Slamming former President Donald Trump on anti-Trump CBS, 60-year-old former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, now a 2024 presidential candidate, told host Bob Consta that Trump is completely self-centered and must be defeated. “He’s a completely self-centered , self-obsessed and self-possessed, angry old man,” Christie told Costa, referring to the 77-year-old ex-president. Christie makes himself out like he’s a one-man wrecking crew, working for the anti-Trump wing of the Republican Party. Christie seeks any publicity he can get to sell himself as a viable presidential candidate, when, in fact, he’s polling at under 5%. Christe talks about Trump’s selfishness but clearly Christie has an ax to grind selling himself as the best GOP replacement for Trump. Chrisie appears on any liberal TV network to denounce Trump, telling anyone who’ll listen Trump is a danger to the GOP and the country.
Christie once ran Trump’s transition team in 2016, attempting to piece together a coherent Cabinet, hoping Trump would pick him as Atty. General over 76-year-old Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. At the time, Christie managed Trump’s transition, he was under investigation for the 2013 Bridgegate scandal in New Jersey where Christie’s staff ordered lane closures on the George Washington Bridge to Fort Lee New Jersey to punish former Mayor Mark Sokolich for not supporting Christie’s reelection campaign. Trump passed over Christie, creating the current enemy that would do anything to sabotage Trump’s reelection bid. “And he doesn’t care about anyone else other than him,” Christie told Costa, giving his excuse for opposing Trump’s reelection. Christie mentions nothing of his sour grapes over Trump ignoring Christie’s bid to become Trump’s attorney general, something that went to former Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Al.)
Christie backs all of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s charges against Trump, hoping that Trump drop out of the race. So far, whatever the charges from the Manhattan DA or Smith, Trump shows no signs of backing out. “And if he were ever to become president again, I take him at his word. He said, “I am your retribution.’ Well he’s not our retribution, Bob. He will be his own retribution,” Christie said. Liberal hosts like Costa play along with any Republican willing to denounce Trump to prevent him from winning the GOP nomination. Christie knows he has about 5% or less chance of winning the nomination, just like he had in 2016 when her ran against Trump. Christie dropped out of the race after the South Carolina primary, realizing he had no chance of winning the nomination. Christie has used the liberal media to get free publicity and headlines for his faltering campaign.
Costa asked Christie about his previous support for Trump, Christie rejected the idea that he was flip-flopping. Christie claims he turned against the president once he claimed the 2020 election was fraudulent. Yet Christie mentioned nothing for the last three years until he considered running for the 2024 GOP nominee. “I’m no different today than I was when I supported him in 2016,” Christie told Costa. “he’s the one who kept classified documents against the law. That lie to his lawyers and lied to the government,” Christie insisted, referring to Trump believing he won the election. George Washington University Constitutional Law Professor Jonathan Turley says Trump has a First Amendment Free Speech right to believe or say anything that he wishes, whether it’s factual or not. Christie says he changed his mind on Trump when he insisted he won the 2020 presidential election.
Christie’s mission to undermine Trump’s 2024 campaign serves his own interests of having any shot of winning the GOP nomination. While a long shot, Christie hopes to use the liberal press to help him win the GOP nomination. Because of Christie and other anti-Trump Republicans like him, Trump’s campaign has got a shot in the arm because GOP voters feel badly that Trump has been targeted by the government. Christie told Cost that Trump is “completely self-centered, self-obsessed and self-conscious . . “ referring to Trump’s insistence that he won the 2020 presidential election. Democrats and the press accused Trump of the “Big Lie” that he won the 2020 election. Yet as Turley says, Trump has the First Amendment right to think and say anything he wants, even if disputed by anyone else, including Democrats or Republicans. Christie says Trump lied about whether he won the 2020 election.
Christie sells himself as the Democrat and Republican hero taking on Trump in the 2024 election. Believing he’s the only one the GOP field to take down Trump, Christie gives himself a lot of credit, harking back to 2016 when he confronted Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) on the South Carolina debate stage. Whether Christie’s comments knocked Rubio out of the 2016 race or not, Rubio polled about the same as Christie, meaning he had no chance at all of winning the nomination. Rubio was quite vulgar talking about Trump’s small hands, making disparaging remarks about his manhood. No Christie, someone with a medical obesity problem, fires all his hatred at Trump, all because he’s looking to move up the ranks. Christie seeks any airtime in the liberal media to slam Trump and push his unlikely 2024 candidacy. If Christie calls Trump “self-centered,” what does he call himself?
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlikneColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.