Color me disappointed. Governor Christie is the best man for the job among the sorry list of people who feel they are the "right" person for the job.Now, we have to look over the GOP "leftovers" like Perry, Romney, Newt and the others.
In the end, I admire Governor Christie for his integrity and staying true to his word. In the end, we (the voters) will have to settle for 2nd best as the best man got out of the race today.
And so it goes. We need better leadership and those who have lined up to date just don't inspire the confidence that is required in a President. In the end, we will wind up getting the candidates who raise the most money, instead of the best person for the job. That is NOT how we should pick a President as " expert fund raiser " is not the quality we need in leadership.
Christie Won't Seek GOP Nomination
Despite Pressure to Run, New Jersey Governor Said 'Now Is Not My Time'
By NEIL KING JR. And LISA FLEISHER - Wall Street Journal 10/04/11
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ended weeks of speculation about his presidential ambitions by announcing he would not seek the Republican nomination. "Now is not my time,'' he said.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination, ending weeks of speculation about his presidential ambitions. "Now is not my time," he said. Jonathan Weisman has details on The News Hub.
Speaking to a packed room of reporters at the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton, the one-term governor said he had more work to do in New Jersey. "The deciding factor was that it did not feel right to me, in my gut, to leave now, when the job isn't finished," he said.
In an announcement broadcast live on national cable channels, Mr. Christie said he had always felt disinclined to run, but that he had revisited his plans due to the promptings of high-profile supporters and letters from the public sent to his home in recent weeks.
But in the end, he decided against a run. He said he had no plans to endorse any of the existing Republican candidates, at least not now.
His central concern, he said repeatedly, was his own state. "New Jersey, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me," he said, to laughter in the room.
The governor's decision will dash the hopes of the many donors, operatives and leading figures in the Republican Party who have clamored for him to run—an effort, he said Tuesday, that was always a "long shot."
But it will help solidify a highly unsettled Republican field, likely giving a lift to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has proven to be a steady candidate and holds a small lead in recent public-opinion surveys.
Mr. Christie's decision eliminates one of the big unknowns still hanging over the Republican nomination. Only two potential contenders are still thought to be pondering a late run: former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. But few in the party expect that either will enter the contest.
Despite never saying he was actively mulling a 2012 campaign, and often making the case that he wasn't even ready to be president, Mr. Christie's flirtation with a possible bid ignited a flurry of interest among a slice of party elites and wealthy donors.
The push for Mr. Christie, 49 years old, to enter the race underscored the misgivings that many Republican donors and activists continue to have about a GOP field where no front-runner has been able to hold a significant foothold in national polls all year. Mr. Romney, for example, has support from only about a quarter of the GOP electorate in recent surveys.
Mr. Christie's decision, which he expounded on for about 50 minutes, looks set to return the focus to the duel between Mr. Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who shot up in the polls after announcing in August but has since seen his support slump in national polls.
Which segment of the GOP electorate Mr. Christie would have seized remained unclear. The governor has garnered strong support from pockets of the party's financial elite, which could have whittled into Mr. Romney's base. But Mr. Christie's image as a tough-talking state budget hawk could also have overshadowed some of Mr. Perry's appeal among GOP voters.
Some of the people urging Mr. Christie to run are fund-raisers and donors who could now move to Mr. Romney.
Christie backers touted the former U.S. prosecutor as a refreshingly brusque politician, unafraid to challenge the teachers unions and other entrenched interests in his largely liberal state. The web also overflows with videos of Mr. Christie tussling with opponents or arguing for pet causes with a verve and saltiness rare in today's politics.
But Mr. Christie would have faced myriad challenges getting a campaign off the ground. With the first caucuses and primaries just over three months away, he would have had the shortest runway of any major candidate in decades
No comments:
Post a Comment