HAMILTON -- Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie said he doesn’t know for sure whether any of President Obama’s luster will rub off on embattled Gov. Jon Corzine when he visits in support of him later this month, but he doubts it.
“I firmly do believe that it’s not a race about President Obama. I think it’s a race about Jon Corzine and his record, and me and my vision for what the future would be,” said Christie. “I don’t think New Jerseyans are going to decide how to vote based upon who comes and visits.”
Obama, who remains popular in New Jersey, is set to campiagn with Corzine on July 16 at Rutgers University.
PolitickerNJ.com serendipitously ran into Christie at Panera Bread on Route 130 in Hamilton, where he was lunching with his security consultant, former State Police Major Al DelVento, in between campaign stops in Trenton and Hamilton.
In a three minute interview, Christie answered two other questions before hitting the Turnpike: one on state Supreme Court Justice Barry Albin’s confirmation to tenure until mandatory retirement at age 70, and one on a poll that showed public support for Governor Corzine’s budget.
Albin’s renomination was supposed to be a political flashpoint for Republicans, who wanted to hold him up as the poster boy of an “activist” court. It didn’t exactly turn out that way, however, and Albin was given tenure on the court after contending with toned down – if not complacent – opposition. Even some key Republicans like state Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Branchburg) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, Jr. ultimately voted to confirm him.
“He wouldn’t have been my choice, but he’s confirmed now. He’s got lifetime tenure,” said Christie. “So I hope he continues to be a productive member of the court, but he wouldn’t have been the kind of judge I would have picked.”
When asked if he would have reappointed Albin if he was governor, Christie dismissed the question as “speculative.”
On the budget, a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll released yesterday showed 56% of respondents backing elimination of property tax rebates for everyone but families making under $75,000, seniors and the disabled, while 66% favored new taxes on liquor and wine to balance the state budget. That isn’t welcome news for Christie, who has often hit Gov. Corzine for promising increased rebates in 2005 but cutting them today.
Christie, however, said “I believe what I believe.”
“I don’t craft my positions according to the polls. So I guess we’ll see whether the automated FDU poll was right, or whether it’s the sense I get from talking to people is that they’re not happy with what the governor has done from a budgetary perspective over the course of four years, or from a tax perspective,” said Christie (the FDU poll was conducted by live operators using a computer assisted telephone interviewing system).
Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...
“We will work harder and smarter to protect consumers, to preserve civil rights, to effectively regulate the alcoholic beverage industry, to ensure that the integrity of New Jersey’s casino gaming industry continues, to keep drives, passengers and pedestrians safe on our streets, to assist victims of crimes, and to remember always the importance of juvenile justice on issues affecting the state." -- Attorney General-designate Paula Dow, at her Senate confirmation hearing.
- PolitickerNJ.com, 02/08/10Press releases are submitted by PolitickerNJ users, not by staff. They do not represent the viewpoint of PolitickerNJ.com.
C'mon, Chris
show some leadership.
How do you expect people to vote for you with comments like:
"When asked if he would have reappointed Albin if he was governor, Christie dismissed the question as “speculative.”"
"Christie, however, said “I believe what I believe.”"
“I don’t think New Jerseyans are going to decide how to vote based upon who comes and visits.” This coming from the man that brought Guiliani and Romney here to campaign and make robo-calls for him.
Bitter
Still have that sour taste in your mouth DiMarco....what a shame.
Will Obama
Will Obama plant people in the audience to hug him and reporters to ask him prepared questions? The TelePrompter in Chief is a big fraud and his presence will not help Corzine at all.
People are finally realizing what a fraud the Big O really is.
"We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work!"
- FDR's Treasure Secretary, Henry Morgenthau, in 1939, on 8 years of New Deal spending as an attempt to end the Great Depression.
gorednj
I am hoping Christie will win and be the leader New Jersey needs so desparately. However, with responses like those given, that hope is diminished.
more interesting to know how many loaves of bread he ordered.
Christie still needs to explain how he would have made up for the stimulus aid he would have turned down from the Obama Administration. spending money in Panera, no matter how much by Chris, just would not have cut it. And is Christie still planning on a visit by Mark Sanford?
Get Off It.
It was a tiny, little three minute interview and they caught him while he was in the middle of trying to eat his lunch! I don't know what anyone expected from this. lol
To HamiltonJunkie
more interesting to know how many loaves of bread he ordered.
posted by HamiltonJunkie
Christie still needs to explain how he would have made up for the stimulus aid he would have turned down from the Obama Administration.
--------------------------------------------------
That's a classic misrepresentation. He never said he would flat out refuse stimulus money--that's a Corzine line and it's not true. What he said is that he would only consider rejecting federal funds if it had strings attached.
http://www.factcheck.org/elections/corzines_misleading_calls_on_christie...
Merge, Merge,Share
The best candidate will advocate merging towns and counties. Share services is the way to go. And reduce the state's payroll by thousands.
Tax cuts won't work if you don't cut spending, and neither side has a plan to cut spending, ie salaries of government workers like police and teachers.
And I think we should reconsider selling the turnpike, parkway, and state parks.
Bogus Interview
Policker once again looking very un professional
A productive member of the "To Hell with America" variety
“So I hope he continues to be a productive member the court..." Typical C.C. reply. Neither hot nor cold. His backers backed this liberal and so why make waves? What Albin is "producing" is nothing short of destroying the precepts of our Constitution. “I believe what I believe.” And what's that? A casing with no specifics won the Republican nomination and his lead shrinks by leaps and bounds. Small wonder some Democrat will be our governor for another 4 years. Obama, ACORN, intimidation tactics, teleprompters, weak "Republican" candidate. New Jersey's favorite recipe for disaster. Glad I'm not a part of it...
I applaud Chris Christie for
I applaud Chris Christie for exhibiting a statesmanlike attitude about Albin. Win or lose at least he showed some class and won't demagogue the issue unlike his primary opponents.
Corzine Demise
Thank God the usurper is backing Corzine. The usurper is now well known for corruption and theft, as well as his anti Americanism. I suppose ACORN and the illegals will be in attendance, too. Let freedom ring, people. Corzine is on his way out!
Chris Christie - The Tepid Guy
Why would anyone applaud indifference? A person with at least some gumption would point out that Albin simply legislates from the bench. Let's see: Lautenberg, COAH and Abbott. Cause enough for any "moderate" to remain apathetic. Our state is in shambles and tepid is good enough for you!
Anti rino
Congrats on being the second person in NJ to refer to Christie as tepid. It seems that you and Corzine share that common thread. Everyone else finds Christie to be outspoken, bold, an just the kind of take no prisoners leader that NJ needs. As for you and Corzine....
"What he said is that he
"What he said is that he would only consider rejecting federal funds if it had strings attached."
To the fact-checker ... who thinks there is any possibility the Obama money will not have "strings attached"? You politicos really crack me up.
"To the fact-checker ... who
"To the fact-checker ... who thinks there is any possibility the Obama money will not have "strings attached"? You politicos really crack me up."
Hey, why don't you move to South Carolina? They have a governor who's a stand-up conservative, refuses to take Obama's money, and fights for family values.
"Anti-rino" flakes...
Would you people get with the program already? 97% of republicans in NJ support CC... the 3% of you who don't can get down off your soap boxes and join reality again. Whatev ever you do, stop giving out free advice on how to run a campaign. If you are going to spout off, at least get paid for it and have a purpose to it.