If two out of three adults are considered to be overweight in America, it is no surprise that losing weight tops New Year’s resolutions every year.
Regardless of age, race, or gender, the battle of the bulge unites many of us. Heck, I even hired a personal trainer since I can’t get it together on my own. And while most of us will abandon our nutrition and exercise routines before January is over, there is a man whose dedication to health in 2015 could make all the difference in the 2016 elections.
His name is Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, and signs point to a presidential run. But if he is going to be a contender, he should consider diversifying his tough-guy image, and it’s going to take more than mastering the art of the hug. What better way than to let us in on his weight loss journey?
Governor Christie is no stranger to his size being the topic of discussion, but not on his own terms. Former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine took shots at Christie’s girth in one most memorable negative campaign ad airing in 2009. Unflattering images of the future governor, including him exiting a car in slow motion, not so subtly magnified his size in the 30-second spot. The nail in the coffin? The ominous-sounding voice narrating, “Christie threw his weight around.” The Corzine camp tried to defend the video saying it was about Christie’s corruption as U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, but the irony was not lost on the audience.
While Christie initially scoffed at the ad, he opened up in a CNN firing-squad interview led by Wolf Blitzer. Christie responded, “I’m overweight, and I’ve struggled with my weight for the past thirty years on and off and that’s the way it is. And so I think there are a lot of people out in New Jersey who have the same kind of struggles.” It was a humanizing moment for him. And it may have made a difference in that race.
Other recent Republican races could have used more humanizing moments. Henry Olsen, Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center studied exit polls in the 2012 elections, Olsen found that while Mitt Romney won in areas such as “shares my values,” “is a strong leader,” or “has a plan for America,” he lost in one crucial area: When voters were asked which candidate “cares about people like me,” President Obama won hands down.
Olsen concludes, “Republicans don’t have a racial gap. They don’t have a gender gap. They don’t have a marriage gap. All of those are symptoms of the real gap: they have an empathy gap.”
But Governor Christie is not known for empathy. He is known for his brazen approach to communication, peppering press conferences with such memorable lines as, “Sit down and shut up.” While it’s debatable whether or not this take-no-prisoner approach works in New Jersey, it remains to be seen if it convinces voters in the fly-over states.
If Governor Christie wants to connect with Americans on a national level, he needs something more than quotable sound bites. He needs to show he cares and understands the struggles of every day Americans, and I believe he can do that by opening up about his weight-loss journey on his own terms — something he still has yet to do.
In 2013, he secretly (or, not-so-secretly) underwent lap band surgery, but he refuses to discuss it. When asked by NJ.com if it is correct that he’s lost 85 pounds he replied, “I’m not going to tell you why it was inaccurate because I don’t talk about that stuff, and the reason I don’t is that that’s my business and nobody else’s.”
Perhaps he should reconsider this stance — there’s a reason why reality shows like “The Biggest Loser” have been successful. People want to see people like themselves, and they want to see them overcome struggles. It makes success a reality.
So when asked about his weight in media interviews, he should respond and not be dismissive. Even when not asked, he should find appropriate times in public appearances to let us in on this aspect of his life. This approach will set him apart from other presidential candidates’ often insincere postures. He won’t be claiming to be a superb athlete, or an expert musician, or any other forced title. He will claim something that is true to himself, and people value sincerity.
He should also consider new approaches to media to share his sincere message on his own terms. Presidents, first ladies, and presidential contenders have successfully reached broader audiences by taking advantage of new mass-market media opportunities. From FDR’s fireside chats to Mrs. Obama’s #TurnipforWhat, branching out on new mediums can be successful.
Why not utilize social media to document his weight-loss journey for the American people? Whether posting photos of his progress on Instagram, tweeting his weekly weigh-ins, or even uploading video blogs of his daily workouts, social media is the perfect place to get personal.
Admittedly, this mass-market appeal strategy is a departure from usual tug-of-war policy debates. Those will continue, as they should. But we should also learn from past elections that likeability can tip the scale (sorry, couldn’t help myself). If Governor Christie makes a healthy lifestyle his New Year’s resolution and lets us in on the journey, he might just win more than a lower number on the scale. He might just inspire hope and change.
Beverly Hallberg is president of District Media Group.Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions for editorials, available at this link.
