Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Christie for Vice President?

With apologies to Tommy DeSeno and any other hypersensitive Italian-Americans, Fuhgetaboutit!

Alan Steinberg writes at Politickernj that Governor Chris Christie is likely to be on the "short list" for the GOP nomination for Vice President, regardless of who the Presidential nominee is. Pluuueesse!! (sorry Tommy).

It is undeniable that American is starving for a dynamic, likable, common sense conservative leader to emerge. Christie fits the bill. Count me high among the 22% of New Jersey residents who strongly approve of Christie's performance. Christie is loved for his ability to dance on the third rail and thrive. No one else could would have have taken on the NJEA and survived politically. Christie has forcefully impacted the culture of Trenton.

But he has become a "rock star" not based on the substance of his job performance, but as a reaction to his humor and wit. Christie is a "rock star" thanks to the national media going gaga over the Governor's "you should see me when I'm really pissed" moment in response to Tom Moran's inane question at a press conference, followed by his "Snookie" moment on ABC's This Week.

Not that humor and wit are insignificant. Ronald Reagan may not have been elected if not for his "There you go again" line against President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 presidential debate. If and when Christie does choose to seek national office, his personality will serve him well.

In the meantime, we need Christie to finish the job here in New Jersey. During the celebration of his first six months in office, the Governor said that his team had turned Trenton upside down and was shaking it by its ankles. I disagree.

Christie has tilted Trenton, much more so than anyone could have predicted, but Trenton is not yet upside down. Should Christie start spending time in Iowa and New Hampshire this coming January to test the Presidential waters, Trenton will start tilting back. Christie should be the keynote speaker at the GOP National Convention in 2012, not the Presidential or Vice Presidential nominee. Christie might be able to kill the Jersey Devil in Trenton in four years, but it will bounce back if he leaves in two.

If it were constitutionally permissible for Christie to be Vice President and Governor of New Jersey at the same time I would be all for it. But only a Democrat would try to trample the Constitution like that.

Christie told Sean Hannity to work on the State's First Lady if he really wants a Christie candidacy in 2012. Hold the line Mary Pat, at least until 2016.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Years ago when I lived in Jersey people said the same thing about Christine Whitman.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what Tommy is worried about. Italians are accurately portrayed in the media all the time. People watch The Sopranos and The Gofather movies. We also watch Housewifes of New Jersey and (my favorite) The Jersey Shore. People see Italian-Americans on tv and the movies going about their business all the time.

JustifiedRight.com said...

Art if someone is going to make racist comments you should have a policy of making them say their name.

That's just good editorial policy.

Art Gallagher said...

Tommy, I didn't read the comment as racist the first time I saw it. On a second read I see your point...and the opportunity for you to keep making your larger point.

I'm not inclined to restrict anonymous comments, other than to not post comments that could get me sued.

8 months does not a Pres. make.. said...

..and Tom Kean Sr. for VP, way back in 1988 at the GOP convention in New Orleans..it's just that NJ gets so few GOP gov's,the excited leap to "bigger and better"is an unavoidable but highly unlikely speculation!..