Christie in Ridgewood file photo
Chris Christie Slams Congress
by Lloyd Grove Oct 14, 2013 5:45 AM EDT
The compromise-friendly New Jersey governor tells Lloyd Grove he thinks Washington— including his own party—has failed at its only job: keep the government running.
“It’s ridiculous,” Chris Christie said.
New Jersey’s blunt-spoken, bipartisanly-inclined Republican governor was discussing the ongoing federal shutdown and debt ceiling crisis plaguing the nation’s capital. “You get hired to do a job. Do your job!” he said. “There are too many people down here who spend all their time pontificating rather than working. And that applies to both parties. I don’t have patience for that.”
The 51-year-old Christie—who many hope will launch a presidential campaign once he gets past what is widely expected to be an easy reelection on Nov. 5—was making a rare visit to Washington, D.C. Technically, however, he was in the sovereign nation of Italy, having been selected to receive a Points of Light voluntarism award during a black-tie dinner Friday at the Italian Embassy. “My mother”—the late Sondra Grasso, a descendant of Sicilians and a Democrat to boot—“would always be happy to have me spend any time in Italy,” he quipped.
Earlier in the day, during a meeting with the editorial board of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Christie had suggested that the dysfunction in Washington drives him to thoughts of suicide: “If I was in the Senate right now, I’d kill myself.”
As with a previous reference to self-murder back in 2011, when he repeatedly denied interest in running for the White House, he was kidding. “I was being dramatic to make a point—that it’s a waste of time,” Christie said on Friday night, this time explaining his lack of interest in being a legislator. “You know me. I’m not into wasting time. That’s what I meant by the comment.”
He added: “You send people down here to run the government, not to shut it down. And everybody’s failed.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/14/chris-christie-slams-congress.html
I hate to admit it but the guy does seem to be growing into the job. I think his partymate running for the senate should listen and learn.
I have a feeling that Christie and Lonegan are not mates in much of anything.
What has Christie done for NJ? Of course he is slamming Congress, because he is running for president in 2016. Is his reaction to Congress helping any of us here in NJ? No! it is just a diversion to keep us from really looking at what he has done over the last 4 years. NJ is still one of the top 5 states in high unemployment, is in the bottom 5 in states with business growth, still in the top 5 states of being taxed. All he has done is pick on education and rally a state against a common enemy, the teachers. This has worked really well for him. Especially when historically NJ has always been in the top 5 in education when compared nationally. If you are a female resident of NJ you have fared even worse. He has done nothing for the NJ residents, he is only using us as a stepping stone to higher office. So people stop drinking your Christie Kool-Aid and ask yourself what has he truly done to improve the quality of our lives.