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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Why Chris Christie bear hug will deliver White House to Barack Obama -- Did New Jersey governor deliberately snub Mitt Romney after VP diss?

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Why Chris Christie bear hug will deliver White House to Barack Obama -- Did New Jersey governor deliberately snub Mitt Romney after VP diss?

Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2012 at 06:58 AM

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Chris Christie and Barack Obama speak during the President's visit
to Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s bear hug embrace of Barack Obama during Hurricane Sandy will deliver the White House again to Barack Obama, I believe.

Since he did so the polls have moved perceptively to Obama, which should allow him to eke out a 51 per cent to 49 per cent victory in the popular vote I predict.

It was an extraordinary moment and a dagger aimed at the heart of Republican contender Mitt Romney who had passed Christie over for the Vice President slot after originally indicating he was choosing him as Politico.com revealed.

(There is no love lost between the two Republicans, they angrily disputed why Christie was not on the stage at a Romney rally in neighboring Pennsylvania on election eve.)

Christie saw himself on the sidelines and knew a victory for Romney essentially sidelined him for a possible eight years. He likely made a calculation that Obama would be re-elected.

Facing probable political oblivion, Christie acted.

Read more on the US Presidential Election here

Embracing Obama ensured his re-election in New Jersey also with Obama hardly likely to champion a Democratic opponent. It also ensured that moderate Democrats will be naturally drawn to supporting him when he runs for re-election.

It was a lifeline to Obama. Barack Obama was in a desperate fight to the death last week and in a dead heat at best when the hurricane struck.

Americans rally to the president in a crisis and Obama has the Commander-in-Chief down to an art form.

But the Christie embrace was the icing on the cake. Americans yearn for the type of cross community politics that sees politicians from opposite sides work together.

There are few more popular figures than the larger-than-life Christie who has never met a doughnut stand he didn’t like and calls a spade a spade.

When he appeared all day with Obama it sent a clear message to Americans that despite the attempt to demonize Obama by the GOP, Christie was willing to work with him.

The polls that had been in a permanent freeze before Sandy began to tick back in Obama’s direction and he goes into Election Day with polls clearly moving in his direction.

In a very uncertain year, that last tilt in the polls will, I think, put Obama over the top. The October/November surprise in the end proved to be of all things a hurricane and a 350 pound governor from the opposite party feeling the love for the president.

That’s politics. Who wudda thunk it?

Read more on the US Presidential Election here

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shuvonn | Nov 06, 2012, 06:34 PM EST

Susan how about the eejit who said it was God's WILL if a woman got pregnant when raped? Looks like 47% is a pretty important number to Romney.....wonder WHY?

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seanomelb | Nov 06, 2012, 06:09 PM EST

Oops! American/Kenyan.

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seanomelb | Nov 06, 2012, 06:07 PM EST

Eamonn me old sage you're on the wrong side of history and by 2pm (Aus) we will have four more years. I would not treat a cat any differently to how I would treat Romney. May the best afro American win.

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susan724 | Nov 06, 2012, 05:47 PM EST

lokionline - Yes Romney's state was 47th in job creation when he was Governor in Massachusetts. Looks like Brown will be defeated by Warren there!- YES!!!!

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susan724 | Nov 06, 2012, 05:43 PM EST

All of you folks who are against abortion, you know what they say here in America,anti-abortionists "love the fetus, hate the child." Romney and Ryan are anti-abortionists, but they will overturn the first national health care program in the U.S. which is saving the lives of children. I wonder if they would insist that their wives and daughters bear the child of someone who raped them! FOOLS!

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susan724 | Nov 06, 2012, 05:36 PM EST

DEamonnDublin - I agree, the most intelligent people on this earth are the funniest - and to me, these are the Jews. Although the Irish wit can be very funny, and amusing. I see you were Jesuit educated, do 'ya see my critical thinking" in my perceptions? I have to say, Deamonn me lad, that I am now getting a Jesuit education in seeking my Master's Degree, therefore, we do have some "common ground." I also come from County Cork stock, some Irish common ground.

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shuvonn | Nov 06, 2012, 05:34 PM EST

DSS is no better than DNS but some think it is:-)

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EamonnDublin | Nov 06, 2012, 05:17 PM EST

Hi Lokonline and SeanO. Looks like wewill be on here all night. Lokionline, I saw your last message only after I had responded to your penultimate one. A good coincidence that Sean has come on. Yes, I lived in Glasnevin and went to Saint Vincent's there, went to England in 1958 and went to the Jesuits there - in Leeds, Yorkshire, came back in 1980 and for no reason other than we saw a house we liked we settled on the southside. Being so long away, one has really no "connections" when one comes home. Sean has gone a bit wild obviously since he went away - he's a lefty, liberal, cat-swingin' Obama supporter now. You'll get no sense outta him any more. Best to you both, keep in touch. Hey, Sean, Romney by 4.00 a.m Irish time (11.00 pm Eastern). And whatever in Melbourne - 2.00pm on Wednesday? Éamonn.

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seanomelb | Nov 06, 2012, 05:07 PM EST

Christie is a shrewd politician and was well aware of the consequences of his actions. One only has to see his interview with Doocy when he(Doocy)tried to pigeon hole Christie and came off second best.Lokionline Eamonn and I were at school in Glasnevin he lived on the north side at that time.

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EamonnDublin | Nov 06, 2012, 05:03 PM EST

Hi Lokionline! No offence taken whatsoever! Just wondering how you got the vibes! I live in Terenure, beside Terenure College, so, as you know, I am close to Rathmines and Dundrum. Dundrum has a wonderful shopping centre now, by far the best in Ireland - even won Best in Europe a few years ago. I lived in England for 21 years (went when I was 15, with my parents)and returned to Dublin in 1980 with my wife and two children. Very happy, Thank God! Whereabouts are you? There's another chap on here, "Seanomelb", who went to the same Dublin school as myself! Small world. Keep in touch. Best Wishes, Éamonn.

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lokionline | Nov 06, 2012, 04:50 PM EST

Eamonn, your aside about Dublin 4 made me smile. My school was in Ballsbridge right beside Lansdowne Road stadium and the railway there. I've noticed that Dublin 4 has become a metaphor for "snobbishness". I find that very amusing.

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lokionline | Nov 06, 2012, 04:40 PM EST

shuvonn makes a good point. I have wondered why Romney's record in Mass. has not figured more prominently in this campaign. He was and is not very popular there.

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lokionline | Nov 06, 2012, 04:27 PM EST

Eamonn, don't take offence. I was merely curious. I lived in Rathmines and Dundrum in the 50s and 60s. Your manner reminded me of many of the friends and acquaintances I knew from there.

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shuvonn | Nov 06, 2012, 04:20 PM EST

That is what bi-partisanship is supposed to be about, Romney CLAIMS he is yet voted 800 times against co-operation while governer of Mass...

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EamonnDublin | Nov 06, 2012, 04:11 PM EST

"Lokionline" - Now, it might just be me, but I can't figure out why you say that? As it happens, yes, correct. Elucidate, please. Éamonn, Southside, Dublin (but not 4)

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