Christie to Announce Presidential Run Tuesday
Embracing underdog role as strategy?
The field of Republicans running for president is about to get a bit more crowded as New Jersey governor Chris Christie is expected to announce his bid to run on Tuesday.
Bloomberg reports:
Chris Christie Said to Plan Tuesday Announcement of Presidential Run
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will join the crowded Republican 2016 field Tuesday, two people with knowledge of his plans said.
Christie, 52, will cap months of speculation with an announcement in his hometown of Livingston, said the people, who asked for anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak before his speech.
While Christie previously said he hadn’t made up his mind, he’s spent months making policy speeches and holding meetings in key primary states including New Hampshire and Iowa. He’s traveled as “honorary chairman” of Leadership Matters for America, his political action committee.
Samantha Smith, a committee spokeswoman, didn’t immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.
According to a new report from FOX News, Christie is planning to embrace a specific strategy:
Christie to embrace underdog role as he launches 2016 bid
When New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie enters the race for president next week, he’ll do so as an underdog.
The launch of the Republican governor’s White House campaign is the culmination of years of groundwork that began even before his landslide re-election to a second term as governor in 2013, but one nearly felled by scandal and a descent from his standing as one of the nation’s most popular state leaders to a politician whose approval ratings have reached record lows.
It’s a reality Christie and his supporters are ready to embrace.
“Clearly, he’s got some uphill work to be done,” said Ken Langone, a co-founder of The Home Depot and one of Christie’s most vocal cheerleaders. “But I think it can be done.”
Of course, not everyone is convinced that will work.
Thomas Fitzgerald of the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Has Christie’s ship already sailed?
He had them at “sit down and shut up!”
In the summer of 2011, some Republican leaders and billionaire donors begged Gov. Christie to run for president to save the party. Less than thrilled with the available options, they loved his blunt style and success in a blue state. Christie wavered, but passed.
“Now is not my time,” he said.
As Christie prepares to announce his 2016 presidential intentions Tuesday, after months of travels to early-voting states, some question whether he missed his moment. The Republican electorate seems to have given a collective shrug and moved on; Christie is near the bottom of the polls.
“You need to go when it’s your time,” said Douglas Gross, a Des Moines lawyer and GOP power broker. “The luster wore off. They pass the pie, and you’d better take your piece, because it’s not coming around again. I don’t sense a clamor for Christie.”
Things can certainly change, but if Christie’s poll numbers continue to sag he won’t be included in the top tier debates. That alone could seriously harm his chances.
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Exactly.
Then why is he running now ?
It’s not his freaking time now either.
And I am pretty sure it will never be.
….and then there were 15……
Or is it 14? I’ve lost track.
I truly believe that the RINOs are trying to “flood the zone” to make it so hard for anyone else BUT Jeb!(TM) to be the nominee.
OT, but related: why is Drudge so anti-Ted Cruz? He never highlights when Cruz dominates at Conservative conferences, stops, etc. and barely mentions when he is on top in various polls……… (See the current page, then compare with Ted Cruz posts on Conservative blogs…..Cruz is very under-reported by Drudge, it seems.) Perhaps it is simply a reflection of the dearth of articles in print and online……? With so many candidates, how is he the one who has raised over $40 million, yet he gets minimal media coverage……?
“Christie Said to Plan Tuesday Announcement of Presidential Run”
Why?
I wish I could remember where I first saw it, but the description of Chris Christie as a “donut-scented man-whore” has stuck with me.
Mark Levin calls him “Krispy Kreme” Chistie. Heh. 😀
he can be the VP for Shrillery!
two fat, stupid Demonrats on one ticket.
He’s running as a Republican? Huh.
Perhaps he’ll cut into the establishment support for Jeb?
More seriously, is there some campaign finance advantage to this — like it lets him raise more money that, after he drops out, he can use for his gubernatorial reelection campaign?
Or is this just an ego thing?
“Embracing underdog role as strategy?”
Nope. The hotdog.
I don’t get the Christie hatred, much of which seems to have been fomented by the media wing of the Democrat party. Christie is tough, articulate, smart and experienced. Yes, he is a center-right candidate, but he’s conservative where it counts to the electorate – unions, the fisc, foreign policy. If you think campaigning against Obergefell is going to win a national election, go look at facebook, my friends. It’s over, that ship has sailed. Huckabee, Jindal, and Cruz have marginalized themselves on social issues, imo. And look at the more center guys. Bush? C’mon. He’s mush. Walker. Okay, he’s an awesome guy, but no gravitas on foreign policy, which is going to be huge, or should be. I think the problem with Christies is that he’s realistic on what can and can’t be done, and the windmill tilters of the right hate despise that about him. Perry – he flaked without help from anyone. The Dems are skewing so far left this time around that all we need to do is put up a candidate people won’t hate. So far, I think Christie’s one of the few who falls into that category. We bailed on McCain in ’08 cause he wasn’t conservative enough and look where that got us. Let’s not do that again.
Oooooh, yah. When I think “foreign policy gravitas” my mind turns inexorably to Chris Christie.
Kidding…!!!
No New Jorsy politico has a prayer on the national stage.
“I don’t get the Christie hatred, much of which seems to have been fomented by the media wing of the Democrat party.”
There is no Christie ‘hatred’ – that’s a strawman. Lack of support for Christie is due to Christie’s own doings his own choices. Hugging and kissing Obama on camera might have had something to do with it.
“Christie is tough, articulate, smart and experienced.”
So are Walker, Cruz, Perry, Paul, Fiorina, etc.
“Yes, he is a center-right candidate, but he’s conservative where it counts to the electorate – unions, the fisc, foreign policy.”
Yes, Christie can bark at teachers from a podium. Center-right? The same president who appointed ‘conservative’ John Roberts to the Supreme Court appointed Christie to US Attorney. As for his fiscal successes in NJ, they were because of NJ governor’s line item veto powers, a feature Christie would not enjoy as US president. I’d love to hear an example of Christie’s foreign policy success.
“If you think campaigning against Obergefell is going to win a national election, go look at facebook, my friends. It’s over, that ship has sailed.”
Another straw man. Nobody I know is suggesting this.
“Huckabee, Jindal, and Cruz have marginalized themselves on social issues, imo.”
These three are ‘marginalized’, but Christie is busting into to the lead or something? Lol.
“And look at the more center guys. Bush? C’mon. He’s mush. Walker. Okay, he’s an awesome guy, but no gravitas on foreign policy, which is going to be huge, or should be.”
Sure, Walker and Wisconsin don’t have the foreign policy gravitas of a Christie and New Jersey. LOL.
“I think the problem with Christies is that he’s realistic on what can and can’t be done, and the windmill tilters of the right hate despise that about him.”
Windmill tilters have the balls to fight and are willing to lose. Guys like you and the politicians you favor – GOP elites – refuse to even fight. So, according to you, Christie agrees with the GOP elite that there is very, very little that can safely be pursued in politics. Take no risks, stay the course, wouldn’t be prudent.
“The Dems are skewing so far left this time around that all we need to do is put up a candidate people won’t hate.”
Sure, who cares what his or her positions, values, and principles might be, right? For the GOP elitists, it’s all about winning and f**k policies or plans. “Vote for X – nobody hates him yet!” How horribly shallow and vacuous that is.
“So far, I think Christie’s one of the few who falls into that category. We bailed on McCain in ’08 cause he wasn’t conservative enough and look where that got us. Let’s not do that again.”
If McCain and Romney are the problem, Christie is not the answer.
Christie is Bush-Lite. He’s been in the Bush dynasty’s pocket since he joined W’s campaign in 1999. Christie served as Bush’s NJ campaign attorney. It’s how he got to be US attorney – W appointed him (and John Roberts). Christie’s role in 2016 primaries is to play stalking horse in favor of Jeb Bush. To be fair, I must admit Christie doesn’t always support the Bushes. Sometimes he supports Barack Obama.
(Note to self: No more blog-hoppng on mushrooms).
Need some iced tea, Hank? 😉
I’m leaving Wednesday for a week vacation – in Detroit. It’s got me little shook up.
Wow, Henry, I appreciate the thought you put into that thorough response! I do agree with you in many respects, but respectfully decline the “elite” designation. I’m not a JEB! fan, although I did support GWB in many respects, especially the “Bush Doctrine.” I like Christie because he’s a fighter whose shown he can win and govern in blue territory. Hopefully our side – the conservative side – can find and settle on a candidate we can all support, and who can win. Best of luck on your trip, and thanks again for taking the time to engage with my attempt at commentary!
I live in the Detroit area. As long as you stay out of the city (unless the Tigers have a home game downtown) and the east side of Dearborn, you’ll be fine. Detroit suburbs are as nice as any in the US.
I’m Detroit native. Got it covered. But thanks.
Christie’s only foreign policy experience is caving to radical Muslims.
“We bailed on McCain in ’08 cause he wasn’t conservative enough and look where that got us.”
McCain bailed on McCain. He was the one who suspended his campaign because of TARP. McCain was a horrid candidate. Name another candidate that ever said, “My opponent would make a fine President.” Romney had an incompetent campaign team, but McCain had people who were actually playing for the opposition (Schmidt and the Wallaces).
Republican voters didn’t derail McCain’s candidacy. McCain derailed McCain’s candidacy.
Maybe he’ll run with Hillary Clinton, running as the duo of Fatman and Robbing.
One good thing about this is that he and Bush can fight for the same primary voters.
The big surprise here is that he seems to have decided to run as a Republican.