“[Palatucci’s] whole thing was, ‘You’d be crazy to count him out,” said one person at the meeting, which was attended by around 15 people — a mix of supporters and prospective backers who Christie’s team is trying to court. “There was realism, but not concern.”
A Christie spokeswoman declined to comment on Palatucci’s remarks. Palatucci didn’t respond to an email and text message; reached on his cell phone, he hung up when a reporter identified himself.
The call for patience from Christie and his small band of political advisers can be boiled down to this: It’s early, he’s doing fine, and people need to chill.
“Everyone has ups and downs,” said Bobbie Kilberg, a prominent northern Virginia fundraiser who has held several recent invitation-only “meet and greet” events for Christie. She adds that the “chill out” message has become central to his pitch. ”I think you have to give him some time.”
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