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11 Oct 2011 18:52

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Politics: What we’re looking for from tonight’s #EconDebate

  • It’s debatin’ time! Yet again! The big news hanging over this one is Chris Christie’s recent endorsement of Mitt Romney, tactically deployed the day of the debate, but there’s a lot of other stuff to look for, too. Will Newt Gingrich insult the moderators? Will Michele Bachmann look unnervingly calm the entire time? Will Jon Huntsman make an awkward joke? Will Gary Johnson and Buddy Roemer crash the debate last-minute? Here are a few things to keep an eye out for tonight during the EconDebate, a Washington Post/Bloomberg joint we’re covering with DC Decoder, which starts at 8 p.m. EST:
  • Romney Vs. Hermanator The GOP field hasn’t, to this point, treated Cain as a serious threat. But with his recent polling surge, Cain now appears to be a legitimate top-tier contender and a real threat to Mitt Romney. If Romney goes on the offensive against Cain tonight, it’ll indicate that he’s bought into the hype and fears the Cain Train. On the other hand, if Romney and company give Cain a pass, it’s a sign that, polling aside, the pizza man still isn’t being taken seriously by the big dogs.
  • Can Perry Save himself? This debate may well be make-or-break for Rick Perry. Despite his $17 million fundraising haul — much of which was given prior to his profoundly inept performance in the last debate — the Texas good ol’ boy is sinking like an anvil in the polls and needs something to jumpstart his campaign. A robust performance tonight could do that. An aloof, absent-minded fumbling of easy questions could put the nail in Perry’s coffin. What a difference a month makes, eh?
  • the Mormon card For most of the race, Romney and Huntsman’s religion has been the elephant in the GOP primary room. Now it’s out in the open, after a prominent Perry supporter called Mormonism a “cult” at the Value Voters Summit last weekend. This question is sure to come up during the debate, and how the other candidates respond could portend the course of the campaign. If they take the bait, Mormonism may become a central campaign issue. If not, it may die down … for now.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink


27 Sep 2011 17:26

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Politics: Chris Christie’s brother doesn’t think he’ll run for President

  • I’m sure that he’s not going to run. If he’s lying to me, I’ll be as stunned as I’ve ever been in my life.
  • Todd Christie, brother of NJ governor Chris • Making it clear that he doesn’t think his brother will jump into the 2012 GOP presidential race, and making it seem rather definitive. It’s worth mentioning that Christie has long maintained he isn’t going to run, but the hyper-reactivity of the media to last week’s debate has seemed to dictate that the GOP field needs a new voice (and one moderate enough to be electable). source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink


27 Sep 2011 10:35

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Politics: New Jersey’s controversial “Snooki subsidy” gets vetoed

  • Chris Christie was expected to sign this bill. But Christie, facing sudden political pressure to run for president, let the $420,000 in tax credits for another season of “Jersey Shore” feel the pain of the veto. Why? “I have no interest in policing the content of such projects,” Christie said in a news release. “However, as chief executive I am duty-bound to ensure that taxpayers are not footing a $420,000 bill for a project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state and its citizens.” This is a reversal for Christie — he previously claimed he couldn’t veto the bill because, while he didn’t like the show himself, the program didn’t discriminate based on content. What, do you not like seeing The Situation’s chiseled abs, Chris? (photo via Rachel Kramer Bussel) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink


19 Aug 2011 10:32

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U.S.: Michael Bloomberg: Don’t put politics into Ground Zero ceremony

  • We’re trying to keep focus on families, and that’s where it belongs. This day is not above any of us, it’s about the families of 3,000-odd people who lost their lives 10 years ago.
  • NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg • Reacting to reports that nearby governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo were angling for bigger roles in the Ground Zero ceremony next month. Bloomberg just ain’t having it. And we support this line of reasoning entirely — leave the memorial for the people who felt it most directly. The governors can have their speeches later. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink


14 Aug 2011 21:25

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U.S.: Andrew Cuomo sure flies around a lot using taxpayer money

  • bad A little while back, cost-cutting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got a lot of crap over taking a helicopter to his son’s softball game. He ended up repaying the costs of the plane ride, but he didn’t apologize, claiming that it was important for him to be a good father.
  • worse Now, his neighbor directly to the north, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is facing similar scrutiny, but in his case, he used state aircraft to fly 19 times between his girlfriend’s place in Westchester and his job in Albany. Should we judge him for this? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink


14 Jun 2011 16:01

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Politics: Chris Christie on his use of a state helicopter to attend son’s game

  • I’m not admitting it was wrong. What I’m saying is that, if the public perceives for a moment that I’m using that for a perk of office, I want to take that away from them right away. But I would not make a different decision if I had to do it again because it was important for me as a father to be there for my son.
  • New Jersey Governor Chris Christie • Speaking with Piers Morgan, in an interview to be aired tonight. Morgan asked Christie about his decision to use a state helicopter to attend his son’s basketball game. Christie replied that it’s important to him to be there for his son, which is a quality that speaks well for Christie’s character as a family man. It is, however, a strictly personal motivation to fly to watch his son play. It has no value whatsoever to the people, and it’s undeniably what he’s concerned some might view it as, a perk of his office. He also makes it clear that his decision to pick up the tab on the flight was not about a standard of ethics, just image management. Which, even though this story isn’t that major, is an odd thing to admit on national television. Maybe that speaks well for Christie, too — this seems like a pretty honest answer, if not a politically tactful one. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink


06 Jun 2011 20:33

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U.S.: Chris Christie wants to outsource New Jersey’s public broadcasting

  • We need to have robust New Jersey public broadcasting, but we need to have it in a way that is not continuing to cost the taxpayers and can be perceived as truly independent from state government.
  • New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie • Describing his plan to have WNET take over public television coverage in New Jersey, as well as to offer up public radio coverage to stations in Pennsylvania and New York. A deal’s already in place. The decision is controversial to say the least — some New Jersey residents are concerned about losing local programming as a result of the plan, and over 100 people will lose their jobs — though they have the opportunity to reapply for similar jobs with WNET. Though officials reassure that donaations raised for public broadcasting “will stay in New Jersey,” this is kind of a crap move if you ask us. These services cost the state relatively little and their benefits are pretty high. And the state wouldn’t be able to get away with this move at all if they weren’t relatively small and adjacent to states with large public broadcasters already. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink


 

02 Jun 2011 20:07

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Politics: Chris Christie’s controversial chopper convoy costs Christie cash

  • $2,151.50 the out-of-pocket cost the New Jersey governor will pay for his helicopter flight to his son's high school baseball game … which kinda looks sort of wrong
  • $1,232.29 the amount the state Republican party will pay for the leg of the journey from the game to a donor event, where Iowans tried to get him to run for president source
  • » But he says he doesn’t use it much! Since the governor took office in 2010, he says he’s only used the chopper 33 times — a level he describes as the “most judicious” of any recent governor. He was trying to also prevent state troopers from speeding down the highway. We have a suggestion for you, Chris Christie: You have three things on your schedule you need to be at. Instead of trying to cram so much in, pick two.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink


24 May 2011 16:40

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Politics: New Jersey Gov. Christie’s poll numbers looking worse

  • 40% of New Jerseyites view Gov. Chris Christie favorably source
  • » Is the grass just looking greener from here? So, something seems to be happening. Even as Governor Chris Christie’s national profile has expanded, and his frequent denial of national ambition can barely beat back the GOP clamoring for him to enter the 2012 race, his poll numbers back in the Garden State aren’t looking so hot. We’re wondering if this might have to do with the difference between how it looks from outside to see a “tough” leader calling the shots, versus how it feels to be the constituents under that thumb. Strident austerity measures, YouTube videos of Christie verbally sparring with public employees, and his generally bombastic personality may play like a GOP action movie in Oklahoma, but could it be wearing thin on those closest to it?
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink


13 May 2011 15:08

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Politics: Chris Christie plays lone wolf in Mitt Romney health-care support

  • Gov. Romney’s speech yesterday was just the type of tone we need. While folks may not agree with what he said, that type of candor is what Americans expect from a serious presidential candidate today.
  • New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie • Offering a big wet kiss to Mitt Romney for his straight-talking approach to health care. Romney made the argument that the health care approach (which Obama based his national health-care plan upon) was the right one for his state — but not necessarily for the country. What’s weird is that Christie was one of the few to offer support to Mitt after the speech, which many on the right really didn’t like. Guess we know who Chris Christie is voting for in 2012. (Hint: Not himself.) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink


 
 
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