Let’s get one thing straight here first: I am NOT a Chris Christie fan.
That said, I’ve got nothing against the guy personally. Yeah, I know: he’s a RINO. But c’mon, he’s in New Jersey; of course he’s a RINO. You don’t see Evangelical Christian Teaparty Reagan Conservatives getting elected to run deep blue states, any more than you have Commie Socialist Liberals getting elected to run deep red ones.
Still, the entire Bridgegate controversy has received more media attention than almost anything that’s happened in the Obama Administration, with the possible exception of the Associated Press phone records scandal, and THAT was only because it affected the Press itself.
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***(And if you are somehow still unfamiliar with Christie’s “Bridgegate” controversy, please go HERE to get yourself up-to-speed.)***
Personally, I wasn’t all that interested in this story when I first heard about it:
- I’m not a Christie fan, as I stated before,
- and hearing that a politician “potentially” abused their power while in office was almost as shocking as hearing Chris Matthews say something painfully stupid.
But it received all sorts of mainstream media attention:
If this were Obama there would already be stories circulating about how the added bridge traffic improved life in the area.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 9, 2014
NOW the press hates abuse of power. #FastAndFurious #IRS #AP #DOJ #DCshutdown #ObamacareWaivers
— Razor (@hale_razor) January 9, 2014
Possible Christie responses: • Was a couple of rogue bridge employees • What difference does it make? • #bridgegate happened long time ago
— Hair (@SHannitysHair) January 9, 2014
Lesson for Chris Christie: next time, just shut down the National World War II Memorial.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) January 8, 2014
More MSM talk about what Christie knew in one day than there were about what Obama knew about Benghazi in an entire year.
— Dan Joseph (@DanJoseph78) January 9, 2014
So, I tuned-in for Christie’s press conference today.
Many people will and did come away from today with renewed confidence in the New Jersey Governor’s leadership and sense of accountability (*link courtesy of Allah at HotAir*). Others I’m sure will swat away any apologies as meaningless, refusing to accept anything short of his personal resignation. But both of these miss the more important aspect of this, in my opinion.
The real story is how the media itself behaved.
They asked questions; real ones. Not like “how does this controversy make you feel?“, or “how are you managing to stay so upbeat throughout such a trying time?“, which are the typical kind we see so often with Obama. Nope: these journalists didn’t accept the first statements Christie offered, but instead pushed for clarification, and asked again. In short, they did what the Fourth Estate is SUPPOSED to do with ALL politicians: remain skeptical and press for answers, and after they receive those answers …press for more.
To say Christie did a good job in the presser is an understatement: he accorded himself ridiculously well. Unless you just flat-out hate the man (and some folks do), it was difficult to not take him as sincere. I’ve always known he’s a talented politician, but today let me see that he appears to be a fairly decent leader, as well.
Like I said, you’d have to totally despise him to not come away with at least some begrudging respect for him.
The whole deal ran kinda long, so rather than force you to sit through any more than the 3-minute snippet which we included above, I’ll let you zip through how others viewed the proceedings:
Christie fires Bridget Kelly: ‘I terminated her employment because she lied to me.’
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 9, 2014
Right move. RT @nypost: Christie fires top aide Bridget Kelly, Bill Stepien out as state GOP head http://t.co/D9zgVaZYS6
— AG (@AG_Conservative) January 9, 2014
Hereafter known as “George Washington Bridget” MT @nypost Christie fires top aide Bridget Kelly
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) January 9, 2014
Christie starts with an apology & follows with actions. Not off the hook, but this is how an executive should handle this type of scandal.
— AG (@AG_Conservative) January 9, 2014
I don’t like Christie, don’t want to see him be the nominee but he’s a very good politician.
— DrewMTips (@DrewMTips) January 9, 2014
“I take this action today because it’s my job. I am responsible for what happened. I am sad to report we fell short” -Christie
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 9, 2014
If Bridget Anne Kelly had only wasted $600M in taxpayer money on a crap website, she’d be fine.
— John Hayward (@Doc_0) January 9, 2014
And now, Rachel Maddow will explain how the Koch Brothers really shut down the George Washington Bridge.
— John Hayward (@Doc_0) January 9, 2014
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By the way, that last Tweet from ‘Doctor Zero’ is referencing THIS (“Rachel Maddow accuses Koch brothers of pushing Florida drug-testing law“).
Okay, let’s continue:
U know I’ve disagreed w/ Christie several times, but THIS is how u hold a press conference when something like this happens. cc Barack Obama
— Jedediah Bila (@JedediahBila) January 9, 2014
Notable contrast between Christie’s deliberate use of the word “I” to the president’s use of the word “we” in scandals/controversies.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) January 9, 2014
Wow. Christie will apologize to Fort Lee major face to face and to people in their community.
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 9, 2014
Oy he has to go from Trenton all the way to Fort Lee in midday; do you know how bad the traffic is going to be? #yesIwentthere
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) January 9, 2014
You don’t have to like Christie to recognize that this is refreshing.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) January 9, 2014
Remember that Eric Holder still has his job. So does Kathleen Sebelius.
— Jedediah Bila (@JedediahBila) January 9, 2014
OK, Dems– @GovChristie has thrown down the gauntlet “I had no knowledge or involvement.” Prove him wrong and he’s gone. If not, he wins
— Michael Graham (@IAMMGraham) January 9, 2014
Exactly. MT @philipaklein Christie’s handling of presser has been pitch perfect, but obviously key is if he’s being truthful re: involvement
— justturnright (@justturnright) January 9, 2014
Imagine a reporter asking Obama if he’s a “bully,” or equivalent.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) January 9, 2014
I was hoping Christie would scream and berate the reporter who asked if he was a bully.
— jimgeraghty (@jimgeraghty) January 9, 2014
Christie’s denials of involvement/knowledge = emphatic & comprehensive. If he’s lying now, he’s incredibly arrogant & dumb. I believe him.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 9, 2014
Christie just set the correct way you answer a scandal — take out whether you like him or not or your idealism. This is how managers behave
— SalenaZito (@SalenaZitoTrib) January 9, 2014
RT @Doc_0 Chris Christie: “I am not a bully.” Barack Obama: “I am not a dictator.” Guess which statement the media finds more newsworthy?
— justturnright (@justturnright) January 9, 2014
Country would be much better off if our media was as tough, demanding on Obama as they are Christie. If only to force this kind of action
— John Nolte (@NolteNC) January 9, 2014
So, he’s either an impressive chief executive or a dangerous, pathological liar.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) January 9, 2014
Great question #MSM How about you ask @BarackObama what it says abt him that he knows apparently nothing abt the job he holds. #pathetic
— #Benghazi Stacy (@Discoveringme40) January 9, 2014
Michelle Obama appalled at the abuse of power in NJ as she stays in Hawaii waiting for her separate jet to fly her back to DC.
— Razor (@hale_razor) January 9, 2014
If this was on HBO, it’d get an Emmy. #BridgewalkEmpire
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) January 9, 2014
Recall POTUS Rose Garden appearance day after #Benghazi slaughter. Much of a difference? 16 months later, who has POTUS fired, questioned?
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) January 9, 2014
Some good questions from the press here. WH press corps taking notes?
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 9, 2014
For those claiming Christie didn’t have a choice but respond like this: Then why has Obama done the complete opposite in similar situations?
— AG (@AG_Conservative) January 9, 2014
Kinda do like how Christie fired everybody. Wouldn’t it be nice if Obama fired staff responsible for scandal?
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) January 9, 2014
Christie: aide from Bridgegate fired Obama: aides from Benghazi promoted
— Razor (@hale_razor) January 9, 2014
Chris Christy is getting tons of questions about a bridge but HIllary didnt get one about 4 dead americans, umm see a problem here
— Lori Hendry (@Lrihendry) January 9, 2014
Ultimately, this wasn’t a lesson for Christie. Or for New Jersey. The one who should be learning something …is us.
We’ve just been handed a reminder that our journalists DO still recall how to perform actual journalism. So we need to insist they start doing so, all the time, regardless of the (D) or the (R) after a person’s name. And if they don’t, we then need to make them pay the price for their failure: change the channel, cancel our subscription(s), etc.,..
The press held a Governor accountable today, and then the Governor held himself and his people accountable. Everyone did their jobs.
Now with that in mind, let’s go do ours.
Two Heads are Better Than One 
Excellent and you are exactly right. If this were a Democrat governor, the press would have behaved much differently.
No question ’bout it, James. The media should take a very long look in the mirror: some of them may not like what they see.
As for Christie, we just need to wait-&-see if this pans out the way that he portrayed it today.
“The real story is how the media itself behaved.”
I don’t care for Christie but that sentence about says it all for today. David Gregory needs to look at his credibility. So do the others.
Gregory could be flipping burgers soon, what with his ratings of late.
I only pray some others will join him there….
So proud of himself for being bipartisan and reaching across the isle…. where is the Obama he once hugged? well, he’s now investigating Christi. How’s that foe irony?
The irony is thick, partner; very thick indeed.
😉
Too early to tell how this will all play out, but there’s no doubt that CC handled the first step of it properly.
Isn’t it refreshing to see arrogant politicians humble themselves? Maybe now I understand what Chris Matthews meant when after listening to one of Obama’s speeches that he “felt a thrill going up his leg” that doesn’t happen very often . . . . . Or do I ? ? ?
Michael!!! Great to see you, bud!
Yes, humility is in short supply among politicians and it was indeed refreshing. For everyone concerned, I hope that Christie was (A) telling the truth, although I do believe he was, and (B) he gets to the bottom of this pronto.
Only time will tell, brotha.
Don’t be a stranger, dude!
Hope to see you again soon…..
Since he is supported by George Soros and the Dems, I say good riddance. There was some reason his closest people thought they could do something like this.A reflection of him, I am afraid.
There’s no question that is true, B-ville.
Of course, that’s why I’m not taking the media’s bait to make Christie the story: he’s not, or at least he shouldn’t be.
THEY are the story.
We have the Obama WH Scandal-plex working overtime to just keep all of their lies straight, yet the Media dismissively sweeps ALL of it under the rug. But then they expect us to jump when they point at Christie and scream, “oooh, look! Hate HIM; he’s a monster!!”
Yeah, sure, whatever…
But just think of what we might know if they exhibited a tenth of their current energies on Benghazi, or the IRS………
Very true. I wonder how much it was a setup. We are not talking about Gates book.
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Funny how the word Scandal reappeared in media with a vengeance, after being banned for 4 years. And no one was labeled a racist either.
Like you, JTR, I am not a major supporter of Governor Christie. That being said, he DID display HOW a situation should be handled. The media will be what it is: a bunch of Obama stooges. NOTHING he does will ever be seen as they tried to portray Bridgegate. Still, the American people got to see Christie respond appropriately, and we actually have the media to thank for that….