New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s attack on politics as usual in Washington has caught the eye of Rick Klein from ABC News who partnered with Yahoo does a segment called Top Line Power Players. The segment on Jan 4, 2013, questions Christie’s motives for calling out Speaker of the House John Boehner and the House of Representatives for not acting on the bill for disaster relief from Hurricane Sandy that had taken over 66 days to even make it to a partial passing of the bill.
Klein with his sidekicks from Yahoo News Amy Walter & Olivier Knox suggest that Christie is playing politics and abandoned his own party to market the Christie brand instead of towing the party line. “Christie loves being able to show he is not part of the Washington problem, that he will defend the people of his state against the likes of Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Just as Christie did not want to tarnish himself with the Mitt Romney brand last year, he does not want to tarnish his chances with the Boehner brand this year. Indeed, the only brand the governor is concerned with is the Chris Christie brand.” Klein said.
Klein should realize that what Christie did was put the people of his state before the nature of politics, granted, we in this day and age of selfish, “what’s in it for me politics” are taken back by the fact that finally a politician has gone against the grain of political doctrine and that’s why Christie’s approval ratings are so high.
What Klein cannot comprehend is that Christie was correct in chastising an inept Congress and put political and public pressure on Boehner and Congress which obviously worked. Christie called Boehner four times the night before his press conference and his calls went unanswered; he was more patient than he needed to be, and especially considering the speed in which other states received disaster bills and money in record time, unlike NJ. Let’s also not forget that Christie was misled that the vote would take place before the new congress was anointed.
I am not naive, I realize Christie is running for re-election so the argument could be made that he was playing for the voters and not being sincere. I know a phony when I see one and so do Jersey voters, so we can put the conspiracy theories to rest. The people of his state needed someone to stick up for them and that is what Christie was elected and expected to do. His anger and tone was exactly what it should have been and it got the ball moving by shaming Boehner into action and it’s refreshing to see for a change.
Klein has a lot to say, perhaps he should come to the Jersey Shore and see the pain and suffering that Hurricane Sandy has brought to the people of this state and keep his opinionated and political comments in check.
Christie did his job, the one we elected him to do, there is no shame in that, only honor, something the political mainstream, other politicians and pundits would be well suited to take a lesson from.
Click here to see Klein’s statement and video
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