Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, 60, continued his Trump-bashing campaign, this time trying to same 77-year-old former President Donald Trump into attending the Aug. 23 Fox News debate. Trump has said he’s reluctant to attend because of Fox News uneven coverage of him, especially the June 23 interview with 52-year-old Fox News host Bret Baier. Baier wasn’t to kind to Trump, embarrassing the former President on the Mar-a-Lago classified documents scandal that earned him a 37-count indictment by 54-year-old Special Counsel Jack Smith. Christie has run his campaign purely on going after Trump, a smart strategy when you consider the entire media, including Fox News, will do just about everything to slam Trump on practically everything he does. Christie was once a big backer of Trump until he didn’t get picked as Trump’s attorney general in 2016.
Christie faced potentially felony charges, eventually leveled on his staff, for what’s known as Bridgegate, where his underlings shut down the George Washington Bridge to punish former For Lee Mayor Marck Sokolich for not supporting Chrsitie’s reelection campaign. Christie was radioactive when Trump was forced to pick 76-year-old pick former Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Al.) as his attorney general. Trump’s decision turned out a bad one, in hindsight, because Sessions recused himself from dealing with the May 8, 2017 firing of 62-year-old former FBI Director James Comey. Sessions deferred the decision to former Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein who appointed Special Counsel Bob Mueller to investigate Trump. Christies knows that the liberal press is obsessed with disseminating anything negative about Trump, something Christie does on a daily basis since announcing June 5 for president.
Christie said he will shame Trump into turning up the GOP debate, knowing that any debate without Trump would not get ratings. “ I will shame him into showing up,” Christie told podcaster Bari Weiss. Christie has zero clout with Trump but likes to pander to the anti-Trump press that likes to hear from Republicans, like Sen. Mitt Romeny (R-Ut.) who find Trump onerous. “And quite frankly, he owes it to his voters and to all the other in the Republican Party to show up and debate. If he wants the honor of being the Republican nominee for president, he has an obligation to show up at those debates . . “ Christie said. Christie had one good moment in the 2016 debates throwing a zinger at 52-year-old Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.). Christie thinks he can do the same thing with Trump, something highly doubtful. Christie polls at under 5%, not likely to last more than New Hampshire, Iowan and South Carolina.
Unlike other 2024 candidates, Chritie has one issue to present to the media in attacking Trump on a regular basis. Christie figured out that he gets plenty of free publicity as long as he rips Trump on the airwaves. “Oh it’s not fair. It’s fair to me. I’m so fair ahead. Why should I let people talk about me?,” asked Trump. “Because you decided to run for president. That’s why,” said Christie, pushing Trump to agree to show up at the Aug. 23 Fox News debate. When Christie meets with the anti-Trump press, he talks about Trump’s Department of Justice charges as if he’s already been tried-and-convicted. Unlike other GOP candidates, Christie doesn’t talk about his campaign positions on domestic or foreign policy. Christie knows that the anti-Trump media isn’t concerned about his positions as a presidential candidate, only bashing Trump on any subject possible.
Trump was asked recently whether or not he planned to attend the Aug. 23 Fox New debate in Milwuakee. Trump told the press “possibly not,” prompting Christie to brow beat him into attending. “Why would I give them time to makes statemernts?” Trump said. “Why would I do that when I’m leading them by 50 points and 60 points,” Trump asked. When interviewed, the press isn’t interested in Christie’s positions on the economy or the Ukraine War, only on hearing opinions on why Trump is guilty as charged by Manhattan District Atty. Alvin Bragg and Special Counsel Jack Smith. Today’s media and anti-Trump politicians spend much of their time trying trying-and-convicting Trump on the airwaves. Unless Christie offers some kind of visions for himself as president, it’s doubtful attacks on Trump will get him beyond his current 5% in the polls.
Christie found a way to get free publicity for his campaign, catering like other anti-Trump Republicans to the anti-Trump media. When Christie runs out of insults against Trump, what does his campaign stand for? Christie wants his day on the debate stage when he can get in a zinger on Trump, much like he did to Rubio in 2016. Christie faces an uphill battle, trading barbs with Trump, especially the latest one about Trump’s weight. At over 300 pounds, Christie doesn’t fool anyone, hoping that overweight voters can relate to his weight problems. “We’ve had a lot of offers, whether it’s a rally or whether it’s an interview by somebody else,” Trump said. “Not to be braggadocious, but the debate will not be a very exciting one if I’m not there,” Trump said. “Quite frankly, I think he’ll show up ‘cause I don’t thin his ego will permit him not too,” Christie said, about the first GOP deabate.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operationn Charisma.
