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I don’t find much to like about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R). Political reporters tend to adore the guy — I guess for some, the “loveable loudmouth” is an archetype with appeal — but I find his policy agenda misguided, his incessant whining about President Obama misguided, and his approach to governing deeply irresponsible.
But on a more personal level, I just wish the guy had a little more class. Torie Bosch had this piece today on Christie’s ugliness yesterday.
On Sunday, Jan. 8., New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was speaking at a Romney for President rally in New Hampshire when he was interrupted by some female hecklers. It’s difficult to make out exactly what Christie’s critics were yelling, but it’s something to do with jobs going down. Ever the class act, Christie’s response: “You know, something may be going down tonight, but it ain’t going to be jobs, sweetheart.” […]
The video … was uploaded to the New Jersey GOP’s YouTube account. They seem to think his remark about “going down” is a zinger, something to be proud of, rather than recognizing it as flagrantly demeaning, even misogynistic. How would Christie have responded to male protesters saying the same thing? Probably not by changing the subject to what acts they perform in the bedroom.
This fits in, unfortunately, with a larger pattern. Christie has a habit of trying to shout down anyone who challenges him, and the governor and his staff tend to be only too pleased to record the incidents and promote them. The public is apparently supposed to be impressed by his outbursts.
There’s just nothing admirable about a bully.
For that matter, governors — and presidential campaign surrogates, for crying out loud — should have a little better sense than to think cheap oral-sex jokes targeted at women protestors are acceptable.
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stevio on January 09, 2012 3:40 PM:
Hubris matching only his belt size. New Jersey got what they deserved. When Carl Palidino, every bit as much a blow-hard as Christy, ran for Governor in NY, he was trounced by clear thinking new Yorkers.
So, New Jersey, heads-up next time around. That is unless you like that sort of thing...
Chris on January 09, 2012 3:40 PM:
If nothing else, I'd think that females within the traditional media would take note (Diane Sawyer, I'm looking at you.)
SYSPROG on January 09, 2012 3:43 PM:
There is nothing likable about Christie. He is a bully and a blowheart. You should have quoted the part of 'Obama sitting in the WH with his feet up'...yeah THIS from the dweeb that left NJ in a snowstorm and then whined that the libruls don't understand 'family values'. He is mean and has no class. He attacked Huntsman for 'serving his country'. He seems to think that everyone can just 'wait'...and he's not missing any meals. Well listen up 'sweetheart'...not only is 'your guy' gonna lose but then we'll start on the voters of NJ to get YOU out.
slappy magoo on January 09, 2012 3:45 PM:
That'll teach them to exercise their freedom of speech while possessing vaginas.
chrome agnomen on January 09, 2012 3:46 PM:
one thing's for certain; they sure weren't going down on him. do these idiots (christie, et al) ever have quiet, self-reflective moments? one assumes not.
T2 on January 09, 2012 3:47 PM:
Christie, so far, has benefitted by little national face time ( or waist time). If he gets on the national stage his smart mouth, belittling, condescending "zingers" will get real old, real fast. But when the public sees how fat he really is, they'll be shocked. When's the last time you saw a guy that rude and that fat get elected president?
schtick on January 09, 2012 3:48 PM:
It's a Jersey thing. It's not just the governor. I have family that has lived down there for years and believe me, even the cops (I think it's in their training manual to call everyone assholes) are nasty...to everyone.
Christie actually has to be commended for not coming right out and calling them bitches and telling them to get on their knees.
crapcha....standing iprocut....ha
zeitgeist on January 09, 2012 3:54 PM:
i have discussed this quote in several fora today, and everytime someone eventually argues that what he said wasn't necessarily sexual -- he says "something may be going down" not "someone"; he may be referring using "going down" as in "happening." He may have even been referring to the rally itself.
now, given his track record, i'm not inclined to give him that much benefit of the doubt.
but my reaction to the quote was that even if you set aside the "going down" part, the real problem is the condescendingly sneered "sweetheart." and the only defense i've even heard anyone try on that is either "hecklers deserve whatever they get" (which hardly mitigates the specifically misogynistic nature of Christie's retort) or that "its just a New Jersey thing," which if I were from NJ would piss me off even worse.
can anyone explain to me why any women vote Republican?
-syzygy- on January 09, 2012 4:05 PM:
Actually he seems sorta like a cross between Willard and Newtie, rude, crude, ruthless, and smart enough to appeal to the macho, gun-toting, teabagger base as well as the bankster wings of the Repug party. Like McCarthy of the 50s, he's dangerous.
Brenna on January 09, 2012 4:09 PM:
I honestly didn't know what Christie had meant by that, but if he meant it sexually that is definitely disgusting and classless. I just pray he becomes the VP candidate because I don't think Romney has a prayer as it is, but add the 300 lb. brash governor to the team, and Romney for sure is toast.
biggerbox on January 09, 2012 4:10 PM:
Actually, loud-mouthed macho bullies are a key GOP demographic. Who do you think they vote for?
TR on January 09, 2012 4:13 PM:
I can't believe Christie would make a joke like that.
Largely because no woman could ever find his penis.
Rick Massimo on January 09, 2012 4:14 PM:
"Yeah, but the Democrats said the GOP voted to end Medicare, so, you know, both sides do it."
Someone's gonna say it; I know it.
st john on January 09, 2012 4:17 PM:
"...can anyone explain to me why any women vote Republican?" zeitgeist on January 09, 2012 3:54 PM
My thoughts, exactly. The same would apply to people of color (other than "white"), gays, the unemployed & underemployed, homeless and people without or only inadequate health care.
Since that excludes the majority of the MSM, it is not surprising that this "class" of people is uninformed of the bigotry of the Republicans. They do not hear about how they are excluded from the political process. The Democrats do not participate in informing them, either, so they don't come out of this blameless. I won't go as far as to say, "they both do it," because that is inaccurate. But the Dems could certainly raise this point and have enough access to the MSM, if they were truly motivated to take a stand for the disenfranchised.
That is all I have to say on this topic, for now.
st john
Rick on January 09, 2012 4:20 PM:
When I saw the video this morning, I didn't even pick up so much on what he said, but instead on how he approached the front of the stage and his tone as he addressed her. Even in a non-verbal way it appeared to be intimidating and bullying. I don't like fat jokes generally, but he really does like to throw his weight around.
June on January 09, 2012 4:26 PM:
I've actually never seen Christie respond in a civil manner to a woman who challenges him. This guy has some issues to say the least.
AK Liberal on January 09, 2012 4:30 PM:
can anyone explain to me why any women vote Republican?
Stockholm Syndrome?
Anonymous on January 09, 2012 4:36 PM:
@zeitgeist
"...can anyone explain to me why any women vote Republican?"
All - 100% - of the female Republicans whom I know vote "R" because they are anti-abortion. They often disagree with every other policy supported by the GOP, but abortion beats all.
I don't understand it, either. But some people are, indeed, single-issue voters.
David on January 09, 2012 4:36 PM:
Christie makes the cast of Jersey Shore look like charm school graduates.
estamm on January 09, 2012 5:11 PM:
At one point, about a year ago, my respect for him rose above zero when he vehemently defended appointing a Muslim judge. That video of him tearing apart other Repubs was AWESOME. Of course, now my respect for him has gone back down to zero.
T2 on January 09, 2012 5:23 PM:
why do they vote Republican???? My late mom, who was pro-choice, gay friendly, and liberal in many things ALWAYS voted GOP. I asked her why? She said "because the Democrats want to turn the country over to n*ggers and mexicans". She died two years before her warning came true with Obama's election. I suspect a very high percentage of GOPers think exactly like she did.
SYSPROG on January 09, 2012 5:27 PM:
'hecklers deserve it'??? You mean VOTERS? Or maybe Christie wants to go back to pre-1920.
DJ on January 09, 2012 5:55 PM:
I wonder how much Gov. Christie would like it if someone said such a vulgar thing to Mrs. Christie.
c u n d gulag on January 09, 2012 6:00 PM:
He's seems like a meth-crazed, roided-up Ralph Kramden, without the humor, compassion, self-reflection, intelligence, and pathos.
Krispy Kreme Christie:
A pathetically angry fat man, always lashing out at others, and in constant need of attention.
FlipYrWhig on January 09, 2012 6:19 PM:
Chris Christie = Rex Ryan.
martin on January 09, 2012 6:19 PM:
I believe the proper NJ response would have been:
1) Grab crotch
2) "I got your jobs right here."
3) Laugh at your brilliant wit
Hey, if you guys can make stereotypical fun of AL, I can do NJ;>
Jilli on January 09, 2012 6:24 PM:
"There’s just nothing admirable about a bully."
You're absolutely right. Bullying is a sign of intellectual weakness in my book. Christie can't win a debate using his brain, so he resorts to bullying. He's a pig - and I'm in no way referring to his weight.
eserwe on January 09, 2012 6:30 PM:
"There's just nothing admirable about a bully."
You are obviously not familiar with the Republican catechism, Steve.
zeitgeist on January 09, 2012 7:01 PM:
Chris Christie = Rex Ryan.
Have you checked YouTube to see if Christie's wife has foot fet vids posted?
thebewilderness on January 09, 2012 8:56 PM:
While I hesitate to speak for half the population I would venture to say that women vote for Republicans for the same reasons the other half of the population does. Some are single issue voters. Some are traditionalists and vote the way their family has always voted. Some really do not see a dimes worth of difference between the the way Republicans and Democrats view women.
Why do men vote for Republicans?
skippy on January 09, 2012 9:29 PM:
i thought it was a bad joke referring to some "mafia" sort of gag... "going down" = "getting killed" ie, knocked off.
still not something younwant a public servant to tell his constituents.
cwolf on January 10, 2012 2:31 AM:
"For that matter, governors — and presidential campaign surrogates, for crying out loud — should have a little better sense than to think cheap oral-sex jokes targeted at women protestors are acceptable."
Whaddyamean??? Cheap oral-sex jokes targeted at women is a New Jersey Republican tradition.
bob h on January 10, 2012 6:44 AM:
I live in NJ and have been surprised to find that, Christie aside, politics here is usually quite civil. It is far nicer than in Wisconsin, for example.
Snooki isn't the biggest embarrassment to NJ; it is the truculent slob of a Governor.
Marc on January 10, 2012 11:21 AM:
Does Carl Paladino ring a bell?
The loudmouth, lowerclass, belligerent bully has a certain place in our pantheon opposite the elite intellectual.
Christie fits the bill. Romney is trying all kinds of makeup short of a body suit to try to fit the mold.
Werewolf on January 10, 2012 7:07 PM:
@Writ Small-
The term "teabagger" was first used by teabaggers themselves-until they realized what the slang term meant. Then they acted hurt because their detractors were using their own name for themselves. If the term had been coined by some lefty blogger, a lot of leftists would have refused to use it-but the "Tea Party" itself made it fair game.