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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Christie gets Lincoln Award from Union League; Pushes his Republican bona fides

Gov. Christie sat a table next to (fake) President Lincoln, accepted a (real) statuette called the Lincoln Award and then delivered a highly Republican speech to at the Union League in Center City today.

Christie mocked both his Democratic predecessor, Jon Corzine, and his Democratic adversary in Trenton, State Senate Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) in recapping his first 13 months in office.

He framed himself as a national leader on issues he calls the "big things" - reiterating the theme I examined in an article today - and said that politicians of all stripes, from Democratic legislators to President Obama, were following his lead in recognizing that government spending needs to be brought under control.

The Republican governor drew laughs from the well-heeled Union League members and their guests when he recounted one of his favorite stories: About how he had three options for state health insurance when he became governor - a good plan, a mediocre plan and a poor plan - but all three plans cost the same.

Christie's first reaction was to ask for the names of all the employees who chose the worst health plan, because "they are too stupid to be in government, and that's a low bar."

Christie, of course, took the best plan.
Posted by Matt Katz @ 3:03 PM  Permalink | 19 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 1 don't   •   Posted 3:45 PM, 02/10/2011
    Making fun of his own state employees. It is easy to beat up on powerless people when you have so much money and power behind you, no? So far, Bluto has made speeches in the last day excoriating working people before the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the Union League. What guts. I am sure that the two audiences loved it. Especially the members of the audiences who received the biggest government bailouts. I am sure that his rich pals remember all of the fine work that Christie did for them when he ws a lobbyist.
    — Philly Born
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:13 PM, 02/10/2011
    The irony. Christie is being honored in the name of a man who he shares zero similarities with. Christie, a man as arrogant as the sun is bright. A man who has such disdain for the government that he favors a privatization of its services and takes every shot available at those who administer it. Lincoln, a man defined by humility and such strong love and belief in government that he chose to go to war to keep it viable. Lincoln, fighting to keep America together. Christie, fighting to divide us according to socioeconoimic status. Lincoln is probably rolling over in his grave. Only in America. Classic.
    — slanted and enchanted
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:22 PM, 02/10/2011
    LoL...I was at the ceremony. "Well heeled" audience??? I think not. Just people with a sense of purpose and accountability and responsibility. Christie is everything NJ and this country needs.
    — Citizenc92
  • Comment removed.
  • 1 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:31 PM, 02/10/2011
    Funny to how some posters here claim Lincoln was defined by "humility". Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus, when needed printed REAL Treasury currency called "Green Backs", and often berated his incompetant military commanders until they resigned. Give me a break. Christis is EXACTLY what this nation needs...at just the right time!
    — Citizenc92
  • 0 like this / 1 don't   •   Posted 4:49 PM, 02/10/2011
    "..people with purpose and accountability and responsibility." Get over yourself. You're not all that. When Christie actually acheives something instead of running around giving long winded speeches, then we can assess whether he's "everything... NJ need" He has to actually produce results before we can make an assessment.
    — MikeP
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:31 PM, 02/10/2011
    Results like:

    * increased taxes
    * increased unemployment
    * increased state borrowing
    * increased class sizes
    * increased pension liability
    * losing 400 MILLION dollars because he personally F'd up the RTT application?
    * Giving AC casinos 260 MILLION in tax breaks?

    With "results" like this, it's better he just not do anything. He's making thing much worse!

    * losing
    — The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine
  • 1 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:04 PM, 02/10/2011
    Why didn't they just give the award to Attila the Hun, Hitler, or Hussain? It would have meant the same thing!
    — central
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:09 PM, 02/10/2011
    Central: They gave him the award because the Union League is and has always been a rich man's club, and he is their boy. He is the one who will rob working people and give the money to them in "grants" and "job saving" AKA "give money to corporations" bills.
    — Philly Born
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:10 PM, 02/10/2011
    Does he ever spend any time in New Jersey?
    — Taxes
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:16 PM, 02/10/2011
    Lincoln "and often berated his incompetant military commanders".

    Thats right, he berated his incompetant military commanders (who really were incompetant) NOT the common/everyday soldiers (as Chrispie does).
    — Taxes
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:22 PM, 02/10/2011
    LoL, you liberal whiners are so predictable. Low self esteem and the need to rely on the government for your very survival. Christie saved billions for NJ taxpayers and all you worry about is "what you dont get" or "what you dont have". Further he holds failing NJ teachers to accountability. Yet you yearn for the "redistribution of wealth". Get a life, go do something to help someone else, and stop looking for others do bail your sorry arses out. Losers.
    — Citizenc92
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 1 don't   •   Posted 5:44 PM, 02/10/2011
    Seems no one can simply report anymore, which is why so many articles are relegated to the blogosphere. Is it really that difficult to quell one's disatisfaction and just report the details in an unbiased manner? Ah, I guess so. Anyway, what a sad perspective is offered on this page. Even though I've suffered from some of Christie's cuts, I don't really mind them, since I know they've been made to help save the state some money. I have to pick and choose what fits in my personal budget, and Christie has to do the same for NJ. He's okay in my book - I respect people who call a spade a spade and cut reckless spending. Perhaps Matt Katz likes to live beyond his means and dislikes Christie as a result? Certainly, much more is gained when one has a sense of financial responsibility - I'm sure glad Christie does!
    — katied01
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:10 PM, 02/10/2011
    citizen92, what have you done to help your fellow man? We all know that things have to tighten up for a while, but there are better ways to get things done than christie's bulling. He blames the teachers, but it was the prior governors, both Ds and Rs who didn't fund the pension fund and used the money for something else. BTW, how come chubby can't find money to fund schools and state works, but can give a couple hundred million to a failing casino project. Yeah, it will a few workers some jobs for a while, but how much money will it really bring in? Funny how repubs always talk about personal responsibility, but can't wait to give corporations welfare. Republicans: toadies to the rich.
    — mike l


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About Matt Katz
Reporter Matt Katz covers New Jersey's 55th governor, Chris Christie, for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Katz has written about municipal government, education and crime in New Jersey since 2000. Most recently, he was the Inquirer's beat reporter for Camden, NJ, and authored a four-part series about the failure of New Jersey's extraordinary seven-year takeover of the city. For an unrelated but somewhat similar assignment, Katz went to Afghanistan in June 2010 to cover the U.S. military's efforts at reconstruction under fire. Reach him at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.

Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattkatz00.

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