From what I've seen of him, I agree. Another bully governor. Who needs that?

To his credit, I did hear him when he called this "sharia law" business "nuts" after he assigned a position to a middle eastern person (know who I'm talking about? I don't know the gentlemen's name or specifics but some were opposing I guess because of his nationality). We know the Nutjobs won't like that position.

However, back to my original point. Yesterday there was a story saying Christie was closer to throwing his hat in the ring (per an anonymous source). Christie's brother said, he would be shocked if Christie ran and he didn't tell his brother. Yet, the news ignores that source and continues to push for Christie.


TIS

Gov. Christie breaks the GOP's heart

EASTON, Md, September 28, 2011 — The Republican field has gone topsy-turvy on us. Who was up is now down. Who was down is on top. And everyone else is blown sideways.

Last Saturday’s Florida straw poll was supposed to be a crystal ball for the GOP future. Based on past history and conventional wisdom, whoever wins Florida’s straw pool will win the primary and ultimately be the Republican candidate in the general election. So according to that predictor, the straw poll picked Herman Cain in 2012.

What? Herman Cain? That can’t be, moaned the Party insiders, that just can’t be. Quick find us someone else. We used to be crazy for Michelle Bachman. Ok, ok, she is too nutty, even for us. So let’s go with Mitt Romney. No wait, Rick Perry is here. Rick’s our guy. Or is he? Ok, we got it, you voters want Mitt. What? Now you have a hankering for Herman Cain?

What’s the Grand Old Party to do? GOP pols are tearing their hair out and the moneymen don’t know what to do.

Calling Governor Chris Christie: come save us from ourselves. Oops, hold on. Looks like Christie won’t be answering the call of his Party or of the guys with enough loot to buy an election.

When Does No Not Mean No?

Of course, no matter how often Gov. Christie says it, no one seems to believe him. Cable’s talking heads, Right and Left, and political pros are parsing his words at the Reagan Library where he spoke Tuesday night. After all he didn’t come right out and say, “No,” did he?

Instead he sent everyone to a Politico video, a montage of Christie saying No a zillion times.

But did he actually use the word No that night? Not really. Just sort of.

And that speech sure sounded like one a candidate on the stump might make, including talking about foreign policy. Christie seemed to be trying to position himself as a different kind of Republican candidate. Was this his out of town tryout or was he just flapping his gums?

So will he or won’t he? That is the question. The one that won’t go away no matter what Christie says. For some people, but not for me. I never thought he would run. Not just because he said last November only committing suicide would convince people he’s not running.

After all, the number of politicians who have Lazarus moments, coming back from the dead to have another shot at a campaign, is legion. He’s not running because he doesn’t think this is his time.

Actually, I’m sorry the Jersey guy isn’t running. He would be much more fun to watch. He’s a bully. He’s got a nasty mouth. He shoots from the lip and asks questions later. He’s really fat, but nimble. He takes no guff. He never says he’s sorry because he’s not. He’s smart. And he ain’t afraid of nobody, no how.

He’s from Jersey.

Christie’s a little bit Tony Soprano and a little bit The Situation, if you know what I mean. I would have loved to see him up on the stage at the next debate. Newt Gingrich would have been toast. (Bachmann is already toast.) Christie would have eaten Romney’s lunch. And Perry? He would have found himself skewered on the end of a toothpick.

The candidates are undoubtedly breathing a sigh of relief. As for those moneymen, you know the ones from the SOB Club (Save Our Billionaires), they will try to slip back into the shadows once more. But we did get a glimpse of their faces as they made the pilgrimage to Trenton, New Jersey’s capital (how humiliating that must have been for these New York tycoons finding themselves actually in New Jersey and not just whizzing through in limos on their way to somewhere else).

Have Cash, Ready to Play

Here were the supplicants, on bended knees, humbling themselves to get Christie to save the GOP from other Republicans:

David H. Koch, industrialist and Tea Party moneyman

Kenneth G. Langone, the billionaire Home Depot founder

Paul E. Singer, hedge fund magnate

Charles R. Schwab, financial investor who touts himself as the friend of the little investor

David Tepper and Daniel S. Loeb, hedge fund managers

Then there is the interesting $1.5 million ad, sponsored by the Committee for Our Children’s Future, that is running in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. When is an ad just an ad and not a billboard for Christie for President?

Watch it yourself and decide (at the end of this column).

Now all of this, supposedly, is going on without Christie’s blessing. He just smiles appreciatively and says such things, as he did the other night at the Reagan Library to the woman who pleaded with him to run for the sake of her children and grandchildren:

“So my answer to you is just this: I thank you for what you’re saying, and I take it in, and I’m listening to every word of it, and feeling it too.”

He probably is “feeling it,” and with folks ready to smother him in campaign cash and love plus a weak GOP field, Christie might still be weighing his options. But it is doubtful, he will run. Despite the polls, President Obama’s goose is far from cooked. And Christie knows it.

If he’s anything, Christie is a realist. Remember he’s from Jersey.

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/n...aks-gops-heart/

TIS, in the video this morning, Christie responded to a woman's plea thathe enter the race. He gave a convoluted and long-winded response that while sensitive never contained anything like the words "I won't run." So, I am not convinced. But, at this late date, it would be a challenge for him to garner the kind of financial and organizational support he needs for a primary run. One thing that I think is weighing on his mind is how it would reflect on him if he runs, gets the nomination, and then loses to Obama.

At this rate, the only hope those wingnuts have for Christie '12 is his ego.

(and really, watch as Perry went from new kid on the block savior to also-ran within weeks, and he was supposedly the Tea Party-friendly candidate.)

There's always Sarah.

Since my wife is a teacher, our household has a pretty dim view of Gov. Christie. He is blunt, he is not afraid to offend people and he says what he thinks. There is a long list of things he promised and has not delivered, but realistically I don't think anyone believes any promises a candidate makes anymore.

I think the problem the GOP would have if he choose to run is that he is not conservative enough for the far right of the party. He admits that global warming is real, is opposed to drilling off the coast of NJ, appointed a Muslim judge, called those protesting the Ground Zero "mosque" crazies, and is far too compassionate about immigration. He even praised the Obama Education platform. If the GOP thinks he is a Tea Party poster boy they will be surprised. He is actually fairly moderate about a lot of issues. He would have more widespread appeal than someone like Bachmann.

That's their problem in a nutshell, DM. No one is conservative enough for them. They want to run a revisionist combination of Ward Cleaver and John Wayne.

In short, they're insane.

You know when for shits and giggles we joked about Romney being the GOP Kerry? A "safe" guy running a safe campaign who won mostly by default because the party couldn't find the candidate they really wanted and settled for someone from Massachusetts.

I mean Romney was for HCR before he was against it.

Fox News Poll

Romney 23%
Perry 19%
Cain 17%

That base really doesn't want Mittens. And hey, only in America can a former Pizza CEO be (at least for this weekend) be a serious candidate for the nomination.

That's a pretty good analogy, Ronnie. Because the Reps are in the EXACT same situation the Dems were in '04.

Obama will win re-election by default, just as Bush did in '04.

Well, that's part of what makes the US the greatest Nation on Earth. What's wrong with a CEO campaigning to be President? What about that would disqualify him? Why should his profession affect his legitimacy as a candidate? Should Al Franken abandon his seat in the Senate because his prior occupation was as a comedian? How about former NFL players Jon Runyon and Heath Shuler? Should they not have run for Congress and should they absolutely eschew any plans to run for President? Madonne! Can you believe it? Jack Kemp actually did run for President!

Who says I have a problem?

I don't see Pizza CEOs or comics winning high offices in say the UK, for example. That was my point.

Well, the story won't die. The Republicans/media have it bad for Christie. It's reported NOW that Christie is seriously thinking about throwing his hat in the ring. Of course all the big doners willing to throw money is way must be tempting.

According to report his wife and family are ok with it if he decides to do so. Supposedly there is a 50/50 chance. So after a long string of denials he may change his mind.


TIS

Man who knew Mittens would be the one going cop killa on the other candidates, and not the other way around?

RR,

I saw that ad earlier today. Looking at it in terms of being successful, I think it was a smart as political ads go. It will put Perry on the defensive. The fact that Vicente Fox is in the ad is actually a great touch, that should piss a lot of people off.


TIS

My money says Christie will give into party pressure and run.

He may run but if he does, I already see the ads showing his stern denials repeatedly saying he's "not ready" and how you "have to feel it in your heart", etc. The attack will go something like "so Chris Christie, you have people beg enough and are offered big bucks and NOW you're ready to be President."

Not to say he doesn't stand a chance, he's not as wacko as a few of the others, but I think even I could write campaign ads for the other side. LOL Know what I mean?


TIS

Now Tis, you know what my politics are, and you know which way I'm still going to vote in 2012. BUT, let's not say he's not ready when our own candidate (and current President) also had very limited experience prior to the 2008 election.

The moronic pundits on Fox still refer to President Obama as a "community organizer," and I just don't want to lower myself to that level.

And the truth is, no President in his first term has ever had Presidential experience.

I hear ya PB and am not disagreeing BUT we have a candidate admitting he's not ready and I am simply saying hell yea, it'll be used against him. I don't know of any clips of Obama admitting and/or saying he's not ready (a zillion times no less).

You must admit, if YOU were the other side, you'd be doing exactly that. I still say the Left WILL use it.


TIS

Reuters is reporting that Mike Huckabee is now reconsidering jumping into the race. Hey, the more the merrier.....come on down!!!


TIS



http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/30/us-usa-campaign-huckabee-idUSTRE78T48Y20110930

There are huge obstacles to entering the race at this point. There are primary ballot requirements that, first of all, need to be researched, and then need to be complied with. Some of those requirements are end of October deadlines. Then one has to have the staff put together, a staff that has national campaign experience. Of course, there's money to be raised.

I think Ron Paul should take Jon Stewart's advice and flip flop on an issue so he can get some media attention too.

NBC News and msnbc.com updated 10/2/2011 12:44:10 PM ET

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain criticized the name of a hunting camp once leased by Gov. Rick Perry's family as "just plain insensitive" in an appearance on Fox News Sunday.

The name of the camp — "Niggerhead" — was first reported by the Washington Post on Saturday. The paper said the name was painted on a rock at the entrance of the property. Perry reportedly began hosting fellow lawmakers, friends and supporters at the secluded ranch early in his career. The offensive phrase has been painted over, but the Post's sources and the Perry campaign differ on when that was done

What surprises me isn't that snafu, but that it wasn't reported earlier.

I mean maybe its just me, but I would notice such a word of A PLACE I'M VISITING. Sheez.

(Point goes to Cain. Good job.)

awesome.

Perry Open to Military Intervention in Mexico’s Drug War

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/...xicos-drug-war/

Christie scheduled a press conference for 1pm today in Trenton

Channel 7 News has reported that Christie will announce that he is NOT running for president. Personally, I think he's too fat to even WALK for president.

By msnbc.com's Michael O'Brien
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will announce that he will not run for president at a press conference Tuesday afternoon, sources told NBC News.

The Christie camp announced earlier that the governor would be making an announcement at a 1 p.m. EDT. NBC News' Jamie Gangel confirmed late Tuesday morning that the governor would make clear that he's not making a White House bid.

He will be in better shape in 2016!

I wonder IF he'd take a VP offer? Somehow I can't picture him as second fiddle.



TIS