New Hampshire Or Bust

Many Democrats long for a Republican who will at least not call Barack Obama the first Muslim President from Kenya. Amidst all the pundits who long for Chris Christie, imagining him as a single solitary reasonable Republican, one individual has the New Jersey governor's number. Charles Pierce writes

Chris Christie's only claim to being a Republican "moderate" is that he condescended to accept the president's help when half of Christie's state had been blown out to sea. Beyond that, he's a rich guy who will do what richer guys than he is want him to do. He has a gender gap wider than the Dardenelles. 

Viewing those photo-ops of Christie walking around with the Democratic President after Hurricane Sandy, as well as the "Stronger than the Storm" campaign commercials masquerading as promotions for the Jersey shore, it's hard to imagine that the Governor has largely failed in returning New Jersey to normalcy after the hurricane.  Nonetheless, New York University professor of urban policy and planning Mitchell Moss notes "New York has made a faster recovery than anywhere in New Jersey.  The homeowners cannot seem to mobilize, the insurance companies have not moved fast enough, and despite Christie's initial statements and the boardwalks being back open, homeowners are still in bad shape."

Pierce links to a report from August when "the governor completely axed a bill that would ban the Barrett .50 caliber rifle(A3659), which is the most powerful weapon commonly available to civilians. Christie had called for a ban on future sales of the weapon in his own package of violent prevention measures outlined in April."  But in a post to which Pierce links, Think Progress' Ian Millhiser comments

The New Jersey governor claims he vetoed the bill because it went further than he would have preferred — the bill he vetoed would have banned new sales of these military-grade firearms and prohibited current owners from keeping these rifles. But it is difficult to escape the impression that Christie had something else in mind when the unsheathed his veto pen. A group called Pro-Gun New Hampshire rallied out-of-state gun supporters to push Christie to veto the bill, telling them to tell Christie that “you’re watching with 2016 in mind.”

A supporter of same-sex marriage, Pierce declines to mention another action taken by the New Jersey governor with the relatively independent-minded and culturally liberal voters of New Hampshire in mind. After a state court in New Jersey recently legalized same-sex marriage, the Governor requested the court stay its opinion pending an appeal. The Court rejected the Administration's request and Christie responded by withdrawing the state's appeal.  Continuing the fight against gay marriage would have not only imperiled Christie's standing with an adoring media, but also cut across the grain of primary voters in the Granite State. It's all about New Hampshire now.

Recognizing that Christie, a former federal prosecutor has cooled on the gun control he once supported, Pierce concludes

One pissant pressure group in New Hampshire yells, "Boo!" and Chris Christie folds like a lawn chair.

Tough guy.


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