Here comes payback

By Art Gallagher

Governor Chris Christie is on the receiving end of some Chicago style political payback from the Obama administration machine.

With his rising national star power, and his “put up or shut up” message to the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives, Christie has become the strong spine of the Republican Party.  Obama needs to tarnish Christie’s image and weaken his spine if he is to co-opt the House Republicans into compromise.

Christie is clearly in the Obama machine’s opposition radar.  We saw that in August when they quickly released a video of NJ’s education delegation’s testimony defending the flawed “Race to the top” application as a rebuke to Christie placing the blame on the failed application on the U.S. Education Department.  That was Obama injecting himself into local politics and creating turmoil for the Governor.  Christie came out of the controversy stronger by launching his Reform tour throughout the State, with the facebook/Oprah splash and by hitting the campaign trail for Republicans nationally and locally with a back breaking schedule.

Yesterday we saw the news of a Justice Department audit that criticised Christie for overspending on travel, by $2,176 over 14 trips, while U.S. Attorney.  Today we see the news that the U.S Transporation Department sent cash strapped New Jersey a bill for $271 million, plus penalities and interest and an audit to follow looking for more, for federal money spent on the ARC project that Christie terminated last month.

Also today, we see a new Quinnipiac poll showing Christie’s approval ratings in NJ holding steady at 51%, while Obama’s disapproval ratings hit 50% for the first time.

The Quinnipiac poll also said that 61% of respondents said that Christie would not make a good President,that 60% say he will not run for President in 2012 and 67% think the Christie for President talk is political gossip.  With polls like these it is all in how word the question.  I interpret this poll to mean that over 60% of New Jersey voters are taking Christie at his word that he is not running in 2012 and his own assessment that he is not ready to be President.  I take the responses to mean that New Jersey wants Christie to finish the job he started here before moving on.

I would love to see the results of a poll that asked “Who is more qualified to be President?  A 2008 Barack Obama or a 2010 Chris Christie?

Christie will likely get stronger as a result of the latest Obama machine strike.  Keep an eye out for more anti-Christie news coming out of Washington, especially in the days following Christie appearances on national TV.

Posted: November 9th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Christie, Obama | Tags: Barack Obama, Chris Christie | 1 Comment »

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