NEWARK - Thirteen hours after he strode out of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the last time, a familiar Essex County scene unfolded here on another street in the Central Ward, where Chris Christie stood in front of a bank of microphones in a packed room at the Essex County Hall of Records.

After seven years of fingering corrupt politicians and putting them behind bars, Christie this afternoon allowed friends in that same, often troubled, public profession to shower him with some local love.

In a pull-out-all-the-stops event complete with Bruce Springsteen soundtrack and tears on cheeks as Christie struck a gratified and reflective mood, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and his staff heaped gifts and kind words on the crimebuster - one day after his resignation from office.

Trying to break through the bear-hugging Christie and DiVincenzo after the ceremony, reporters crowded the likely GOP gubernatorial candidate and prodded him about whether he intends to run  against incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine.

It seemed everyone intended to lead with the same question in an atmosphere around Christie crackling with politics: do you intend to announce you're running for governor before or after Christmas?

"I would ask everyone to have a litte patience with me," said a publicly undecided Christie. "I want to take time to talk to folks over the course of the next four to six weeks. It's a personal decision and I will come to a decision based on what's best for us (his family)."

In a replay of law enforcement press avails from the past years, he politely batted away other poltiical questions. Would state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) make a good lieutenant governor?

"It would be presumptious of me to answer a poltiical question like that," he said.

As for U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone's (D-Long Branch) suggestion that Christie release his public and private schedules while he was U.S. Attorney amid back static rumors he met with Beck while U.S. Attorney to discuss a future gubernatorial pairing, the retired lawman again demurred.

"I'm not going to get engaged in politics right now," he said.

There came the inevitable question of Christie's presence among a packed house of Democratic Party officials - including North Ward Democratic Party leader Steve Adubato - and the symbolism of the native Newarker standing among adoring Corzine supporters.

"What I've done has nothing to do with party," said Christie. "The party does not matter. What matters is the quality of the people. ...It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve in a fabulous office, in a consequential time, in a state that I love."