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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Chris Christie is the one Democrats and Obama fear most in 2012

Posted on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at 12:11 AM

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Is Chris Christie the one we have been waiting for?

You know the chosen one like Obama was in 2008 when the world essentially genuflected before him.

Democrats are running scared that the New Jersey governor is indeed the dark horse who can get to the wire ahead of Obama in 2012.

The idea of a governor only in power one year becoming president might have seemed fanciful in other times.

But these are no ordinary times and Christie has the Democrats distinctly nervous.

At a farewell reception and dinner for Senator Chris Dodd at the Irish Embassy this week I heard his name over and over.

Among the Democratic bigs present were Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Patrick Leahy, Vicki Kennedy and Teddy's sister, Jean Kennedy Smith, as well as congressmen and Maryland governor Martin O'Malley.

I found the mood surprisingly upbeat given the grim results of the midterms.

Perhaps it was the caliber of the Republican field for 2012 that was giving them some relief.

Clearly they would relish a face off against Sarah Palin or Mike Huckabee.

Mitt Romney is taken more seriously, but right now Christie is the name that resonates.

Democrats know they lost the blue collar Catholic ethnic vote in a line stretching from Upstate New York across to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and the Mid West.

As an Italian/Irish Catholic Christie speaks directly to that constituency.

The next election gets fought over similar terrain.Christie's appeal like Joe Biden's is to that very same ethnic coalition.

If you think Biden was brought onto the ticket for his foreign policy experience and not his deep Scranton Irish roots appeal I have a bridge to sell you.

Christie is also moderate enough that they know he will not be easily consigned to the Tea Party tea chest when the going gets rough if he decided to run.

But most of all he is seen as plain spoken, articulate and prepared to take on special interests. He's now the candidate in the way Obama was for Democrats last time, unencumbered by baggage, liked at all levels of the party so far, but still somewhat of a mystery.

It is an amazing reality that just over a year in office and still a novice, he is the candidate who sets the alarm bells ringing in top Democratic Party circles.

That speaks to either Republican weakness at the top of the ticket, or the new reality in this ADD age that a fresh face come election time trumps the same old visage every time.

How Obama would shape up against a popular East Coast governor would make for a fascinating battle and not one the White House could have forseen when Christie was first elected.

Of course he keeps saying he won't run but Obama, a first time senator,was making the same kind of noises four years ago.

This could get very interesting.

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pflynn70 | Jan 09, 2011, 11:17 AM EST

Christie would be one mean machine to do the job has that to be done, kick the pants off the unions, bring fiscal responsbility buy eliminating wasteful spending having qualified people in key positions who are true "Americans" and being an Irish/Italian Catholic he brings the best of two worlds. He has my vote plus he seems to be a man who you can trust. No more "Hope & Change B/S"

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Larrcm2 | Nov 24, 2010, 11:49 AM EST

If he would bring the same attitude to the Whitehouse as he has to the state of New Jersey then I would vote for him. He does not let the press or fringe left wingers push him around and is not afraid to cut excess costs which is prevailent in Washington DC.

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chesapeake | Nov 24, 2010, 11:27 AM EST

Christie is but one outstanding potential Presidential candidates to emerge from the Republicans who have been strengthened by the Tea Party activities; and all of whom are ultimately more qualified and experienced than was Obama. The Obama machine, although successful in blaming George Bush for damned near every negative thing that has happened for the last 25 years, while claiming his successes as their own and ignoring the significant impact of the last six years of the Democrat-controlled congress. The cizens of American now realize that Obama was not the answer. Rather he became the PROBLEM. We now have renewed hope that we can get our house in order. ize that

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maloney | Nov 22, 2010, 09:44 PM EST

Palin & Christie being considered for Potus reflects the deep rejection of obama & his hope & change. When this many people would consider people with little experience or savy, the country is in deep trouble with this big of a divide in beliefs. Times are going to get interesting to say the least. We had a taste of obama with a dem. house & senate. Think about Palin with a GOP house & senate. More fun for me.

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plasticpaddy | Nov 22, 2010, 06:05 PM EST

"Ahh allentown, ignoring the article and continuing to spout your tripe. Keep up the ignorance." Clearly that comment regarded your spouting anti-intelligent b.s. that has nothing to do with the article. You repeat the same uneducated anti-immigrant article without any evidence to support anything you say. It is simply idiocy.

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chesapeake | Nov 22, 2010, 12:46 PM EST

The Republicans have several potential candidates; but Christie is but one of the group. Forget former presidental hopefuls... they did not exhibit what it takes. You syated that Christie had only one year of experience as a governor, while Obama had zero years; experience. You let yourself be talked into the worst possible candfidate by a liberal press and the villification of Bush. Don;t let the media select the next candidate.

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Hannrick | Nov 22, 2010, 11:59 AM EST

Christie has shown a leadership quality we have not seen in recent times and is badly needed in America right now. Being governor of a state is a better qualification than a first time senator. Americans have to start voting with their heads and not with their hearts.

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John G. Hogan | Nov 22, 2010, 11:37 AM EST

$ says the Kenyan won't run again..............

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allentown | Nov 22, 2010, 11:32 AM EST

Aah PlasticPaddy, attack the messenger and not the message. Definitly a Rachel Maddow protege.

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allentown | Nov 22, 2010, 11:30 AM EST

Ah PlasticPaddy, attack the Messenger and not the message. Definitly a Rachel Maddow protege.

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DennisQ | Nov 21, 2010, 11:29 PM EST

Longshots do come in from time to time, but it doesn't mean that the oddsmakers don't know what they're doing. It just means that the outcome of the race is determined at the wire, not at the bettors' window.

Chris Christie is not a national figure and is unlikely to become one. Cutting back New Jersey's investment in public education is a short-sighted way to save a few bucks for the time being. The state will soon lose its competitiveness in the long term. Christie is also scaling back other long-term investments such as highway construction. He's only trading the future for the present.

One positive advantage of a Christie presidential run would be the light of national publicity into the dark corners of New Jersey politics. Jersey's secrets may be the reason so few of the state's politicians become national figures. The last New Jersey politician to run for national office was Woodrow Wilson, who'd been president of Princeton University and later became governor of the state. Today, Wilson is still a polarizing figure.

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IrishEddy | Nov 21, 2010, 08:34 PM EST

If he can handle the Democrats in NJ the national Democrat will be a push over. I won't vote for him.

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JosephOCasey | Nov 21, 2010, 08:14 PM EST

He's no more a novice than Obama was when the Dems annointed him and to this point, far more accomplished. Unfortunately, he won't run.

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jamthecat | Nov 21, 2010, 07:02 PM EST

I don't get it. Granted, Obama has to turn around the disillusionment of his base that he brought on himself, but why would a man who barely beat a highly unpopular governor be a threat for president in 2012? It's bad enough we have to listen to how Sarah Palin might run -- which would be a true disaster -- but now any Republican is worthy of being considered? Jesus, has our political discourse sunk that low?

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eiriamach | Nov 21, 2010, 05:19 PM EST

I'm disappointed that few who put comments here will be remembering, while they're stuffing themselves with turkey sandwiches next Friday, the NJ state workers who are staffing state buildings and offices because, you know, NJ will lose millions in revenue if state workers get a Friday day off. Phoenixnurse, the Democrats cleaned up most of the corruption in NJ politics when they packed up their paper clips and left their offices to the incoming Republicans, who have their own favorite ways of soaking taxpayers. And there's no chance that Christie can save education from the disaster that tommburt wrote about, below. Does Christie care? He thinks the state can do without decent schools. "Replace corruption with incompetence. Keep 'em ignorant and poor and paying $8 to cross the GWB to get to work." These seem to be his approach to his fellow citizens. New Jersey is an omen of what's in store for the Republicans who voted the Tea Party into the House of Reps in DC.

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