E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS From Msnbc.com's Tom Curry
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has enjoyed a week of positive buzz.
The governor began the week by standing out from the crowd of pundits and politicians, striking a rhetorical balance on the proposed mosque near the World Trade Center site.
“I understand acutely the pain and sorrow and upset of the family members who lost loved ones that day at the hands of radical Muslim extremists. And their sensitivities and concerns have to be taken into account,” he said. But he added, “We cannot paint all of Islam with that brush. ...We have to bring people together.”
He condemned the mosque “being used as a political football by both parties.” And he got in a slap at President Obama: “what disturbs me about the president's remarks is that he is now using it as a political football as well.”
A new Quinnipiac survey released Thursday found that 51 percent of his state’s voters think Christie is doing a good job as governor; among independents, 61 percent approve of his performance.
New Jersey voters surveyed in the poll were split on President Obama’s job approval: 47 percent to 47 percent – this is in a state the president carried with 57 percent in 2008.
Another New Jersey poll, the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll conducted Aug. 6-8, found only 39 percent saying Christie was doing an excellent or good job as governor.
Despite that, the poll showed the governor has enviable traits for a politician: 74 percent agree he is independent and 70 percent view him as a strong leader.
“I think the party is where Chris Christie is,” said NBC’s Andrea Mitchell Wednesday on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. “There are people like Chris Christie who are the future leaders of the Republican Party.” To which Joe Scarborough responded that Christie “is going to be on everybody’s short ticket (for vice president) in 2012” – a clip that Christie’s staff touts on the governor’s Youtube site.
Finally the Republican Governors Association (RGA) announced it would debut early next month a 20-minute film tribute to Christie and his victory over Democrat Jon Corzine in last year’s election.
Target audience: GOP activists on their laptops. “A large number of grassroots conservatives are going to want to watch it,” said RGA spokesman Mike Schrimpf.
“There is not one iota of political benefit to these films,” scoffed Nathan Daschle, executive director of the Democratic Governors Association. “They are a complete waste of time and money, but as long as the RGA wants to keep throwing their money at them, I'm all for it.”
He added, “When 2010 voters head to the polls this year, Chris Christie will be the last thing on their minds.”
Christie’s message is clear, old-school Republican: “We said we wanted to have less spending, smaller government, lower taxes, and common-sense regulation that was going to grow private-sector jobs.” His budget will cut planned state spending by $11 billion.
“Republicans across the country need to get back to our brand,” Christie says.
His own brand seems to be doing just fine for the moment, but where do things go from here for Christie?
When I asked Daschle about Christie last month, he told me: “Republicans are in a desperate search for a leader. They have about ten people who are competing for the claim of leader of the party. Unfortunately for them, nine of the ten are claiming leadership for reasons that have nothing to do with what they do in office.”
Christie is different from those would-be leaders, Daschle implied. “Chris Christie comes along and, frankly, to his credit does exactly what he said he was going to do, does exactly what Jon Corzine said he was going to do. And he’s made lot of noise in New Jersey and a lot of conservatives take this as a rallying cry for an agenda that they want put forth.”
But he added “The reality is that Christie is at a 35 percent approval rating and I would not be surprised at all if Chris Christie were a one-term governor.”
Since that interview, Christie’s approval rating has improved, as measured by Quinnipiac.
Christie may have a down-ballot benefit for the GOP this year in the Garden State.
“Our polling shows voters who like him are much more likely to vote Republican, even in Democratic districts,” said political scientist David Redlawsk, the director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers. “Republican candidates are happy to be seen with him. Jon Runyan (running against Democrat Rep. John Adler in New Jersey’s Third congressional district) is featuring him at a fundraiser next week, and Rep. Scott Garrett (the Republican who represents the state’s Fifth district) has been happy to be seen with him at a county fair. In general they seem to embrace him”
More unpalatable state budget choices will be needed next year, Redlawsk said. “There is much more to come, most likely, since a massive structural deficit remains, including huge pension obligations that remain unfunded.”
So Christie’s New Jersey approval numbers “may get worse, but perhaps not since voters are sort of positive towards the guy himself and already expect the worst.”
Redlawsk added it’s “simply too early to know” whether Christie is viable as a national candidate. “The next year is likely to be more difficult, and how he handles it will determine his long-term future.”
For now, Christie is important nationally, said GOP pollster Whit Ayres, primarily because he is “showing that Republicans are not goners in the Northeast if they govern from a common sense, conservative perspective.”
Leave a Comment:
Cheers to Christie for having the courage to speak the truth; a voice of moderation in the republican party. They could use plenty more like him.
Agreed.
It's nice to see a true fiscal conservative get elected for a change.
Hopefully, he will finish his term before going on the big bucks lecture circuit for Birthers, Baggers and Buffoons.
BRAVO CHRIS CHRISTIE!
This is a leader who understands not only fundamentals and politics he also understands economics and common sense. The path that the governments, Federal, State and Local, are on is unsustainable. Despite what the ridiculous Liberal Progressive Keynesian's think we are no longer capable of deficit spending to recover our economy from a moderate recession let alone a deep recession/depression like the one we face now. The good ole days of government intervention into the malfeasance and malinvestment it creates is over. We had this luxury when we had strong and dominant export manufacturing industries that could create the only wealth possible to recover our economy. We no longer have that luxury. We have become an 80% service sector and consumption economy. No nation has ever created the type of wealth we need in those sectors. Complicate this with the decades of union corruption, malinvestment and misrepresentation with its burden of benefits, pensions and legacy costs and we find ourselves where we are today.
Chrisite's no-nonsense approach to every possible debt reduction possibility needs to be imitated by every State, Local and especially our Federal government. Yes this includes those previously untouchable sacrosanct union sectors including teachers, police and other services. Unions must step up and admit their unsustainable and many times corrupt pensions and benefits need to be renegotitated, readjusted and reduced. If the private sector is forced to cut wages, hours, benefits and legacy costs so should the government. We have lived, as a nation, far beyond our means and the message is, for the foreseeable future, that we will be forced to live beneath our means as our debt is paid. This is simple Economics 101. We don't need Bernanke telling us the economic outlook remains "Unusually uncertain", any 5th garder can do that. We don't need the buffoons Geithner and Biden telling us this is "The Summer Recovery" as it has become "The Summer That Died In Recovery". We can tell by the mass exodus from the White House of Orzag and Romer to know they "misread the economy" again.
Massive austerity measures similar to the EU need to be implemented ALONG with massive reductions in spending. The Bush tax cuts must ALL be kept in place for at least 2 more years as this is the earliest this recovery MIGHT begin. Across the board cuts in government must be put in place including the military. Trade agreements need to be eliminated or at least made "FAIR" not free. Our outdated and manipulative progressive tax system must be replaced with either a Flat or more appropriately a Fair Tax without caveats implemented on EVERYONE and every business. The middle class has been carrying both the upper and lower income levels long enough, it's time for them to start paying their EQUAL and fair share. Unions must become industry supportive rather than oppressive. There are plenty of Federal and State laws that protect workers rights, unions need to just support them and enforce them.
Finally, government MUST become free market friendly rather than destructive. Massive bureacracy, paperwork, unenforced and ignored regulations, restrictive environmental policies and other restrictions must be reviewed and reevaluated. All levels of government must be slashed by 25%. If the private sector can downsize and reorganize so must the government. The strong agencies will survive, the weak will fail as they were probably not necessary anyway.
Chris Chistie is showing us if we have the courage and the will the proper steps can and must be taken. There is no more room for errors in our economy. Despite the ridiculous claim that we were brought back from the precipice, we are closer to it now than ever. Unless we start making the real hard decisions as Christie is all we are doing is delaying the inevitable. The inevitable will make what we are going through now look like a windfall.
Being two miles across the river from New Jersey, I get to hear a fair amount about Christie, and I'll say this for him, he's got some guts. Not sure I always like what he has to say, but for the most part he seems to say it without beating around the bush and then does what he says he's going to do. Remains to be seen how far that will carry him - everyone's always all for fiscal conservatism and cutting government spending until something THEY want is among the cuts, and he's not exactly using manicure scissors. He also recently proposed some sort of plan - not sure of the details, maybe NoJoe or someone is - to have the state pretty much take over Atlantic City to try and clean it up. Such a clean-up is long overdue and may already be too late, but not sure how well that'll sit with the "too much big government" crowd. For now, I think either of the scenarios above are actually possible - short list for VP in 2012 or just another one-term wonder. He definitely strikes me as someone you're either gonna love or hate. We'll see.....
Christie is a heartless, bombastic idiot, who lied to the NJEA and said he would not attempt to impose a salary freeze, and then turned face and did exactly that. If you think that attacking a bunch of dedicated, underpaid professionals is just him "doing his thing," America will be last in the industrialized world in education, and not 36th out of 40 as we currently are.
Sandy, you must really hate Obama then! All those broken promises...all those campaign untruths...my oh my...oh wait, you must be a democrat, all those promises broken were George W's fault, right? Twenty months into Obama one term and George is still controlling the White House and Congress, he must have been an exceptional leader huh
Christie Kreme is not that great, the teachers hate his guts. I am not a teacher, but I friends that are and they can't stand him. He is also to fat, that dosen't look good for any politician. Corzine wasen't as bad as people say.
Randy, teachers hate his guts because he stopping the gravey train that the state can not afford. Corzine left this state in financial ruin because he couldn't say no to the teachers, but not once have you heard Christie blame the previous administration. He is a man among men, he took what was left to him and saw clearly what had to be done and went out and did it, unlike the pretender in Washington.
You are mistaken about Corzine, he was a very bad Senator and an even worse Governor. He paid back his buddies but did nothing to improve the lot of the residents of the state. He and Lautenberg should both be in jail for pretending to represent the people of New Jersey.
As far as his appearance is concerned, you sound like a typical democrat, form over substance. That is why this country is in such a spiral, Obama has no substance but he sure does have form.
Corzine was a failure, but at least he was not overweight.
Randy-1816894 and Midterm2010 I'll take a fat Christi over a skinny incompetent Obama any day.
I can always tell when a liberal post because they can only resort to name calling. I'm not surprised teachers hate him, he wants to stop their gravy train. Times are bad and we all have to sacrifice. If the Government would just stop spending and cut out all the pork, I would give up my social Security Check and let the Gov. keep it, but I'm not going to give my money that I earned to a Gov that can't spend it wisely. Especially when they want to bail out the corrupt unions.
I don't understand why people refuse to support education.. if we have an uneducated workforce there is no way we'll compete with the rest of the world.. but then again most wealthy families send their kids to private school and then onto the ivy league.. where they learn to become masters of the middle and lower classes.. I'm taking some classes right now and I went into my universities library during a week between classes and it was only me, a white woman, and about a hundred asian kids - I walked the floors and was just amazed that these kids were in there studying science, math, and physics (could tell by the books) on a beautiful summer day -- this is why Asia will be the new super power and why America is on the way down.
He will move in with Mika and sponge joe.
I despise this creep. He is so corrupt it seeps through his pores! I hope someone is looking into his past and digs up dirt on him.
Remember all NJ politicians are crooks. He's just the next one. There's a indictment and a jail cell in his future.
All politicians from NY are crooks. Most people from there are too.
Christie for President.
Christie is ahead of Obama in the 2012 polls by 8 points. Hillary is ahead of him by 3 points.
Chris Christy is a 'get the job done " governor.. We had one like him in Georgia. Sonny Perdue was his name.. He dealt with the teachers union and was disliked at the beginning, he gave them back what they had earned the next year and was well respected for that. He and Chris Christy are "Men of their Words"
I know the left-winged liberal's don't like that because they have noone in office like that.. Their not used to that ..all they know is the TAX and SPEND tactics of the left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gordonfan... as opposed to the borrow and spend tactics of the rigth. More money was borrowed and printed under GWB than any of the previous 3 presidents combined. Obama has delivered on some of his promises and I will grant you he has thrown others over the wall. He ran on health care for all Americans, he ran on getting out of Iraq 2 missions accomplished. And if you want to rebut ther health care claim by saying "at what cost?" bear in mind he helped a lot of unemployed by absorbing COBRA payments; and 42 million people who didnt have health care ,now do. His immigration policies need work, yes, but he has sent more people to the border than his predecessor. The right will cry 'Govt interference..just more govt infringing on our rights" as they seem to want it both ways. More government when it suits their needs and purpose, less when it doesnt. They cant have it both ways
I wish Christie was the govenor of my state. It takes courage and dedication in this economy to make hard cuts to balance budgets. Remember it's always easier to spend money you don't have than to cut spending. Obama and Bush could learn something from this man. God help us if more politicians don't follow his lead - just look at the budget mess in California.
You Sandy must be a teacher and theparty is over. it's about time. If anyone is responsible for the US being 36th out of 40 industrialized nations it the teachers. Look in the mirror.
I do not know why public employees think the real world does not apply to them. Wake up-you work for the citizens of the state, not the other way around! Be thankful you just have a salary freeze, without your Democratic buddies you would be out of work like the rest of America.
Much ado about nothing. He's ok but has made some ignorant questionable decisions. The only reason people are halfway pleased with him is our previous two governors were so bad. In fact we've had a long string of bad governors. As a NJ resident I seriously question the 51% poll. The 35% poll seems much more like reality.
Getting rid of mechanical inspections for cars while leaving the emissions test was nuts. NJ is the most densely populated state in the country, we have a lot of cars. Now some people will be driving junk on our streets endangering everyone else. They wont know they have bad ball joints, steering or brakes until it fails and gets someone hurt. No one takes their car for service unless something is broken and most average people wouldn't recognize any of those problems.
Most people didn't want him to cut education funding. NJ ranks among the top states in the country education wise and we like it that way.
I'm all for him cutting spending. But he should be cutting his big blotted government in Trenton not things we need. And the last thing Atlantic City needs is those buffoons in Trenton taking over anything to do with the AC. They can't even run Trenton, the thought of them improving AC is laughable. If he's already on the short list for VP the Republicans are truly desperate. In this whole country there's gotta be more qualified and proven candidates then him.
And before any of you zealots start the left vs right nonsense save it, I'm an independent. I can clearly see both parties are hopelessly broken and run by their respective extremists.
Interesting that you state, categorically, that "most people didn't want him to cut spending on education".
How, exactly, do you explain all those school budgets going down to defeat in April? Remember, please, that we saw the highest turn-out ever for the school budget votes.
You may call yourself an independent, but you can call yourself ish kabibble and you'd still be the same thing: a liberal.
Oh, and what, by the way,is a 'blotted' government?
I'd forgotten about the decision to eliminate mechanical auto inspections. In addition to the obvious safety issues this creates, I'd have thought that requiring yearly state inspections brought in revenue for the state and helped keep some mechanics employed. I'd be interested in hearing what the "up" side of this is supposed to be.
JoAnne, it DIDN'T bring in revenue for the state-it was a freebie. Except, of course, it wasn't free. It cost the taxpayers plenty.
All those state employees with their outrageous salaries, benefits, and pension plans. They'll be gone in January. good riddance.
The kind of people who don't maintain their vehicles don't get them inspected, either. There's no down side-just an up side by eliminating a useless holdover of the nanny state.
NoJoe - If it was free and wasn't enforced in any way - unlike Pennsylvania's system - then it does sound pretty useless. But I'm still not convinced that having no vehicle inspection system at all in place is a good idea either - does he have any sort of plans to reform or replace it, or is it just being eliminated entirely?
I also think it's interesting that so many of the same people who were so quick to point to Barack Obama's lack of experience when running for national office are so quick to jump on the bandwagon of someone who's only been a governor for 7 months. I just did a little research and found that there are some things I agree with him on - his past support for another mosque's efforts to build in New Jersey, his support for some alternative energy plans, and as I mentioned above, SOMETHING certainly needs to be done about Atlantic City - obviously, now that both Pennsylvania and Delaware have casinos, including the recent addition of table games, gambling alone is no longer going to support the economy there (not that it ever really supported any economy other than the casino owners' pockets).
I just think the bandwagon-jumpers should do a little research, too - for instance, I found more than a couple of references to a quote he made in 2008 that "Being in this country without documentation is not a crime" and a somewhat unaggressive record of actual deportations of illegal immigrants that could come back to haunt him, given the current political climate. I'm not saying it should, but you know as well as I do that politics today subsists on sound bites and anything you say can and will be used against you in any national campaign.
Bottom line? He may turn out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. I'm just saying we may want to hold off a bit on the coronation and see how things play out over time.
I'll have to leave the education discussion for another day - too many issues, too little time today.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Thank you! Finally, someone with a shred of reasoning!
I love Christie and his keeping his campaign promises. I'm ok with him continuing his policies of cutting spending next year as long as he doesn't hurt our childrens' schools. Education of our children is of prime importance.
don't complain when your real estate taxes go up to pay for the schools
Christie is a fat joke. You repubs love 2 complain about unions, but the unions arewhat built this country and the middle class of which Reaganomics have ruined the last 30 yrs. Christie is nothing but a bag of hot air.
My hope is that either Christie or Bob MacDonald , governor of Virgina wind up being the Republican Candidate for President in 2012. Both are strong Conservatives who have actually done what they ran on and made huge improvements in their state budgets.
Either would be far more qualified than Obama or Hillary Clinton,, neither of which was ever even qualified to run for President.
The Democratic agenda has failed. It's now time to go to the Reagan agenda which featured a Bi Partisan effort to move our country forward. History has proven FDR, Carter and Obama all wrong. Christie or MacDonald would be backed strongly by both Independents and Conservatives,, the 2 largest voting blocs in the country. The Democrats led by Pelosi and Reid are a joke and a living disaster for this country.
Be careful for what you wish for, remember Chris Christie was a prosecutor before becoming governor of New Jersey. If you read The Star Ledger newspaper it will have a lot of good reading showing all sides of Chris Christie.
I wish someone would ask Christie about the political appointees who are entitled to benefits from the pension plans. They start with huge job salaries, reap max benefits (vacation days, sick time, etc.), cars, etc and yet only have to have a short time in to get huge pension benefits. How about doing away with this "perk" and leave the poor employee who puts in all the years usually under less than pleasant conditions. Why isn't this ever addressed?
This is being addressed, Eileen.
Although they should trim or cut the perks to all, the plan is to cut those perks to "new" hires.
Same for double, triple, etc. dippers.
"Where does Chris Christie go from here?", simple he goes to McDonalds for ten Double Whoppers with cheese!
He won't get much nourishment from that order as McDonalds doesn't sell Whoppers double or otherwise.
"Where does Chris Christie go from here?", simple he goes to McDonalds for ten Double Whoppers with cheese!
I just wish he would be the future leader and not stress any party.
This guy is by far the finest governor in the US...I'd like to see him run for President in 2012...
His still only thinking is inside the box. I want some out of the box solutions. The standard cut spending is important, but I want some difficult solutions talked about and handled. The mosque did not effect him or New Jersy. I would have liked him to stay out of the issue by saying, I have a full plate in New Jersey, let New York handle it. Sarah Palin will fight for us in Washington. She has moral compass. I believe she thinks out of the box. Ken Krieger 239-283 7385 Cape Coral, Florida
We all need to keep a close eye on Christie if his ratings go up more next year he could move up in standings to the big game. But we must keep a check on his speach to make sure his tone dosent change much at all.If he holds his line and looses a few pounds he could be a person of political intrest for the big boys.
NJ is like California.Democratic legislatures have funded every conceivable welfare idea and spending bill.NJ is getting turned around,California will go into default soon and the state will go down the tubes.
So is the country! We desperately need one!
Christie and Palin 2012! That would be enough to give them all the runs in DC!