No regrets, at all, for 'idiot' remark, Christie says
"He acted like an idiot, he's an idiot," Christie said. "Just because he's a Navy SEAL doesn't give him any reason to be a jerk."
No regrets, at all, for 'idiot' remark, Christie says
Matt Katz, Inquirer Staff Writer
This morning at Bordentown Regional High School, just a few miles away from the scene of the gov's latest controversial remark, Christie was asked if he had any regrets about calling a Rutgers-Camden student/Navy SEAL/former Democratic Assembly candidate an "idiot" at a town hall meeting last week.
The answer was not surprising, at all: NO.
"He acted like an idiot, he's an idiot," Christie said.
He added: "Just because he's a Navy SEAL doesn't give him any reason to be a jerk."
Christie said he allowed William Brown to speak for more than two minutes against the proposed merger of Rutgers-Camden and Rowan University. But he was interrupted several times. The screaming match that ensued ended with Brown being escorted outside and Christie saying this: "And let me tell you something, if, after you graduate from law school, you conduct yourself like that in a courtroom, your rear end's going to be thrown in jail, idiot."
Christie explained his reaction this morning. "If you're going to yell and scream and not allow me to give a thoughtful answer to your question I'm going to give it back to you," he said. "And I have absolutely no regret about it."
He said that he honors Brown's service overseas. But he also noted that he has a "political agenda" and "wanted to try to make me look bad."
"If you're going to do that, and come to a town hall meeting to do it, then you're going to get shouted at back," he said. "That's my style, that's the way it goes."
Christie was similarly unapologetic at the end of the town hall meeting last Thursday in Florence. He recounted what had just happened and told the crowd: "Damn, man, I'm governor, can you just shut up for a second?"
Christie reiterated that the merger, with the Rutgers-Camden Law School included, would go through, and he cited today's supportive editorial in the Inquirer. "He can cry his crocodile tears all he wants," he said.
"It's going to be a major research university in South Jersey."
UPDATE: Just received a statement from Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D., Camden) on this incident: "Unless Governor Christie is using his town hall meetings to audition for a spot on the Real Housewives of New Jersey, he should apologize immediately for his immature and nasty remarks. Legitimate policy disagreements should never devolve into school yard taunts, especially with so many tough issues facing our state...Governor Christie should remember that he works for Mr. Brown and millions of other New Jersey citizens, not the other way around.”
Our Governor is an idiot, all 400 lbs of him!— The Fundamentals of the Economy are Fine- How is it that when some politicians take more and more from us, thier waste line seems to expand??— GalRand
- This comment has been deleted. — Just_Recently_Banned
- Oh goodey. The pro-christy grammer polise is hear.
— ej610 - i think i prefer the waste spelling in christies case. — steve w
Comment removed.- That would be tax dollars and he is using them to line the pockets of a few select business men. — TheClinton
- "Just because he's a New Jersey governor doesn't give him any reason to be a jerk."
— Tom P. - While I agree with some of Christie's agenda, I think he is is own worst enemy if he ever thinks he has a chance at becoming President. His skin is way too thin. You have to be better at handling a heckler then just calling him an idiot. If the hecklers know they can get you to lose it, then they're all going to come out of the woodwork.
If you want to cut government spending and want a balanced budget it is going to require cuts that hurt some people, there is really no other way around it. There isn't some magical solution in a flat/weak/recovering economy that: lowers taxes, increases services (spending) and reduces the deficit.
— FreshLooks - The only idiot was the guy who didn't like Christie's answer and was acting like a 5 year old child who wasn't getting his way.— SmercIsAConman
- Christie's behavior shows he is unfit for public office. It does not matter what the constituent did, Christie should not be losing his cool and responding like a bruised schoolboy. "I'm the governor" holds him to a higher standard not a lower one.— Wednesday
- Christie's comments are completely out of line and he needs to apologize, but lets not lose sight of why this scenario took place. The takeover of Rutgers Camden is a terrible idea and waste of taxpayer dollars. r2rmerge.com has a lot of information about it.— TheClinton
- Given his size and propensity for meltdowns, anyone else foresee a "Mr. Creosote" ending for the Guv?— NYC sucks
- Just by saying “It's going to be a major research university in South Jersey,” doesn’t make the current proposed new university under Rowan’s name so.
Who will bear the costs? How will this “major research university” support research without the library and database systems that are managed at research universities, such as at the current Rutgers-Camden campus? This will not naturally transfer onto the new university in the South. It’ll stay with Rutgers – up north! NJ residents, call your Governor and ask him not to make a rash, aggressive decision, just to display he has power over a navy seal who was just passionately seeking the governor to respond about the merger.
Inform yourself on why this is bad idea, and what are the alternatives for South Jersey: http://info.saverutgerscamden.org/. And sign the petition: http://www.r2rmerge.com/petition.php. Or, call Christie’s office today and tell him you won’t pay for this bad plan!!: # (609) 292-6000 (or: http://www.r2rmerge.com/christie.html )
— Anandini Dar - Who has a bigger a## Christie or Michelle Obama? I mean there are two huge rears there.
I would assume we will make fun of all fat people since Christie is open for ridicule?
How about Hillary Clinton? She is a load and a half. What about that obese Nadler democrat?
I would love to see these posters who say Christie is fat- probably very out of shape flabby liberals.....— Keep The Change
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.
