Chris Christie- Master Showman, Crappy Governor

There's a common theme when it comes to Chris Christie- if you've actually been around him, you become less and less of a fan. Christie was hailed as a conquering hero when he beat Jon Corzine in 2009, and in 2013 he was re-elected as Governor of New Jersey with an overwhelming victory. By 2015, he was so deeply unpopular that Republican legislators in New Jersey lost in previously safe seats (this was no doubt helped by Christie wasting so much of the state party's money, but that's another story). Now, Democrats look poised to win record majorities and the Governor's mansion back in New Jersey in 2017. Increased exposure does not make people more fond of Christie.

In New Hampshire, where Christie is basing his Presidential hopes, they don't know what a bad Governor Christie is. They haven't had to deal with six years of him like people in New Jersey have, or close neighbors in Pennsylvania and New York. With that in mind, you can understand why one of the Newark Star-Ledger's chief editorialists is taking issue with the Manchester Union-Leader's endorsement of Christie. It's not grounded in reality.

The paper has been paying close attention to Christie's speeches in New Hampshire, and his visit to the editorial board. And that's a dangerous game when it comes to a slick character like our governor.

Take Bridgegate. The editorial made no mention of it. "It has nothing to do with the governor," Bosse says.

It's possible Christie didn't know about the lane closures or the cover-up. But this is a governor whose cabinet members don't go to the bathroom without his permission. At a minimum, these were his senior appointees.

How about pension reform? The board in Manchester did not know that Christie broke his core promise on that by skipping pension payments. "I don't know if we went into the weeds on pension reform," Bosse said.

The editorial said he "dealt admirably" with Sandy. That would come as a shock to the actual victims, 60 percent of whom say they are dissatisfied with the state's response.

On jobs, the paper saw no reason to check Christie's dismal record. "Politicians don't create jobs, so we didn't want to give that any credibility," Bosse said.

How about the nine credit downgrades on Christie's watch as governor?

"That largely stems from the fact that while he's been successful holding back tax increases, he hasn't been as successful in restraining spending. Credit agencies like taxes. They don't reward states for fiscal discipline." 

Of course, Christie has line-item veto, so he can cut any money from the budget he wants. Turns out it's not as easy as they make it sound on the campaign trail.

And ratings agencies, for the record, don't care if government is big or small. Their ratings reflect the risk that bondholders won't get paid back. New Jersey has the second lowest rating in the country, and it's dropped six times on Christie's watch.

Moran goes on to say this confirms his chief fear about the Presidential race, that it's all entertainment now, not substance. There's a lot to be said for that. It's also worth noting that Chris Christie is one of the most amazing showmen right now in the game. The man can put on a town hall with the best of them. He takes on his critics, he yells, he empathizes, and he attacks, sometimes in the same answer. He doesn't really have much substance though. Christie puts on a great show, but his performance in office leaves a lot to be desired. Hopefully the people of New Hampshire see through his act.