New Jersey?s Republican Governor Chris Christie gave a captivating speech in Washington, D.C. yesterday that has some members of the conservative movement excitedly making another push for Christie to seek a 2012 presidential bid, despite Christie?s assertions that he was uninterested in doing so.
The Blaze reports, In a speech in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute, Christie didnt do himself any favors in trying to quell conservative excitement over his supposed non-existent ambitions to run for president in 2012. Then again, about the only thing he could do to curb such enthusiasm is to become a mute. Or in Christies words, commit suicide. “:
Listen, I threatened to commit suicide, I did, I said, “what can I do short of suicide to convince people Im not running?” Apparently, I actually have to commit suicide to convince people Im not running.
You have to feel in your heart and in your mind that youre ready for the presidency. And there are lots of people who will run just because the opportunity presents itself.
Thats not a reason to be president of the United States. You have to believe in your heart and in your soul and in your mind that you are ready and I dont believe that about myself right now. So thats why I said I wont run and I cant imagine that changing.
Regardless of Christies declarations regarding a presidential bid, conservatives are no doubt incited by the assertions made by Christie during his speech, ranging from the necessity of cuts to Social Security to American exceptionalism, and adding his own unique brand of humor to sensitive subjects.
For example, When we say entitlement programs, we should be specific. Youre gonna have to raise the retirement age for Social Security. Whoo hoo! I said it and Im still standing here. I did not vaporize into the carpet. We have to reform medicareonce again, lightning didnt strike.
Likewise, Christie maintained the very same assertive stature that propelled him to his gubernatorial victory and for which he is popular.
Some people say Im too combative, some people say Im too much of a fighter Im fighting now because now is when it matters the most.
He also addressed the necessity for the Republicans to remain true to their conservative agenda:
If the people who I campaigned for dont stand up and do the right thing, the next time theyll see me in their district [it will be] with my arm around their primary opponent. Because you asked me to put my reputation on the line for you based on a promise that you were going to deal with these hard issues.
Christies speech was so charismatic that Politico graded it an A, based on the following critera:
Substance: Moving the nation toward fiscal sanity, reforming pensions and cutting into politically-sensitive entitlement programs, using New Jerseys last year as a model.
Presentation: With notes but no text, threaded humor smoothly into a serious speech. Conservative red meat: He studiously avoided sounding partisan, including repeated references to his cross-river soulmate, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Audience reaction: In a word, he killed.
Obama bash: What I was looking for [in Obama’s State of the Union] was for my president to challenge me. And it was a disappointment that he didnt.
OVERALL GRADE: A Not only achieved what he wanted to with a call to bipartisan, budget-cutting, pension reform and education improvements, but he again got to leave them wanting more by saying for the 100th time that hes not running in 2012. Is he believable?
Following Christies speech, the National Review polled its readers asking whether they would like to see Christie seek a presidential bid in 2012. Naturally, 42 percent answered yes, but a rather large figure, 31 percent, also indicated that he should stay in New Jersey, likely because of the job he is doing in that state since he has taken office. An additional 27 percent reported that they would like to see Christie seek a bid in 2016.
Whether Christie plans to seek a presidential bid in 2012 remains to be seen. However, if he does, Democrats may want to take note of the warning issued by Greg Hengler of Townhall in reaction to the speech: Democrats: Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Photo: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R- N.J.) gestures while speaking at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011: AP Images
