Can Christie Recover From This?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25671970
Or are the republicans looking for a new front runner?

[jno]

I think he's stuffed, but Republicans may think otherwise. As they still seem to be fighitng a civil war between Tea Party types and moderates, it may not be a great time to be a party candidate for the presidency anyway. A bit like Labour in the 80s and the Tories in the 90s, getting the party leadership was a sure way of arranging theat you'd never be PM.

[Svejk]

Had to laugh at this, yesterday.
Machiavellianism that New Labour would have been proud of.

[LazyGun]

Regardless of your place on the political spectrum, surely no one is trying to condone what Christie ( or his inner circle, at least) were attempting to do? Vindictive,partisan politics - and who pays? Your average everyday commuter and citizen.We all might be cynical of machiavellian political manouverings, common to all political parties in the UK and elsewhere, but I cannot think of a more obvious example of petty political point-scoring.

Not a good advert for a wannabe president.

The same inner circle that, when someone raised the faintest qualm about the effect it had on school buses and getting to school said, so what? they are kids of Buono ( the Democratic Governership contender) supporters. It has also been suggested the severe traffic congestion and delays resulted in the death of at least one elderly patient.

Bullying, petty political payback at the expense of the taxpayer. Not a good advert for a presidential candidate, someone who boasts of his ability to work with others and strive for consensus politics.

The Tea Party do not like him over his response to Hurricane Sandy, he has now tarnished his image amongst the centre right as well. I think his presidential ambitions have been blunted.

[ToraToraTora]

Sadly LG you are bang on, from now he can never have sensible debate or interview without some media jockey asking some smarmy question about this. I wonder if his aide knew wthe damge she was doing.

Still, hopefully sarah is still about.

[Clanad]

Actually, most of the response here in the U.S. has been quite positive in Christies favor. I think we're all in shock that someone is actually showing leadership, especially compared to our Beloved President.

Christie clearly and unambigously showed (so far) that he wasn't aware of the incident... dug out his Chief of Staff and fired her when he proved clearly that she lied to him when he began to investigate the rumors, fired two other staff members (one of which refuses to answer questions), apologized profusely, and took full responsibilty, answered over two hours of reporters questions (until they were exhausted) went to personally visit the Mayor of Ft. Lee and apologize to him for the incident (which was gracefully received by said Mayor).

This all in contrast to the multitude of controversies and down right scandals that pop up around or Beloved President on almost a weekly basis. His response is usually (always), "I didn't know, it wasn't me, a full investigation is being done and I'll answer questions as soon as I have any information"... which of course, is never. The guilty parties are kicked on up the chain of command and the incidents are soon forgotten by the main stream press who have a vested interest in supporting our Beloved President... (rant over)...

I'm not particularly a Christie fan ( still remember him hugging our Beloved President during the aftermath of the storm last year), but I do admire his 'take charge and show some leadership' conduct... thus far at least...

[LazyGun]

Only a blinkered republican diehard can take anything positive out this latest example of Christies blowhard personality. He did not apologise, once, for the whole fiasco. He fired his deputy only when he absolutely had to. And he had no choice but to go and apologise in person to the Mayor in question, having allowed his own inner circle to carry out nonsense political point scoring like this.

He is a busted flush and certainly no presidential candidate.

[Clanad]

Gee, LG, you must have you own private news cast... I watched a lot of Christie's appearance and he used the word "apologize" at least 24 times, declared himself ultimately responsible and had fired his chief of staff (after releasing her incriminating e-mails), plus arranged for the mayorial visit all in one day. Sounds a lot like decisiveness to me... you know... taking the bull by the horns sort of thing we used to see from actual leaders...

He certainly answered any and all press questions... so much so in 2 hours that they obviously ran out of anything more to ask.

Only a lard headed Democrat would not choose to see the obvious diffrence in
quality of leadership between Christie and their invisible seat warmers...

[mikey4444]

I don't think Christie has done himself any harm at all. Like Clannad, I heard him apologise on numerous occasions. If he shows himself to be human and mortal once in a while, I can't see that its a bad thing. The Republicans aren't really in a position to bother one way of the other, as they still have their civil war to finish, before they can think about the White House in 2 years time.

[LazyGun]

Sounds like bull headed political expediency to me, Clanad. I heard lots of him whining about being "blindsided", by being "betrayed". Did not hear a great deal of apologies for the chaos caused to ordinary commuters.

How many Christie supporters or members of his advisory staff have been sacked now over this? This is the blowhard who goes on about how close he and his advisors are - one big happy family and all that. This political point scoring was either at his direct instruction, in which case he is vengeful petty wannabe tyrant, or he is an utterly inept manager - which is it?

Lets not forget Christies jokes about all the inconveniences caused to commuters prior to christmas, or his dismissals of calls for greater investigation into the causes of the delays as being political distractions.

I do not myself believe that he would have had no knowledge of this, not given the involvement of friends and close advisors.

Only the most fervent GOP supporter, one completely immune to the travails and sufferings of your ordinary man on the GWB can attempt to spin this political embarassment as "a good example of leadership".