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Chris Christie, a Republican without a party

Christie even borrowed Democratic rhetoric in explaining his Medicaid decision. He said he was “putting people first” – a line that was a Bill Clinton trademark and the title of his campaign book.

In fact, Christie could do worse than aspire to the role that Clinton played for Democrats in 1992. The young Arkansas governor was perceived as the solution to a problem that had dogged Democrats for 20 years by then. Before the primary that year in New Hampshire, one liberal Democrat after another told me that their hearts belonged to Tom Harkin or Bob Kerrey or Jerry Brown, but they were going to vote for Clinton. They were tired of losing with stereotypical liberals who were easily caricatured as soft on crime and defense, and they saw the Southern moderate as a game-changer.

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We need some umpa loompas roll him off stage to the left.

abobo on February 27, 2013 at 2:02 PM

Is this Christie the RINO we are talking about?

Axion on February 27, 2013 at 2:02 PM

Chris Christie, a Republican without a party

Christie is only interested in parties where they serve copious amounts of liberal yum-yum cake.

https://twitter.com/Dudette9t9/status/305847708927815680/photo/1

Pork-Chop on February 27, 2013 at 2:05 PM

The irony is that Christie has a record 74 percent approval rating in his blue state, and 71 percent of his constituents think he deserves to be reelected. That suggests broad appeal and a national future – but only if his party figures out how to embrace rather than shun people like him.

Funny isn’t it, Palin had a high approval rating, but that didn’t mean the GOP should embrace HER, but a RINO, his hi approval ratings means we SHOULD.

Of course let Christie get the GOP nomination AND suddenly the NYT and everyone will suddenly begin to dump on him, and he’ll be nothing but a mouth piece for the Religious Bigotry of the Zealots of Christianist Right. He’llbe a threat to abortion, gay rights, and a host of other issues, he’s currently lauded for…AND the people saying nice things about him will vote for HILLARY or CUOMO any way.

JFKY on February 27, 2013 at 2:06 PM

He has a party . It is called the big-government-established-ruling-class party . It has two branches . A republican branch and a democratic branch . They both live very well and take helicopters and private jets everywhere they go . Has no one noticed ?

DeweyWins on February 27, 2013 at 2:07 PM

Wait … what … we have a party?

kregg on February 27, 2013 at 2:08 PM

Oh look! Another Chris Christie link! Been so long since I’ve seen anything about him on HotAir.

ButterflyDragon on February 27, 2013 at 2:12 PM

This time it will be different, guys. Unlike ’96, ’08, and ’12 this time if we embrace the squishy rino the media will lavish him with praise right up through election day. When Hilary or Cuomo attack him, why the NYT will be leading the charge to correct the record, lest low information voters be persuaded by liberal lies. Trust us.

Kataklysmic on February 27, 2013 at 2:14 PM

He’s better aligned with modern (R)s than most here.

rogerb on February 27, 2013 at 2:15 PM

It’s okay. He’s big enough to be a party.

Rocks on February 27, 2013 at 2:19 PM

He’s not a Republican.

Christie/Emanuel, or

Christie/Bloomberg, or

Christie/Crist 2016

Schadenfreude on February 27, 2013 at 2:19 PM

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, wait that is physically impossible lard but.

D-fusit on February 27, 2013 at 2:21 PM

Hate to break it to you folks, but Romney often used Democrat rhetoric. As did McCain. Seems like he’s a perfect fit in today’s GOP.

besser tot als rot on February 27, 2013 at 2:27 PM

Every fast food producer in America is Christie’s ‘party’.

profitsbeard on February 27, 2013 at 2:31 PM

Given that Christy gave the election to Pres Obama when they had their beach party Photo Op, Christy raised taxes, and he claimed to be a near copy of Cuomo, can you see why Conservatives are leery?
After Jim Jeffords, and Spector, and Crist, is it any wonder people are mistrustful of “socially liberal conservatives” in the Republican party?

LincolntheHun on February 27, 2013 at 2:31 PM

Soon to be Democrat…
Hoping for the VP slot on the 2016 Democratic Presidential ticket.

albill on February 27, 2013 at 2:33 PM

Hate to break it to you folks, but Romney often used Democrat rhetoric. As did McCain. Seems like he’s a perfect fit in today’s GOP.

besser tot als rot on February 27, 2013 at 2:27 PM

Rhetoric? You think he is being rhetorical. He isn’t which is why you are right. He is a perfect fit for “today’” GOP.

Rocks on February 27, 2013 at 2:35 PM

All this talk about voting him off the island is just what he needs to win re-election.

agmartin on February 27, 2013 at 2:37 PM

All this talk about voting him off the island is just what he needs to win re-election.

agmartin on February 27, 2013 at 2:37 PM

In NJ, and it’s good for him, in NJ. And if that’s all he wants, then more power to him.

JFKY on February 27, 2013 at 2:39 PM

The party’s over.

ElectricPhase on February 27, 2013 at 2:39 PM

Hate to break it to you folks, but Romney often used Democrat rhetoric. As did McCain. Seems like he’s a perfect fit in today’s GOP.

besser tot als rot on February 27, 2013 at 2:27 PM

OMG please don;t say that … the gilled one will be here shortly saying on
“electable” CC is and how we MUST vote for it.

conservative tarheel on February 27, 2013 at 2:48 PM

shortly sahying how “electable” wish we had an edit button

conservative tarheel on February 27, 2013 at 2:49 PM

ok one more time for the win -

OMG – Please don’t say that. the gilled one will be here shortly saying how
“electable” CC is and how we MUST vote for him.

there I did it. 3 times … but did it.

conservative tarheel on February 27, 2013 at 2:51 PM

I will say that I like the cut of Christie’s jib, myself…I believe he is JUST the sort of socially accepting Fiscal Conservative we need to win the day in 2016. The man has held down NJ State taxes, for a while, even if he did drive up local taxes and accept scads of Federal Tax largesse and that shows fortitude. He’s competent and efficient, and his plans for Gun Control, Comprehensive Immigration Reform, and Practical Common Sense Environmental Responses to Global Climate Change will place us in a position to cease being the Anti-Science Party of “No.” and move the party towards the Centre of the Political Spectrum. I believe he is JUST the man to win in 2016! He is the most Electable Republican since Romeny!

JFKY on February 27, 2013 at 2:56 PM

The irony is that Christie has a record 74 percent approval rating in his blue state, and 71 percent of his constituents think he deserves to be reelected. That suggests broad appeal and a national future – but only if his party figures out how to embrace rather than shun people like him.

No, Christie has a broad appeal with non conservatives, who like government programs, believe in global warming (carbon tax), gun control, and who also admire Obama so much they worked to re elect him. If there are enough non DEM non conservatives, Christie has a national future. He would never have a national future with the DEM party.

In his DEM state, Christie could win the primary delegates for the GOP primary and hand them over to the next best RINO. IMHO that is the point of the build up he is getting

We have reached the point where someone like Christie gets his behind shined up, because we have a ‘conservative’ party that hates the conservative base. To get a candidate the elites prefer, they have to game the primaries. Ergo Christie, and his big positive glowing MSM buildup. The MSM has no problem with aiding the battle against conservatism

entagor on February 27, 2013 at 3:10 PM

Rhetoric? You think he is being rhetorical. He isn’t which is why you are right. He is a perfect fit for “today’” GOP.

Rocks on February 27, 2013 at 2:35 PM

Well, the author noted the similar rhetoric, so that is what I noted. But you are right, that that this applies to policy as well.

besser tot als rot on February 27, 2013 at 3:14 PM

I believe he is JUST the man to win in 2016! He is the most Electable Republican since Romeny!

JFKY on February 27, 2013 at 2:56 PM

With Christie on the ticket, conservatives will stay home in droves.

TarheelBen on February 27, 2013 at 3:18 PM

The irony is that Christie has a record 74 percent approval rating in his blue state, and 71 percent of his constituents think he deserves to be reelected. That suggests broad appeal and a national future – but only if his party figures out how to embrace rather than shun people like him.

Look – Christie does take some conservative positions. In fact he is most vocal about the conservative positions that he takes. The problem is that he takes more, or at least too many, statist / left positions (even if he is less vocal about them). What is interesting is that the center, center-left, and left support him despite (because of???) his outspoken conservative positions. Therefore, it appears that people are receptive to conservative positions, if conservatives would just make the case for them in simple, reasonable, common-sense terms. But they don’t for some inexplicable reason. That is the true irony.

besser tot als rot on February 27, 2013 at 3:20 PM

With Christie on the ticket, conservatives will stay home in droves.

TarheelBen on February 27, 2013 at 3:18 PM

I don’t know why they would, he’s ELECTABLE….of course you may not have caught the sarcasm, though I think the phrase “He is the most Electable Republican since Romeny!” might have been a hint.

JFKY on February 27, 2013 at 3:27 PM