In familiar setting, Christie tells Raritan, 'I look forward to working with all of you'

RARITAN TWP. – There were a lot of bodies in the room here in Raritan Township tonight as former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie swore in Mayor Richard O’Malley – and in the process ratcheted his own gubernatorial drama up another notch.   

Arriving in a suburban and clad in a dark blue suit and powder blue tie, Christie entered the municipal chamber trailing half a dozen whispers about his intentions for statewide office.

“I’ll have an announcement soon,” he said.  

The record of the Township Committee “reassures you that government can work,” he said.

“The problems of our state seem so large and intimidating, but serious people can solve serious problems,” Christie told the crowd, which included former Gov. Donald DiFrancesco, and 23rd District state senate rivals Assemblyman Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan Twp.) and Assemblyman Michael Doherty (R-Washington Twp.).

“We just need to be able to confront them (problems) in an honest and forthright way – with a toughness of spirit,” Christie added. “Each and every one of us needs to understand it as a public trust.”

He threw two statements out there that sent bells off in the ears of political junkies, a ringing that probably went completely unnoticed by the saner and more sedate three quarters of the room.    

Read into them what you will but when Christie spoke into the microphone, “I look forward to working with all of you in the future,” and bemoaned having too much time on his hands, he sounded a little like a candidate for governor.