In new ad, Christie attacks Obama on Iran deal

DAVENPORT, Iowa - Gov. Christie's presidential campaign hit the airwaves with its second television ad Friday, in which the Republican accuses President Obama of "lying to the American people" about how the accord limiting Iran's nuclear program would work.

Christie continued that line of attack at a town-hall-style meeting here at the Jersey Grille, telling voters the president had deceived the public about the international community's ability to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities "anytime, anywhere."

The ad, "Protect America," shows images of Iranians burning American flags in the streets.

"President Obama gave away the store to the Iranians, to a group of people who since 1979 have been chanting, 'Death to America,' " Christie says.

He then turns to the camera and says, "This was negotiated so badly that you wouldn't let this president buy a car for you at a car dealership."

The 30-second spot is running nationally on Fox News and cost $250,000, the campaign said. It is also running in the Boston and New Hampshire markets on cable, radio, and digital.

Also Friday, the super PAC backing Christie's candidacy announced that it had launched its first national TV ad, also on Fox News, using the same one it began broadcasting in New Hampshire this month.

"This president is allowing Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, to have a glide path towards a nuclear weapon," Christie says in the ad, which uses footage from his June 30 announcement speech.

The nuclear agreement, brokered by the United States and five other world powers with Iran, places restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Republicans have widely condemned the deal as paving the way for Iran to get a bomb.

Christie said Friday that he would have ratcheted up sanctions to put the United States in a better bargaining position.

Obama has said this was the best deal the United States could secure to ensure Iran doesn't obtain a nuclear weapon. The alternative, Obama says, is military action.

The ad blitz comes as Christie spends two days campaigning in Iowa.

At the town hall meeting here, Christie answered questions about gun control (he said the government needs to check mental-health records during background checks, not create new gun laws); the federal renewable fuels standards that benefit Iowa farmers (he supports them); and "sanctuary cities" (he denounced cities that don't comply with federal immigration laws).

If he were president, Christie said, "every federal law that's on the books will be enforced."

Christie also said he favored term limits for members of Congress and continued to pitch his proposed overhaul of Social Security and Medicare.

Later Friday, Christie shook hands with residents at a street fair downtown.

Asked by a reporter about news that the Justice Department had been asked to launch a criminal investigation into the handling of Hillary Rodham Clinton's use of private e-mail while she was secretary of state, Christie said, "I just hope that the Department of Justice does what they think is appropriate given the circumstances, and that's all anybody can ask for."

"And if they do that," he added, "and Attorney General Lynch does her job, then I don't think anybody will have any complaints no matter where it lands."