Christie, Romney appear at GOP fund-raiser in N.J.

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. - They bashed President Obama, praised each other's leadership, and shared a hug on stage.

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Gov. Christie, who campaigned for Romney in the run-up to the 2012 election, were together again Wednesday - this time at a fund-raiser for the New Jersey Republican Party that doubled as a 52d birthday celebration for Christie.

And this time Christie, the chairman of the Republican Governors Association, is the one publicly mulling a bid for the Republican nomination in 2016 - though he assured attendees Wednesday night that he was focused on his "main job" as governor.

He also heaped praise on Romney, proclaiming, "Wouldn't our country be a hell of a better place if this man were president of the United States?"

Romney said he was "proud to be on the stage with a man who knows what to do" - as opposed to Obama, whom Romney criticized as pursuing a foreign policy that "has not been good for America."

Christie, pointing to Romney's identifying Russia as a major threat during the 2012 campaign, said of Obama: "You were wrong. Mitt Romney was right. And the world has suffered because of that."

Christie was an early endorser of Romney, whose team reportedly vetted the New Jersey governor as a possible vice presidential candidate but had concerns about his background, according to Double Down, a book about the 2012 campaign. Christie, at the time, dismissed the account as "all about trying to sell as many books as possible," according to the Newark Star-Ledger.

Christie was later criticized by some conservatives for praising Obama's actions in the wake of Hurricane Sandy - days before Romney would lose the election.

But contention was not present Wednesday, as Christie described Romney and his wife, Ann, as "great Americans and great friends."

Talking about his state trade mission last week to Mexico, Christie said the U.S. should be grateful for its relationships with its Latin American neighbor and Canada, which together "could make the world a better, safer, and more prosperous place." He drew a contrast to conflicts involving Russia, Ukraine, Syria, and Israel - which Christie described as "under siege without the type of support they deserve from the United States of America."

Christie also attacked Obama's support for raising the minimum wage, saying "the president doesn't understand" that people "don't aspire to the minimum wage," but to their "full potential."

During his remarks, Romney - whose 2012 team nicknamed Christie "Pufferfish," according to Double Down - remarked on Christie's weight loss surgery, saying that "four to five months ago," he had served Italian food while hosting Christie at his house.

To Romney's surprise, he said, Christie "sat there and picked at a couple of pieces of lettuce."

The state party said Wednesday's event at the Hilton hotel (Christie's actual birthday was Saturday) was expected to raise $600,000. Admission to the party, which featured a birthday cake by "Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro, ran from $150 to $25,000 for roundtable tickets.

The party disclosed a $300,000 deficit in its state account on a recent financial form, listing outstanding legal fees stemming at least in part from a federal probe into the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge. It also has a federal account, with more than $300,000 cash on hand and no debt.