Christie boldly declares that Romney will win debate -- and election
Gov. Christie blanketed the TV airwaves this morning to defy political prognosticators from the media and his own party, declaring that Mitt Romney's gaffe about the 47 percent is irrelevant, that the presidential race will be "turned upside down" after Wednesday's debate, and that he'll be too busy working for Romney's reelection in 2016 to run for president himself.
Christie boldly declares that Romney will win debate -- and election
Matt Katz, Inquirer Staff Writer
Gov. Christie blanketed the TV airwaves this morning to defy political prognosticators from the media and his own party, declaring that Mitt Romney’s gaffe about the 47 percent is irrelevant, that the presidential race will be "turned upside down" after Wednesday’s debate, and that he’ll be too busy working for Romney’s reelection in 2016 to run for president himself.
Largely absent from the Romney campaign trail since his keynote address at the Republican convention more than one month ago, the New Jersey governor returned in a big way Sunday morning, appearing simultaneously on the This Week, Face The Nation and Meet The Press.
“He’s had a tough couple of weeks, let’s be honest,” Christie said of Romney on CBS’s Face The Nation.
“But there’s great news for Republicans. We have a candidate who’s going to do extraordinarily well Wednesday night...he’s going to lay out his vision for America, he’s going to contrast what his view is with what the president’s record is and the president’s view for the future. And this whole race is going to be turned upside down come Thursday morning.”
How can a single debate change several polls that show President Obama leading by increasingly wide margins? “Tens of millions of people really for the first time will be tuning into this race,” Christie said on NBC’s Meet The Press.
“This race will really start to tighten and move in Gov. Romney’s direction."
Asked to acknowledge the political problems caused by Romney’s dismissal of 47 percent of the electorate in a now famous gaffe, Christie changed his defense. A few weeks ago, he blamed reporters. This time, he said the American people don’t care.
“They know political candidates at times when they're being taped are going to say things inartfully,” Christie said on Face The Nation, comparing it to the time in 2008 when Obama mistakenly said there are 57 states in the country.
Christie dodged questions about whether Romeny would raise taxes as part of a bipartisan spending cut deal. Asked to explain why Romney hasn’t offered more specifics about his economic recovery plan, Christie argued that Obama has been even more vague. In one of several critiques on the media this morning, he said on Meet The Press: “I wish you guys were just as tough on the president.”
“The president's just trying to run out the clock," Christie added on Face The Nation. "He desperately wants to run out ot the clock with platitudes that sound nice."
Whatever the president’s strategy may be, it seems to be working. Obama has increased his lead over Romney nationally and in swing states since each party’s convention, polls show.
As is always the case, Christie was asked about his own political future. Is Christie still the “future of the Republican party” after delivering what two critics described as a “prime-time belly flop” in his keynote speech at the Republican convention?
“Mitt Romney is the future of this party," Christie said on Meet The Press. "He's going to be elected president."
And that's why Christie wouldn’t say whether he would run for president himself in 2016 if Romney loses.
“Mitt Romney’s gonna win," Christie declared on Face The Nation. "So it’s a question I don’t need to address. I hope in 2016 to be working hard for Mitt Romney's reelection as president of the United States.”
This comment has been deleted.— Hemingway- Yes, nothing will erase anything that Romney says but Obama's failed Presidency and consistent unemployment over 8% will be ignored. Sounds about right. — jimbo jones
- fat chance in romney winning with either debate or election. — the lopez!
- Called whistling past the cemetary. All Obama has to do is ack mittty why this week he's all for people using the ER as their medical coverage, when two years ago he was assailing those who used the ER, saying they cost us and the hospitals money and they shouldn't use the ER. Or he can ask mitty why he was in favor of covering children in Romney care but won't in Obamacare. Or where he's going to create those 12 million jobs he's promising. The president will just have to sit back and let mutty hang himself with his own words. — mike l
- Obese individuals are less able to inhibit the impulsive desire to eat than people of normal weight, especially when their blood-sugar levels go down below normal. Control those impulses, Christie.— gordon7
Sorry, Chris. Too little, too late.— CCRichards- Have another Pizza you fat disgusting Slob and count down the days until you develope full blown diabetes.— citysims
- Guess he saw a vision in the filling of his 12th Krispy Kreme. Sugar toxicity is the only explanation for such blithering nonsense.— A836
- What would be an example of a platitude that didn't sound nice? Talk about inartful expression.— clarktacular
- What did you expect this knucklehead to say?— PhillyTerm
- "Inartfully" is not a word you can find in any dictionary. Go ahead and try to look it up. But isn't that just like Christie to make up something when he doesn't want to admit the truth??— F. Harry Stowe
- How did he stop eating long enough to say anything?— mrnmkr
- If Christie really thought Romney had a remote chance of winning this election, the NJ governor would have hoisted himself up onto the VP bandwagon and begged Mitt for a chance to run as his sidekick. Christie knew better however, and bailed out of the leaky GOP boat long ago. He knows a loser when he sees one. He's now just doing his due diligence, being the good soldier, hoping his time will come and he'll be rewarded for his party loyalty.— Boru
- Fox news has declared Romney winner of first debate.— alisculp
- "Mitt Romney is the future of this party" not a very bright future. Christy if you really believe this not are you a dummy but a fat dummy!— phillypepper
- If Obama has a 10% lead in Pa. why is the Inquirer having financial problem? Democrats are the only people that buy the paper. With the overwhelming popularity of Obama the paper should be having record profits.— LTownBob
- wow, and I thought you Libs were the "tolerant" people....whose lying?— mulford71
- its funny, even amusing how you defenders of the Great Hopr (but worse change) won't address O's failure in almost everything.I guess the New York Times BESTSELLER "The Amateur" suits O's presidency.— mulford71
- hey @dopeywhtguy and all the other stupid sheep on this thread, is it that you're all beholden to unions or are you all just this dumb?
And how funny to read the insults about Christie's weight from the party regulars on this message board whom would otherwise defend the honor of any whom they feel are being discriminated against for a host of liberal causes? Complete hypocrites but that's the way it is with the left...they pronounce themselves as populists who will defend folks of all persuasions, but only if the cause foots with the left agenda.
Otherwise, they are the most vicious of American anywhere.
Your guy will probably get re-elected and your America will be so much less in four years' time than you've ever known it to be.— advantasux - i have to say Christie's weight is a problem for the candidate. slurs aren't nice, but no one is going to elect someone who makes no effort to lose weight when that weight will so obviously shorten his life. just not smart.
- How about giving away some free phones as a promotional stunt.— Chief_Negotiator
- How about giving away some free phones as a promotional stunt.— Chief_Negotiator
- Christie outlaws drugs in New Jersey but it is clear he is doing something good. Just look at his behavior and political predictions.— misterpond
- best republican line about the ryan budget- it's a budget, but we haven't run the numbers yet. wha??? a budget with no numbers?
- Is that same as Pelosi saying we have to pass it so we can see what's in it? WWWWHHHHHAAAATTTTT????
- What do you expect him to say? It would be like Rendell predicting Obama to lose if he said anything else.— Rahjr
- Donut man speaks; Only Dunkin Donut patrons believe christie..— drstan51
- republicans say, "the sky is falling! the sky is falling!"
american people look and say, "no, it's not." - Republican party registration is 27% nationwide. It was 34% at the beginning of the Bush administration. Democratic party registration is stable at 36% Contrary to Rush and Beck people have been leaving the party in droves. Now the fruits of their labor to send a dog to a horse race has finally paid off. Hillary in 2016!— asa hart
- Have some crow with your next dozen jelly donuts christy....nevermind the added calories you idiot— zoo7gardens
- Karma is a beetch. last debate is in Boca Raton, Fla. LOL.
- The Mittster believes 47 per cent of the country does not desrve food. The Mittster also believes this half of the country are victims to the horrible Democrats. I bet the Mittster would like to show them how to be victims, by removing their food supply. This guy is like Dick Cheney on steroids. Let them eat dirt!
If he gets in, he has said he will eliminate banking reghulations enabling his contributors, the banksters, to rape America like Bush did. Why would we want more of that?— texleocat - This comment has been deleted. — crombola
- ok, which immature child got blocked because his comments and has chosen to return to the site as this disgrace?
- Romney couldn't win a debate against a high school senior. It should be funny to watch though. I wonder if Romney will have the time to outline his tax plan since his running mate didn't.— Marie Elena
- President Axelrod's flock keep yapping the Rachel Maddow talking points while Hussein stays clueless on how to find West Philly.— Astro Jones
- So a guy who is awkward on TV, does not think well on his feet and is not known as a dynamic speaker is going to turn his fortunes around in a forum that calls for a relaxed, yet confident demeanor, good oratory skills and quick, sharp responses?— mick-of-the-moment
- Crumbola. You have the Republican mindset. Democrats don't work. Democrats have illegitimate kids. Blacks are not successful. Eliminate all welfare. Let's have riots so we can hire Haliburton to clean it up. Let's have the war over here. Are you parroting your mentor, the Mittster or did you decide to be a BIG OT all by yourself?— texleocat
- Christie is an obnoxious buffoon, his opinions are worthless!— tbracey
- crombola, you obviously have never been to the south— Donald Segretti
- Christie is the ultimate politico positioning himself for '16. Back Romney full out, what choice does he have?? He's from NJ (NY Media market) - his main objective is to stay on the front page for the next 4 years.........in the end his calculus won't matter; the GOP will NOT run another northeastern Governor - It will be a right wing candidate from the South or heartland..........mark it down.— Northcountry
- LOL @ the fat "silhouette." Seems symbolic for RepubliCONS. Hiding in the darkness with their fat hands out taking money from corporations, and keeping their own tax low.— gordon7
- christies a funny guy,hahahahahaha he better stick to bullying people on the boardwalk while security protects him and forget predictions. Romneys toast,,theres no coming back from the 47% comment,especially the "Its not my job to worry about THOSE people" part. A president who is only president of half the country? interesting idea mitt,lol— FedupDem
- There is no Democrat running for president. What we have is a man who promises everything to everybody and delivers on nothing. I'd call him a Shamocrat or to be more exact the false Messiah.— RufusG
- Okay if you say so Chris!!!— slade1955
- Did his nose get longer when he said he believes Romney will win?— Jen D
- Thanks for the laugh!
Humpty Dumpty is predicting the winner!
— jimd98 - Christie is also saying that Jersey is on a rebound, yet unemployment is rising and the casino that christie spent hundreds of millions on is failing. If the blue hairs at the shore did not like him so much, his numbers would be just as bad as corbetts.— flavious27
- Wow, I said turd, so my comment got deleted. Maybe the censor police would have been more comfortable with poop or ca ca. Either way, Romney doesn't have a shot in H E double hockey sticks of winning in November.— Hemingway
- LOL... what is Christie smoking?— Queen Village mom
- Anybody!...(and I mean "anybody") would be better than Curious George as president!....Hell!, the real Curious George would do better!...Obama is a JOKE!...He has all but ruined America in 4 years!...GET HIS DUMB ASZ OUT WHILE THERE IS STILL SOMETHING LEFT OF THIS COUNTRY!!!!!— chasworth
Reach him at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattkatz00. Reach Matt at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.
