New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, auditioning to be Mitt Romney’s GOP running mate, arrived in Washington Monday with a bluntly-delivered and classic Garden State message for the president and his team: Drop dead.
Ripping apart the Obama administration’s intrusion into state-run education, health care and taxes, Christie portrayed the president as aloof, arrogant and even egotistical in pushing new programs on the states.
With the trademark swagger that has wowed Republicans since he was elected in overwhelmingly Democratic New Jersey, Christie slammed the president for trying to federalize health care and even education.
“The idea that the federal government is going to give a one-size fit-all health care program and think that it’s going to work just as effectively in New Jersey as Montana, we know that that doesn’t make any sense, it makes no sense from just a gut perspective.” Speaking at the Brookings Institution, he added, “this is the arrogance of the federal government. They believe down here that they can craft a program that is going to work for everybody. I just think you should leave more to the states.”
And while he gave kudos to Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Christie also hit the administration’s education initiatives. “Trying to manage broad education policy from Washington, D.C, for a school district in Jersey City and a school district in Tyler, Texas is a bit of a challenge. You have got to have quite an ego to think you can do that and do it effectively.”
Part jarring, part refreshing, Christie’s verbal attack on Washington and the president might be just what Romney needs, considering the criticisms he’s taken from Republicans recently for not being tough enough on the campaign trail.
At one point Christie suggested that the political breakdown in Washington comes from a failure of leadership by Obama. “You can’t lead by being aloof,” he said. At another point he said that leaders have to come together to deal at some point, and not just hide in their corners. “You have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time,” said Christie, adding that he’s succeeded in working with state Democratic leaders because “I can walk and chew gum at the same time.”
And without naming names, he said that politicians obsessed with their reelection have to be kicked out. “Beware of the person who will do anything to get reelected,” he said. “With too many elected officials who are obsessed with reelection,” he concluded, “they are willing to do anything to keep their job. That’s not the kind of person you want in an executive position.”
