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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Hurricane Sandy brings President Obama and Chris Christie together for a great moment in American politics -- Political rivals put America first down on the Jersey shore

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Hurricane Sandy brings President Obama and Chris Christie together for a great moment in American politics -- Political rivals put America first down on the Jersey shore

Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2012 at 08:10 AM

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President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (Credit: AP)

It was a great moment for American politics yesterday when President Obama and New Jersey governor Chris Christie strolled to the podium together after visiting the Jersey shore.

It was a remarkable moment, one that Americans starved of political grown-ups could favor. It was state and federal working together. It was two men submerging their political differences for the common good.

They made a political odd couple, the tall, muscled African American president and the roly-poly governor who clearly never passes a donut shop.

But together they pulled the lever on co-operation for the common good, the one part of politics that the vast majority of Americans want to see from their politicians.

In the shadow of the presidential election it was a far greater risk for Christie and for his political future.
Already there is a cacophony on the right that he should have invited Romney too. “Et Tu Christie” was one of the less profane headlines.

But there is only one president, the man who holds the purse strings on federal aid. Christie is known as a governor who gets it done and this time all politics was local, not national.

By embracing Obama, Christie ensured that federal help would be even more swiftly dispatched and that his state would be at the front of any line.

For Obama the idea of appearing with the man who slammed him at the Republican convention where he was keynote speaker must have seemed somewhat surreal.

But Hurricane Sandy has changed the dynamic of the presidential campaign and the catastrophe surrounding the hurricane has taken the media attention of the horse race.

I think both men will benefit from their meeting and their joint efforts to help the distressed residents of New Jersey.

In the long run if Romney is defeated and Republicans are looking for a moderate in 2016 they can look no further than Christie.

For Democrats the short term win is for Obama but the big winners are the American people who can finally see how politics can work for the benefit of the people and is not all about name calling.

President Obama And Gov. Christie Tour New Jersey Shore After Hurricane Sandy Disaster 2012

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27 comments

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seanomelb | Nov 03, 2012, 07:36 PM EDT

I'm not bothered by not voting sewer rat. I do have free speech which yuo obviously loathe. Come to think of it I believe you are self loathing.

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EphraimKibbey | Nov 03, 2012, 07:15 PM EDT

paddyRanger - I always pay close attention to seanomelb's words whenever I see his posts. They are a welcome view of America from an unbiased, rational, intelligent and moral reader watching us from one of the few countries that, like our own, was built on the backs of immigrant Irish. His posts are so unlike your posts that are full of sound and fury signifying nothing. I watched and heard what Christie said about their exchange so quit trying to BS us.

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paddyRanger | Nov 03, 2012, 09:37 AM EDT

Ephraimkibbey "Christie agreed they had talked six times including the pre positioning of assets...........Eh NO Christie told him how it should go down....big difference and nothing to do with Hate, pure facts sunshine

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paddyRanger | Nov 03, 2012, 09:35 AM EDT

SeanOmoron downunder, I never went away idiot, I like coming on to see how stupid you look everytime you post, you should keep your nose out of business in the US when YOU can not vote here, must bite you that you have ZERO say in what goes on here...

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seanomelb | Nov 02, 2012, 07:17 PM EDT

Christie gave Doocy a good old blast on the morning show for politicizing "sandy" Doocy sat there with the look of a stunned mullet which looked more intelligent than he usually does. I see paddyranger has managed to put away the JD and crawl out of his gutter space to make a fool of himself yet again.

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EphraimKibbey | Nov 02, 2012, 05:56 PM EDT

paddyRanger - At the joint news conference, Christie agreed they had talked six times including the pre positioning of assets. You are letting your hate get in the way of your understanding of reality. Are you a republican by any chance?

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paddyRanger | Nov 02, 2012, 05:33 PM EDT

He is full of gas like you, he should stop walking and chewing at same time makes like a cow effect and a lot of gas. As for Obama called Christie with any offer that is BS, Christie said Obama called him at midnight to check in, and the two spoke by phone three times on Monday. Christie is the real grafter here, Obama is just the organ grinder !

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EphraimKibbey | Nov 02, 2012, 04:54 PM EDT

paddyRanger - 1. Obama called Christie and made the offer, not the other way around. 2. Obama can walk and chew gum at the same time unlike most GOP politicians. Note what he is doing while on the campaign trail about the gas shortage.

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paddyRanger | Nov 02, 2012, 04:44 PM EDT

EphraimKibbey, why would I ask BloombERG anything? he is a total disgrace, who even endorses Obama. I live on Long Island NOT manhatten so I do not vote for Bloomberg not that I would anyway. And no Obama has not been out in front of this, CHRISTIE has been out in front and made it easy for obama to have a nice wee photo op before jetting off to Nevada, if Obama was truely on top of this he would be in the White house still working on helping people

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EphraimKibbey | Nov 02, 2012, 03:41 PM EDT

paddyRanger - Ask Bloomburg why he rejected Obama's offer to PRE-position FEMA assets around the city (like on Staten and Long Islands) so that they would be available right after the storm. Ask Bloomburg why he waited until the last day to order an evacuation and then only after Cantore almost called him an idiot on the weather channel for not acting prudently. Ask him why he only evacuated zone A. Please put blame on the correct shoulders. Christie took Obama's offers of help BEFORE the storm and acted in the best interests of his state's people. I do not agree with Christie's politics but he is a good and wise leader who cares about people. Obama is too. He just cut the red tape that was keeping gasoline tankers out of the NYC harbor. He was out in front of this disaster all the way. Hopefully you can overlook Obama's politics and give him credit for his leadership. And don't forget to ask Bloomburg for an answer before you give him his 4th term.

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paddyRanger | Nov 02, 2012, 03:04 PM EDT

"the tall, muscled African American president and the roly-poly governor who clearly never passes a donut shop".......give me a break how revolting is this, Obama is not muscled, just a tall waste of space and his race is not African-American he is HALF white, not that it is important what color he is at all.......

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paddyRanger | Nov 02, 2012, 03:01 PM EDT

SeanOfailedbusinessman moron at it again, Coumo is a democrat off cause he would endorse the failed president Obama, Christie would never endorse him just because he gives him praise for turning up for a photo Op before running off to Vegas again, leaving thousands in Staten Island and parts of Long Island (Where I LIVE!) in need and being ignored Obama is reacting to this worse than Bush did to Katarina..and yet once again the liberal media is ignoring how pathetic Obama is. Stick to what happens in Oz and mind your own busines ye moron

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Murph46 | Nov 01, 2012, 09:19 PM EDT

seanomelb-don't hold yer breath!

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seanomelb | Nov 01, 2012, 06:48 PM EDT

Maybe the moderate GOP is desperate for honesty in campaigning thereby endorsing Obama

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borefield | Nov 01, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT

Seanomelb, now I know the Dems. are really desperate .

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