New
Jersey's Christie to conservatives: 'I'm still standing'
Send a link to a friend
[February 27, 2015]
By Steve Holland and Emily Flitter
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (Reuters) - New
Jersey Governor Chris Christie addressed head-on questions about his
volatile temper on Thursday and dismissed critics, telling a gathering
of conservatives: "I'm still standing."
|
The potential Republican presidential contender is trying to
remain viable for the November 2016 election despite losing some
financial donors to rival Jeb Bush. Polls put Christie in the middle
of a Republican pack led by Bush and Wisconsin Governor Scott
Walker.
Christie has a reputation for being short-tempered, and examples
abound of instances where he has shouted down hecklers.
The subject came up when he took questions from conservative radio
talk show host Laura Ingraham at the Conservative Political Action
Conference in Maryland, near Washington.
Christie was told his critics have often described him as
short-tempered, impatient, a hothead, and having a bad temperament.
The governor said he is passionate and willing to speak his mind
directly without political consultants whispering in his ear.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Feb/27/images/ads/current/Hallies_sda_010615.png) "Sometimes people need to be told to sit down and shut up," Christie
said. "More of that stuff needs to be happening in Washington."
He has weathered a series of local troubles in the past year,
chiefly over the "Bridgegate" scandal involving alleged political
payback against a Democratic New Jersey mayor and the George
Washington Bridge. In addition, New Jersey has struggled to regain
jobs lost during the recession.
Christie's challenge is to get past this rocky period and hang on
until later this year when the candidate debates begin. The debates
would allow him to use his natural speaking prowess to his
advantage.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/richardson_lda_040113.png)
Said Christie, "I'm still standing."
Grassroots conservatives who attended his appearance made clear the
governor has some work to do to appeal to their crowd.
Patrick Davis, a political consultant from Colorado Springs,
Colorado, said Christie's brashness may work for New Jersey voters,
but he did not think it would play well in Iowa, site of the first
presidential nominating contest.
"I live in Colorado, and it doesn't work in Colorado," Davis said.
"He's Obama-lite," said Joe Nicks, 81, of Burlington, North
Carolina.
On CPAC's first full day of speakers, conservative activists also
heard from businesswoman Carly Fiorina and Texas Republican Senator
Ted Cruz. Both criticized the favorite for the Democratic
presidential nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Feb/27/images/ads/current/pest_control_bch_092414.png) |