Dan already wrote a piece about it, but Chris Christie was in the office last week. I just wanted to quote him more extensively on 2012. I asked him whether he knew that, given the moment, there is a serious chance he could win the Republican nomination if he ran. This is what he said in full:
Yes. Believe me, I’ve been interested in politics my whole life. I see the opportunity. But I just don’t believe that’s why you run. Like I said at AEI, I have people calling me and saying to me, “Let me explain to you how you could win.” And I’m like, “You’re barking up the wrong tree. I already know I could win.” That’s not the issue. The issue is not me sitting here and saying, “Geez, it might be too hard. I don’t think I can win.” I see the opportunity both at the primary level and at the general election level. I see the opportunity.
But I’ve got to believe I’m ready to be president, and I don’t. And I think that that’s the basis you have to make that decision. I think when you have people who make the decision just based upon seeing the opportunity you have a much greater likelihood that you’re going to have a president who is not ready. And then we all suffer from that. Even if you’re a conservative, if your conservative president is not ready, you’re not going to be good anyway because you’re going to get rolled all over the place in that town.
I just see how much better I get at this job every day, and I do, and I learn things. If not every day, at least every week. And my wife and I were actually talking about this last night. We had dinner together with the family after the [New Jersey budget] speech and she was saying how much better she thought I was yesterday than I had been before in my speech. She said, “You are getting better.”
That’s just the nature of life. So, I see the opportunity, I recognize and understand it and I’m really flattered that people think of me that way. But, if I don’t believe it in here [pointing to his heart], I’m not going to be a good candidate on top of everything else.
And remember in the context of sitting there on election night 2009, and my wife and I were convinced we were going to lose. It is a bit to get your arms around, too. You’re a successful United States attorney and then within a year of that time you have people talking about you and I was running around campaigning for folks. All of these handmade “Christie for President” signs in the crowds when I was in Michigan and Iowa and all the other places that I went, Ohio and Pennsylvania and Florida. It’s also been overwhelming, too.
Like I said before, I am who I am and people have to trust, they don’t have to but they should trust, my instincts on this. I know me better than anyone else knows me. If I felt like I was ready, I’d go, but I’m not. But I’m also not going to go if I don’t think I’m ready.
When I walked into the Governor’s office last January there have been some difficult days in the job. There has never been a day where I’ve felt like I’m over my head, I don’t know what to do, I’m lost. I don’t know whether I’d feel the same way if I walked into the Oval Office a year and a half from now. So, unless you get yourself to the point where you really believe you have a shot to be successful, then I don’t think you have any business running for it.
On the readiness front, you can’t argue with what he feels, but I think he’s wrong. He’s at least as ready as Bill Clinton in 1991 (indecisive governor of a small state), George W. Bush in 1999 (decisive governor of big state, but in a very weak office), and Barack Obama in 2007 (no executive experience whatsoever). I joked with the governor that if he’s getting better every day, by November 2012, he’ll be ready to go. He laughed, but seemed unconvinced.
(Consider this another piece in my continuing series taking issue with the reasons non-candidates give for not running for president.)
You're not in the mood? Well you GET in the mood.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRich, I agree he's "at least as ready" as Clinton, GW Bush, and the President were when elected. But that's not saying much. Clinton was a satisfactory enough President, but for his significant personal failings. I share the common opinion around here of President Obama's ability and accomplishments. And much as I admire President Bush and his willingness to stick to principle at great cost, I can't say that he was truly a great president, as presidents go.
I think, frankly, that our presidents of late have not had the level and type of political and executive experience that we need. We've relentlessly shortened the national vetting process, always looking for the "next big thing," the next political phenomenon. That's a mistake that we need to rectify.
I currently have an exceedingly high opinion of Governor Christie, and I hope that it turns out to be warranted. But my opinion is currently based primary on his words rather than his actual accomplishments. Wouldn't it be prudent to wait and see how Christie's reforms in New Jersey actually turn out before anointing him?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere's another issue involved. Governor Christie owes it to the people of New Jersey to do the job they elected him to do, and that **isn't** "running for President".
After he's fixed New Jersey's budget and gotten the state back on its feet, there'll be plenty of time for a Presidential run.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChris Christi is behaving like an adult, as opposed to ego driven, inexperienced nincompoops.
How refreshing.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI need some assurance he is truly a conservative before I could cast a vote for him.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseC.C. can afford to drop some pounds first, especially in this visual age and the image of cutting the "fat". Then he can be lighter than Huck, who seems to have given up on running marathons, etc. :)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGov. Christie is a RINO.. Once Conservatives realize that we can move on and forget him.. This pop-culture mentality in America today is disturbing.. I still remember when Scott Brown won his election and everyone started screaming "Brown for President", now we've seen that he's just a Liberal RINO and votes against Conservatives 50% of the time.. Christie is another Scott Brown, there's more to being a Conservative President than simply yelling at teachers...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChristie appears to be a great governor of NJ but I'm afraid he wouldn't be all that great of a president for conservatives.
This reminds me of the time Colin Powell was getting all the hype to run for president. And over time, we learned that he wasn't really one of us. The same may be true of Christie.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChris Christie is a family man who attends church every Sunday with his family - how rare is that these days.
No, he does not compare to Clinton or Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf he's not ready, he's not ready. He may be more qualified than many who have run, but if he doesn't want the job, then thank him for his good decision making and move on.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBecause Chris Christie could be rude to a bunch of overly pampered teachers, that doesn't make him POTUS material. Sorry, he is not on the top of my "I want to get out and campaign for him" list.
I have two problems with Christie: first, I question his motives in selecting for a judgeship a man who was the legal representative of the Fort Dix Six terrorists and who was praised by Ibrahim Cooper of the Muslim Brotherhood funded group, CAIR. Sahail Mohammed has also been instrumental in trying to recruit Muslims for jobs in the FBI and CIA. Ummm, that gives me pause.
Second, I find questionable Christies bashing of Sarah Palin with his "blow dryer" comments (and others) when he has never really met with the woman. What purpose does it serve to bash someone who is out there promoting the conservative values Christie proclaims to subscribe to? Unless insults serve no purpose............unless......you are really running for POTUS, in spite of what you say, and you are trying to take the opposition down now.
Christie? Nope. He excites me as much as John McCain did and that is not at all.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSorry guys but no...he is another RINO, just noisier. He is an open borders nut, he is a gun controller, he has a lot of Islamist baggage on the order of Norquist.
Wont have any of it here. Plus all the media like him...especially at CNN....so thats another negative.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI admire his seeming lack of lust for power. That said, at times this republic has needed men to step forward despite not being completely prepared for the task in front of them. Certainly an 18 year old at Pointe du Hoc wasn't ready for what lay ahead. Lincoln couldn't have been prepared. If you care at all for the future of this country you don't calculate and run in 2016. I know we won't get Jindal, Ryan, and Christie all to run. Having the choice of those three would make me much more at ease. I'd like for at least one of them to answer the call. If we give this disaster of a president four more years, the damage will be irreparable.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChristie is certainly ready, I would have no qualms about whether he has the resume. He will absolutely regret it later in life if he passes this opportunity up. I would not want to go through the rest of my life knowing I had a very real chance to be President but I passed it up.
There's some incredible Republican talent that can easily top Christie in 2016 and 2020 like Rubio, Paul Ryan, Bob McDowell, etc. that will make it Extremely difficult for someone like Christie.
Obama is very vulnerable, the problem is nobody is stepping up to the plate. I honestly believe even a less than stellar candidate like Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty can still put him away.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI like a lot about Chris Christie. But, his stance on 2nd Amendment Rights will have to change before he will get my vote.
He appears to be a great Governor for New Jersey. Hurrah for him. Until he can demonstrate an understanding of the US that is West of New Jersey, he will be just another North Easterner who thinks he knows more than we do to those of us in the flyover states.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRich- that parenthetical gave me my first belly-laugh of the day. Thank you.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOn the substance, as a previous poster noted, it seems Gov. Christie is an adult. How refreshing in a politician.
I wish he'd run.
Governor Christie, what if you really are the only guy that could beat Obama? What then? Are we better off with a principled conservative as president who needs to do a little learning, or an out of control liberal, who's clearly in WAY over his head? Are we better off with 4 more years of trillion plus deficits? I think we're sunk as a country and our future will be seriously hampered if the spending doesn't stop after Obama's first term, and the only way it stops is if he's gone.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen my choice is between a Democrat and another Democrat, I will choose the Democrat every time. Maybe Rich can promote Coumo next. He is cutting government too. Throwing water on a burning building doesn't mean you're a fireman. These states are bankrupt, they don't have any other choice.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChristie said: "But I’ve got to believe I’m ready to be president, and I don’t. And I think that that’s the basis you have to make that decision." However, I'd just mention something about "being ready." It is in a military context. You can train; train; and train some more and still the question remains, no matter how rigorous the training, "am I ready" and "can I do this?" Fact is, even though those who have been there and trained you can tell you that you are ready, you won't know till you are in the arena. Once there, if properly trained, you will do fine. Christie may not think he is ready, but he is better trained than the majority of candidates and more ready than most. If he decides to sit out, OK, but there are times when one must put their personal desires and well being aside and step up. This may be the time for we certainly need a conservative that is different from the Palins; Romneys, and Daniels. Obama has been a disaster for this country and the path he has set must be immediately and permanently reversed. If not Christie then someone with his character and convictions. There really isn't much time left before the situation reaches a tipping point and it is too late to salvage.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Are we better off with 4 more years of trillion plus deficits?"
If we do not change the fundamental sturcture of government, it won't matter. Christie is not the guy to do it. He agrees with most of it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse