He wasn't the only one on that ticket to make a mistake by picking on pop culture. President Bush betrayed the generation gap when he attacked a then-edgy, very popular cartoon sitcom on the rise when he uttered: "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons"

The next week on SIMPSONS, the creators quickly included a new opening with Bart Simpson watching Bush's remark and replying: "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression too."
Poppycock made a mistake that politicians today learned with Jon Stewart: Don't. Pick. A. Rhetorical. Fight. With. Comedians. You. Will. Lose.



As you put it earlier, Christie has said he won't run. In fact unless I'm mistaken, he had said somewhere that he wasn't "ready" for the job yet or something to that effect.

I know alot of GOPers are talking him up, a few polls claim he's hotter than lava, maybe more than one whisper to his ear about him being the Republican Obama, all which surely would stroke anybody's ego. But here is my advice to the guy if he is truely tempted: Don't run. DON'T DO IT!

I fear his conservative fanbase confuse his record for his rhetoric, for he's got the same problem Mitt Romney had in '08 and will have in '12: As Republican Governors of Democratic New England states, they've had to run and execute on issue positions that might be found unacceptable by the national party base, and made compromises that'll be scrutinized and picked apart more than a salad bar. I can see that primary campaign ad: "Chris Christie: Soft on Immigration, Soft on Family Values, Soft on Abortion, Too Soft for America."

I'm reminded of Charlie Crist, who went from popular Florida governor that seemed not just a shoe-in for the Senate in '10, but a possible national candidate in '16. But then he supported the Stimulus (got Florida billions of federal funds) and that dream burned down in a spectacular public fashion that could've made the Hindenburg jealous.

Or for that matter back in '08, conservatives talked up Fred Thompson as their savior to rescue them from a lackluster primary field. So he ran, had to quit LAW & ORDER, and...his campaign stalled DOA it seemed as soon as he threw his hat into the ring.

Let's say Obama is re-elected. 2016 could end up being an open election like '08 since I wonder if VP Biden and Hillary might be just too damn old to run by then. Not a guarantee of course since ego and ambition transcends age. '12 will have any potential GOP nominee challenge an incumbent President, and historically we know that's pretty damn hard to do. Of course not impossible, but it aint easy. Learn from Obama, but not the wrong lessons.

I'm reminded of that anecdote about 1968. Then first-term California Governor Ronald Reagan was a darling of the right wing and was even a contender for the GOP presidential nomination at the convention. He lost to Nixon, and Reagan told one of his advisors that he privately was glad he lost since he felt he wasn't ready yet to make that leap from state to national politics. Sometimes it does pay to wait and bide for time.

~For that matter, would Chris even win New Jersey? Its a Democratic state, and slimeball hack Corzine only lost to Christie by only four points. The last elected-President to lose his home state was Bush Sr. Before that? Woodrow Wilson in 1916.