. . . but why does he have so much time to deny he’s handicapping the GOP 2012 field? From the New York Times, after he hung out with the New York Times:
At a lunch with New York Times journalists and the newspaper’s publisher, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., Mr. Christie was asked about the Sarah Palin video, released earlier in the day, that had caused a stir. He said he had not yet seen it, but he doubted that it would shed much light on her character.
“I think people need to be judged by the way they conduct themselves in the public arena, in a way that is as minimally staged as possible,” he said. “That’s where you really get to know people.”
When it was noted that Ms. Palin has preferred communicating with the public in ways she can control, Mr. Christie said that “rightfully has been criticized.”
He described his town hall-style meetings – videos of which have made him a rising star among Republicans nationally – where attendance is not limited to supporters, and he routinely takes questions ranging from fawning to hostile. For presidential candidates, he said, moments like that are probably inevitable.
“You have to look at it and see, what are they like when they’re tested, what are they like when they’re not scripted, what are they like when they’re pushed,” he said. “And I would contend to you that if Governor Palin never does any of those things, she’ll never be president, because people in America won’t countenance that. They just won’t.”
He also commented briefly on some of the other potential nominees but said, “I’m in the wait-and-see camp, how they perform. Because I do think that campaigns will tell you a lot about the way people will conduct themselves in office.”
I’ve heard serious people say they would consider Christie if he ran, but I say, Let him be governor of New Jersey. Governor, let yourself be governor of New Jersey.