The spectacle was irresistible. The Republican Party, exhausted by the fiscal-cliff fiasco, was hanging on the ropes, and here was party hero Chris Christie flying off the turnbuckles to crush John Boehner. …

How about some facts about politics, federal spending and Sandy relief.

Hurricane Katrina left the impression that the Federal Emergency Management Agency handles all federal disasters. But myriad federal agencies—from the Army Corps of Engineers to the Department of Housing and Urban Development—deal with post-disaster restoration. FEMA mainly addresses the immediate, post-storm needs.

On Dec. 4 the head of FEMA, Craig Fugate, told the House Transportation Committee that his agency had enough cash on hand to disburse aid until spring. If “the continued suffering of these victims” means New Jerseyans need FEMA-type aid yesterday and aren’t getting it, Gov. Christie’s complaint is with his friend, Barack Obama. …

Chris Christie’s efforts to pull New Jersey back from its cliff and restore economic growth have been the basis for his aggressive governing style. Then Sandy hit New Jersey and New York, states whose public “commitments” could barely be supported on a sunny day. Now a widely admired governor’s politics is being transformed into something pretty run-of-the mill.