Dems distracting with 'social issues,' Christie says
Christie said his political enemies are trying to embarrass him and hurt him politically with social issues, all the while doing nothing about the economy.
Dems distracting with 'social issues,' Christie says
Matt Katz, Inquirer Staff Writer
WASHINGTON - Without uttering the words "gay marriage," Gov. Christie delivered a fiery attack on Democrats for pushing ahead with a same-sex marriage bill when the state should be focused on job creation.
Christie used the annual New Jersey Chamber Of Commerce dinner in Washington DC, where he was keynote speaker, to trash legislative Democrats -- even though few, if any, were in attendance.
The annual dinner is really a two-day event that begins with a chartered, alcohol-themed train ride from the north (I got on in Philly) and culminates with a series of speeches from New Jersey politicians. Generally, the state's two senators and a congressman speak; this year, it was just the Christie show. And neither Sens. Frank Lautenberg nor Robert Menendez -- Democrats who despise the governor -- even attended the dinner.
Many state legislators, Democrats and Republicans, also skipped the dinner and instead went out on the town to visit various dinners and parties sponsored by lobbyists and politicians.
"Lots of people making priorities about what the most important priority for Trenton is," Christie said in a clear reference to Democrats' top priority of the year, the legalization of gay marriage.
"Our mission is to put people back to work and not play the politics being played around in the halls of Trenton right now."
Christie said he wants to cut income taxes so New Jerseyans have some money to put away for a college education, or "to go to the Jersey Shore next summer, take a deep breath, and enjoy their families."
Instead, he said, his political enemies are trying to embarrass him and hurt him politically with social issues, all the while doing nothing about the economy.
"I gotta believe that the people in Jersey are shaking their heads watching what's going on in Trenton this week talking about what the number one priorities of the Legislature are," he said. "[Democrats] want to play around on social issues to try to make people look bad politically. How about saving that until we get people everyone back to work in New Jersey?"
The exhortation was greeted with tepid applause.
Why is Christie surprised that people he trashes do not like him? Is he really a New Jersey advocate? Trashing Rutgers, too?— John Scanlon- Because the Republicans NEVER use social issues to motivate their base.
- Because the Republicans NEVER use social issues to motivate their base.
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This is always the most disingenuous argument, that a legislature can only work on one thing at a time. Just because the legislature is working on a bill for same-sex marriage, it doesn't mean that they aren't also working on other things designed to get people back to work. Just more nonsense from this ridiculous cartoon character.- From this, it's clear the Republicans cannot multi-task.— gordon7
- I took time to watch Governor Christie at the Oprah show, because I love Own. It was a great pleasure to see how much he loves and appreciates his wife and his children. But now Governor Christie!! You just said something which made me think twice. I am querying should you be the Governor of New Jersey, which is a melting saucepan? You said and I’m quoting: “African-American Civil Rights Should Have Been Put up To a Vote”. If I say: “there should have been a vote to allow Italian Americans to enter in the USA”. You are a great philosopher I perceived: so don’t get irate. Every group wherever they came from when they arrived in America and settle down, they took the African American for granted because they are the only group of people who does not associate with any other group. The whites associate with almost all the other whites wherever they came from, they embrace Cuban, Mexican, Asian, or any color closer to theirs. Thus the African Americans are alone in their characteristics. Governor Christie should have known that noting is free, the blacks fought to obtain the civil right ; until now every 25 years a president have to sign to allow blacks to have civil right. I will ask president Obama to get rid of this law permanently; I don’t even think that we need a petition for that. To be continued. about President Obama— axiom7
- "And neither Sens. Frank Lautenberg nor Robert Menendez -- Democrats who despise the governor -- even attended the dinner." Wow, our senators got something right!— Luriesucks
- Christie is right but its laughable that his 10% across the board cut in income taxes (which is just going to push even more cuts and rising property taxes) is in any way part of the solution to New Jersey's economic woes. If the GOP would just stop the endless insanity with never-ending income tax cuts, I would be a lot more supportive of their overall agenda.— PhillyGuy77
- Franky Lautenberg could not attend? They probably could not dig that old cadaver up fast enough. That or he's still angry they could not pass some oppressive new gun laws over Gabby Gifford. Keep hammering the commies Gov...we love it.— MilesLong1
No one could to a better job of embarrassing the BIGGEST embarrASSment NJ ever had! What a blowhard!— slugo- The republicans top platform the last two decades has been "distract with social issues."— ConverseB24
- Exactly. Remember the Bush/Kerry election of 2004? Bush pushed social issues onto ballots in states attepting to distract from the general election. When they do it, it's strategy. When anyone else does it, it's a "distraction." Hypocrite filth. — dontlikeneocons
- But, as opposed to the trash that comprises the GOP today, Dems are "distracted" with efforts toward EQUALITY as opposed to GOP efforts toward bigotry, racism, fear and hatred. But what else do you expect from a group that, Tebowing aside, has no soul, but plenty of fear.— enabler1
- Coming from the gasbag that's raised taxes on the people of NJ, his words carry little weight. Tolls have gone up, property taxes have gone up, costs for everything have gone up under his guy......except for the rich....their taxes have gone down.— dontlikeneocons
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.
