is now hold press conferences to blast all Republicans in the House in Congress. Again, Democrats and the Democratic media are lavishing praises on Christie for his siding with the Democrats and now also condemning all Republicans in Congress.

This is CNN's analysis, declaring Christie's attack on Republicans in Congress is what Washington needs.

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped a bomb on Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Congress for refusing to allow a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief in the final hours of the 112th Congress. It was an instant classic of principled political outrage. It provided a strong dose of what Washington has been missing: blunt, independent leadership."


Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders

"Pulling no punches, Christie declared: "Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch." He also unapologetically named names: "There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner." He added that the relief bill "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority."

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders - CNN.com

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

No, he has just shown he is a big spending Republican. Maybe some will wake up and realize that the GOP has become like the Dems and are big spenders and not the fiscal knights in shining armor that the right claim the GOP to be.

 

[Gipper]

He's not a Democrat. He's just not a Republican line-tower. In other words, he's a breath of fresh air that probably smells of tacos and Whoppers. Dude could lose a couple pounds.

He could be genuine, or he could be making a ploy for bigger things. It's usually the people willing to budge that make the office. Hell, Clinton was staunchly pro-life for most of his life, but you couldn't tell from his POTUS platform.

 

[ThePlayDrive]

^ That's the first pro-Christie Democrat to post.

I'm neither pro- nor anti-Christie. Like I said, he's a Republican so I disagree with most of his policy positions. I think it's great that he's challenging his own party to help the people in his state, but calling me "pro-Christie" is inaccurate. It's also a kind of weird response to what I posted.

 

[DaveFagan]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

Christie is now hold press conferences to blast all Republicans in the House in Congress. Again, Democrats and the Democratic media are lavishing praises on Christie for his siding with the Democrats and now also condemning all Republicans in Congress.

This is CNN's analysis, declaring Christie's attack on Republicans in Congress is what Washington needs.

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped a bomb on Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Congress for refusing to allow a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief in the final hours of the 112th Congress. It was an instant classic of principled political outrage. It provided a strong dose of what Washington has been missing: blunt, independent leadership."


Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders

"Pulling no punches, Christie declared: "Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch." He also unapologetically named names: "There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner." He added that the relief bill "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority."

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders - CNN.com

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

I think he was defending his constituency. The fact that Repub intransigence was the problem just gave a focal point to his bloviating. He must be partially OK because he's an elected Republican in a Democratic area. He's asking for the same disaster relief that has been automatically given in other areas of the country. He did acknowledge previously that Obama showed up in New Jersey to commit Federal resources immediately after the storm. Sounds like Christie might be grounded in the real world. A credit to him.

 

[roughdraft274]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

What world are you living in? He didn't boycott Romney events. he was dealing with a ****ing Hurricane that wiped out parts of his state. Do you really think he should have neglected that so he could go kiss Romney's ass? That's not a boycott.

Also, Romney's steady slow rise? Rapidly reversed? The polls always had Obama as the clear favorite, and it had nothing to do with anything Christie did. You're not in touch with reality.

 

[MarineTpartier]

This is mostly in his own self interest. He sees the national trend of hatred for all things Republican and is simply ensuring his own political capital is safe. I'm sure some of this is the fact that he's concerned about his state. I won't claim that the guy is totally callous to his own constituents plights. However, ALL politicians weigh public opinion into their actions and decisions. I'm sure Christie did the same.

 

[Smeagol]

I'm a registered republican but one thing that gets me about partisan politics is apparently you're not allowed to think and speak for yourself. You have to go along with the group-think/group-speak culture. Party loyalty trumps patriotism. A "traitor" isn't just somebody who renounces his American citizenship and joins Al Qaeda, but also those who happen to prefer the candidate of the opposing party in a election or supports policies "Big Brother GOP" hasn't given him permission to support. Gov. Christie's job is to lead and stand up for the people of New Jersey, period. Every point he made in his press conference is 100% right.

I'm sorry, but people died for my right to vote for whoever I want, speak my mind on any issue I want and take any position I want. Why the GOP insists on driving me to support the opposition by thinking I'm supposed surrender my intellectual autonomy baffling. I'm not about to hand my freedom of thought and speech over to a political party just because I'm a registered member and that somehow means they own me. I commend Gov. Christie for having a similar conviction. Right now Gov. Christie heads a list of Republicans I can count on one hand who I can support with a clear conscience, not due to policy for the most part but the culture, part of which is the notion that says "real Republicans" don't think for themselves and if they do they better either be in lockstep agreement with the official approved agenda or you better keep your mouth shut.

 

[mak2]

There is a reason for that. The T party has pulled the party so far right fewer and fewer can tolerate it anymore.

This is mostly in his own self interest. He sees the national trend of hatred for all things Republican and is simply ensuring his own political capital is safe. I'm sure some of this is the fact that he's concerned about his state. I won't claim that the guy is totally callous to his own constituents plights. However, ALL politicians weigh public opinion into their actions and decisions. I'm sure Christie did the same.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I think he was defending his constituency. The fact that Repub intransigence was the problem just gave a focal point to his bloviating. He must be partially OK because he's an elected Republican in a Democratic area. He's asking for the same disaster relief that has been automatically given in other areas of the country. He did acknowledge previously that Obama showed up in New Jersey to commit Federal resources immediately after the storm. Sounds like Christie might be grounded in the real world. A credit to him.

On the other hand, one that decries the massive federal deficit, yet begs at the trough of federal borrowing when it is "his" state's turn to feed from it, is hardly acting as a fiscal conservative. The "automatically given" aspect of your post is indicative of the problem, as all spending is now exempted from the "pay as you go" rule/law/policy/sham that is supposed to require not borrowing more for every possible reason (excuse?), but to cut spending on something else as priorities change. In the real world, as in your home, you make choices and use credit only as a last resort, not to simply put groceries on the table and pay the rent.

Before you go off on how the Sandy storm was a one time disaster, recall just what other, non-disaster, reasons were used to remove the "automatic" expiration of the "temporary" Bush tax cuts or to stem the "crisis" of sequestration spending cuts approved just in time for the last election, yet removal plans for those spending cuts (now underway) are seen as "compromise". The congress critters are totally out of control; they just approved $120 billion in FIT "increases" (that were, in fact FIT decreses) two days ago, yet have planned spending increases of $60 billion on Sandy "relief" efforts, meaning that the resulting defict "reduction" was cut in half within the week. Spending by our congress critters is totally out of control, "budgets" are a thing of the past and raising the debt "ceiling" is now as routine as can be, just another formality and opportunity for "compromise".

 

[Carleen]

Although the keynote speaker for John McCain, in the last weeks of the election Christie praised President Obama for "doing a great job" and boycotted Romney events. Romney's steady slow rise in the polls rapidly reversed and Democrats lavished praises on Christie.

Christie is now hold press conferences to blast all Republicans in the House in Congress. Again, Democrats and the Democratic media are lavishing praises on Christie for his siding with the Democrats and now also condemning all Republicans in Congress.

This is CNN's analysis, declaring Christie's attack on Republicans in Congress is what Washington needs.

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dropped a bomb on Republican House Speaker John Boehner and Congress for refusing to allow a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief in the final hours of the 112th Congress. It was an instant classic of principled political outrage. It provided a strong dose of what Washington has been missing: blunt, independent leadership."


Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders

"Pulling no punches, Christie declared: "Last night, the House majority failed most basic test of leadership and they did so with callous disregard to the people of my state. ... It was disappointing and disgusting to watch." He also unapologetically named names: "There's only one group to blame ... the House majority, and their Speaker, John Boehner." He added that the relief bill "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority."

Chris Christie drops bomb on GOP leaders - CNN.com

Has Chris Christie essentially switched political parties?

No, he has not and he was not the only republican to who spoke out about the lack of Sandy relief.

 

[notquiteright]

On the other hand, one that decries the massive federal deficit, yet begs at the trough of federal borrowing when it is "his" state's turn to feed from it, is hardly acting as a fiscal conservative.

Like that hero of the fiscal conservatives Paul Ryan who attacked everything from earmarks to lobbyists BUT didn't mind helping his constituents get in line for a handout.

Face it, there are no true fiscal conservatives when it comes to their voters. About the only time a fiscal conservative turns down money is when it goes to a program he doesn't support for folks who wouldn't vote for him on a double dirty dawg bet!

Is fun to see Gov. Christie going from the heart throb of the Tea Party for calling out the Jersey Dems to a party jumping scoundrel for doing what ANY Governor would do after a hurricane hits their state and Congress doesn't approve federal funds to help.

If the House was controlled by the Dems you can bet your tea party hiney the fiscal conservatives wouldn't be applauding fiscal restraint, or attacking Christie as a 'fatass' whiner (ummm didn't the tea party faithful attack the dems for calling Christie a fatass- funny how that works) No Sir, they would be screaming it was pond scum low political payback.

Kinda predictable... more than a bit sad... eace

 

[Vapor]

He's never going to be a Democrat, but he isn't a Republican sheep, either. The man has integrity, and is more than willing to give the finger to party policy if that will serve his constituents better. He is not a flipflopping backstabber; he is an honest and true statesman. I abhor our two-party system, but if I were ever to ever smile at a GOP ticket, it would be one with Christy for president. We need more men like him, men who won't hesitate to step out of their party's line and call corruption and stupidity where they see it. Hell, to be entirely honest, I'd probably vote for Christy for that very reason, coupled with the fact that, living in Oklahoma, my voting choices are GOP or Democrat.

 

[Gardener]

I see him as speaking his mind, and see such criticism as far more valuable coming from within than if it came from without.

If this forum is any indication, I would say that there are about 50 non Christies for every Christie. Most people simply view their politics in terms of turf, and just go about the process of defending such. Very few ever criticize their own. Stupid leftists defend anything identified as left. Stupid righties defend anything identified as right. Stupid libertarians defend anything identified as libertarian.

It is up to the smart people to say "hey. wait a minute -- is this really what we should be defending?" Those are in precious short supply.

 

[Redress]

And here I thought belonging to an ideology or party was about what you you beliefs and philosophy of government...

The republican party, a gift that keeps on giving...to the democrats.

 

[TheDemSocialist]

No hes a republican. Just because you criticize your party does not mean you "switched parties". And he is doing his damn job protecting his state.

 

[ThePlayDrive]

No hes a republican. Just because you criticize your party does not mean you "switched parties". And he is doing his damn job protecting his state.

This kind of nonsense is coming from the same people who think if you criticize the United States or, God forbid, think it should apologize for something, then you're no longer a "real American." It's the "you're with us or against us" crowd who don't realize how hopelessly self-defeating their outrage is.

 

[Redress]

This kind of nonsense is coming from the same people who think if you criticize the United States or, God forbid, think it should apologize for something, then you're no longer a "real American." It's the "you're with us or against us" crowd who don't realize how hopelessly self-defeating their outrage is.

We probably should not stop them from this self-destruction though. It is fun in some ways watching the republican party eat it's own.