Chris Christie retracts criticism of Speaker John Boehner

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has pulled a 180 since last week, effectively taking back the highly critical remarks he made about Speaker John Boehner when the Hurricane Sandy aid bill wasn’t voted on in the 112th Congress.

In an interview with The Star Ledger, Christie had calmed considerably since the Jan. 2 press conference in which he lambasted the Speaker.

“We had a bad night with the speaker,” he said. “He had a better next day. I don’t think it’s fair for me to judge John Boehner just in that moment.”

During the earlier press conference, Christie had blamed the no-vote on the Sandy aid bill on Boehner, saying the whole process was simply putting politics above the people. Christie claimed he had been given assurances that the aid bill would be passed, only to have it pulled from the table at the last minute.

“The Speaker was trying to prove something against somebody else,” Christie had said. “I hope he’s achieved it.”

Yet the Sandy bill wasn’t held forever.

In the 113th Congress, the House and Senate passed a bill that gives Sandy victims $9 billion in the federal insurance program set up on their behalf. President Obama, who pushed for the aid to be awarded, signed the bill on Sunday. A larger bill with roughly $50 billion in relief is currently being battled in the House. It stands five votes away from passing, according to the Daily News.

Related Content