To cleanse the palate, why is a guy who’s used his weight to brilliant effect politically suddenly throwing tantrums over a doctor noting that extreme obesity can be life-threatening? If I smoke six packs a day, does a doctor need to see my blood work in order to formally conclude that that might pose a health risk down the line? She’s a Republican who likes Christie, for cripes sake. Or rather, “liked”:

Mariano, a Republican, said she no longer thought she could back Christie in 2016.

“The way he acted lately I don’t think so,” she said. “He wasn’t very nice to me. Politically if this is the way [he handles] stress. … Is this presidential? I’ll have to think about that. Is this a presidential way to behave? C’mon.”

The dirty little secret about Christie’s weight is that it’s more of an asset to him than a liability. It’ll be an issue if he runs for president but we live in an age where voters don’t blink at nominating septuagenarians, even ones with a history of cancer. The fact that he looks so unlike others pols actually bolsters his image as the un-politician, the guy who looks like people you see on the street, who’ll cut the crap and supposedly tell you the truth when other presidential aspirants are worried about how that might look. That being so, I don’t get the overreaction here at all.