Is Christie’s weight a problem? Unfortunately, it probably is
It’s an uncomfortable question, which means that it’s right in Barbara Walters’ wheelhouse. As she put it to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie:
For those who can’t watch video, here’s how the exchange goes:
WALTERS: “There are people who say that you couldn’t be president because you are so heavy. What do you say to that?”
CHRISTIE: “It’s ridiculous. I mean, that’s ridiculous. I think people have watched me for a number of weeks in Hurricane Sandy doing 18-hour days, so I don’t really think that would be a problem.”
I’m not so sure that’s true. As Christie acknowledged to Walters, he isn’t merely overweight, he’s seriously overweight. That struck home during last night’s broadcast of the Hurricane Sandy charity concert in New York, which Christie attended. When the camera panned to Christie, standing in a crowd surrounded by other people, the size differential between the governor and those around him was startling.
Some have raised the question of whether Christie’s weight reflects a character flaw or lack of personal discipline, but I’m with the governor on that one: “It’s ridiculous.” That alleged “lack of discipline” doesn’t show up in other aspects of his life, and as Christie aptly noted, it doesn’t affect his work ethic.
It does, however, raise significant health issues. If you look at how George W. Bush visibly aged over his eight-year presidency, and how Barack Obama has aged, the toll taken by the job and the campaigning becomes pretty clear. And unlike Christie, both Bush and Obama are pretty serious about staying in good physical shape. It’s perfectly legitimate, even necessary, to consider health when electing a president, and although Christie has never revealed his actual weight, it’s pretty clear that he would fall in the far right category in the chart below:
There’s also the image issue. Rationally speaking, you cannot judge a person’s character or intelligence by his or her weight or physical attractiveness, but the truth is that we do it all the time, without even thinking about it.
As researchers Lucy Watson and Lucy Johnston write in summarizing scientific studies into the question:
“Attractive people are perceived to be happier, more sociable and more successful than unattractive individuals. Attractive, as compared to unattractive, individuals are judged more highly on academic tasks, are treated more generously when grades are assigned and receive more support. Furthermore, physical attractiveness has been found to affect juror decisions, helping behavior, parents’ attitudes toward their own infants, psychological well-being of adults, status cues, social and professional competence evaluations, level of prestige of a given occupation and employment and job evaluations.”
Given that psychological reality, it’s no surprise that voters tend to gravitate to candidates who look presidential. And in his present physical condition, that is not a test that Christie passes.
– Jay Bookman
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612 comments Add your comment
They BOTH suck
December 13th, 2012
8:40 pm
td
Did I say the same wasn’t true for those voting Dem in Blue States?
I know Ryan winning by a landslide is something you can hold onto and cherish, but the Republicans lost 7 or 8 seats in the House and had less total votes cast for them if all votes were counted for all seats. Democrats have been the winners before due to gerrymandering and that is how Republicans held onto the House last month.
Erwin's cat
December 13th, 2012
8:42 pm
12 yrs…a good sigh of relief
how long did you hold your breathe on that one?
JamVet
December 13th, 2012
8:43 pm
There is nothing honorable in being hundreds of pounds overweight.
Someone earlier wrote (correctly) that some of these obesity issues are due to circumstances other than just being a lazy over eater.
No doubt that is true.
But to the extent that we all stay physically fit and help the other people in our lives do the same, how is that not the best option?
i know of what I write. Had I not been in fantastic physical condition, I am fairly certain that I would not have survived the massive blood clots that I did at the age of 50. It was pretty much a miracle I did anyway.
Get your heart beat up Mr Christie. Regularly. And that pain? That is the feeling of weakness leaving your body. And guess what? it is going to take hundreds of hours to get back to being fit…
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
8:53 pm
“how long did you hold your breathe on that one?”
Well, it was one of those things that sort of crept up on me. I started having them at decreasing intervals after the day I had 2 at the same time. And one day I just realized it had been several years since I had one. As of now, it’s been 12 years. I’ve had the precursor several times, but it no longer develops into a migraine.
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
8:55 pm
“There is nothing honorable in being hundreds of pounds overweight.”
And there’s no shame in it either. There might be a very few people who have serious mental problems who deliberately get obese, but most of us it just happens to. And sometimes, like myself, we have other conditions that make it difficult to lose that weight.
Personally, I count it as a “gain” that I have stopped gaining.
bman.
December 13th, 2012
8:56 pm
The McRib@McDonalds is back!
ROCK ON!
td
December 13th, 2012
8:59 pm
They BOTH suck
December 13th, 2012
8:40 pm
td
Did I say the same wasn’t true for those voting Dem in Blue States?
I know Ryan winning by a landslide is something you can hold onto and cherish, but the Republicans lost 7 or 8 seats in the House and had less total votes cast for them if all votes were counted for all seats. Democrats have been the winners before due to gerrymandering and that is how Republicans held onto the House last month.
It was not just Ryan. Obama won Florida, Ohio and PA and yet all those states sent more Republicans back to Congress then Dems in the states. Now if you take the Obama voters that also voted for Republican Congressmen and turn those votes for Romney then I think you would see Romney would have won.
Redneck Convert (R--and proud of it)
December 13th, 2012
9:01 pm
The McRib@McDonalds is back!
Hot dang! I told you there was a God.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 13th, 2012
9:02 pm
Now if you take the Obama voters that also voted for Republican Congressmen and turn those votes for Romney then I think you would see Romney would have won.
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Josef
December 13th, 2012
9:03 pm
Well, even Alf is weighing in on the dieting thingie!
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
9:05 pm
Sooth has a sickle and a hammer….. OMG them 1%ers really live it up….
They BOTH suck
December 13th, 2012
9:07 pm
td
Spin all you like. Anyone can cherry pick the data but here all the results and you can continue to do what you do best……whine
Romney: LOST
Senate and House: Democrats picked up seats and still have a 2/3s of the power in DC.
So if you like you can give me 1000 more if this or if that happened scenarios where Romney would have won, be my guest.
Criberious and Little Brain play the same game over and over at Wingfields. It is amusing to watch them and you as well chase your tail with your conspriracis and scenarios about the election……..
Rock on dude, but I’m out ………
Peace
Erwin's cat
December 13th, 2012
9:07 pm
Dog
good for you…clusters are sorta the same way…it’s been a few yrs since my last, but i know it could all start again tomorrow….or not
USA Patriot
December 13th, 2012
9:11 pm
Way to go JB – lay a land mine about obesity on the man from NJ being interviewed by BaBaWaWa and “how does it feel” – typical BaBaWaWa! Nope, don’t bother bringing up what the “big man” has done for NJ as a “leader”, bringing the state back from the brink of CA, etc., etc., etc.!
Now, the next entry ought to be about Moooo’ chelle Obama and her “bunch a junk in the trunk” – the one that is promoting “healthy foods” for the chidron! 3, 2, 1,…….
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
9:17 pm
Thanks EC. I’ll tell you what “told” on how long it had been. About 3 or 4 years ago I had a scary week where I couldn’t go to work. I felt fine, but I would do things like sit down a the computer to type and I could clearly “see” in my head what I wanted to type but I couldnt get my fingers to find the correct keys.
On the third day I needed a Doctor’s excuse for work, so I went to my Doctor…and I only live 15 minutes away and I damn near fell asleep at the wheel on that short drive.
My doctor scheduled me for an MRI (interesting experience, BTW) and the result came back with a LONG paragraph of potential indications. So I was scheduled for an appointment with a specialist (can’t remember the exact specialty) and THAT Doctor examined me, tested my reflexes, and discussed the results of the MRI. But when I told him about having had migraines, but the last one was around 9-10 years previously I could visibly see him relax.
He told me he was certain that what I had was what he called a “mirgraine episode with no pain” and that I was to get back with him if it happened again, but otherwise not to worry about it. I have not, so far, had another such episode.
td
December 13th, 2012
9:20 pm
They BOTH suck
December 13th, 2012
8:40 pm
I did a little math for you.
In Ohio,
There were 2,697,260 votes cast for Obama. There were 2,009,516 votes cast for Democrats for the House of Reps. That means 680,000 people voted for Obama but then voted to put their House of Reps Republican back in office.
Ohio has 16 house seats and sent 12 Republican members to Congress and 4 Democrats. That my friend is more the just Gerrymandering of districts.
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:22 pm
Obama won Florida, Ohio and PA and yet all those states sent more Republicans back to Congress then Dems in the states. Now if you take the Obama voters that also voted for Republican Congressmen and turn those votes for Romney then I think you would see Romney would have won.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKm5xQyD2vE
If deceased equine flagellation were an Olympic sport, Jay’s blog would be the breeding ground for American champions…
Just sayin’
Erwin's cat
December 13th, 2012
9:26 pm
cool…Dog
glad to have you around to bust my chops
like I said…if you’ve never had that pain you cant pretend to know that pain…cheers to you and yours and have a great holiday…cheers
td
December 13th, 2012
9:26 pm
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:22 pm
Obama won the election for some reason or another and that is a fact. What I am talking about is that the same people that put him back in office intentionally decided not to give him a free pass to do whatever he wanted by putting their Conservative Republican Representative back in office.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
Obama won the election for some reason or another and that is a fact.
Obama won because the best that Republicans could do was nominate Romney.
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
“if you’ve never had that pain you cant pretend to know that pain”
No kidding. I’ve said that it gives a whole new meaning to “you’d have to get better to die”
td
December 13th, 2012
9:31 pm
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 13th, 2012
9:29 pm
Obama won the election for some reason or another and that is a fact.
Obama won because the best that Republicans could do was nominate Romney.
Yes, Romney was the most moderate candidate the Republicans have nominated since Bob Dole.
Erwin's cat
December 13th, 2012
9:33 pm
funny…i have used the exact same description
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
9:35 pm
There were 2,697,260 votes cast for Obama. There were 2,009,516 votes cast for Democrats for the House of Reps. That means 680,000 people voted for Obama but then voted to put their House of Reps Republican back in office.
Oy vey….. and how exactly does that prove that they voted Republican for the House. They may not have voted at all for a house election.
No wonder you republicans have trouble with math.
They BOTH suck
December 13th, 2012
9:36 pm
“Obama won the election for some reason or another and that is a fact”
How did that over sampling conspiracy work out? You know the one you posted about ad nauseum all over the AJC blogs?
And while I am really out this time, I am sure you are not out of excuses and conspiracies. You wouldn’t be you if you were.
later
Erwin's cat
December 13th, 2012
9:36 pm
Kam @ 9:29
you continue to amuse >^..^<
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
9:37 pm
Romney was the most moderate candidate the Republicans have nominated since Bob Dole
better get a cup for your jock….McCain will kick you when he sees you for that comment.
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:41 pm
td: What I am talking about is that the same people that put him back in office intentionally decided not to give him a free pass to do whatever he wanted by putting their Conservative Republican Representative back in office.
Why is Richard Mourdock not going to DC then? Romney carried Indiana quite handily, right? Akin?
You can wish all you want to, but the primary reason that the GOP still controls the house is because they won enough elections to control redistricting in more states than Democats did in 2010. Your example about Ohio is a prime example of such. Republicans try to cram Democratic voters into districts that are heavily urban. They then cut out huge swaths of rural area for themselves.
You should seriously lobby the IOC to get that equine event added for you. I see an easy gold medal in your future.
Jm
December 13th, 2012
9:42 pm
Fat guy in a little coat……
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:45 pm
http://images.wikia.com/uncyclopedia/images/archive/1/11/20080202231407!Beating-a-dead-horse.gif
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:46 pm
http://fineartbymary.com/smilies/horse2.gif
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:47 pm
http://www.helifreak.com/images/smilies/deadhorse.gif
Erwin's cat
December 13th, 2012
9:47 pm
Jm….stilll loling
td
December 13th, 2012
9:54 pm
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:41 pm
Your theory has several flaws in it.
1: All districts have to be drawn into comparable population sizes so packing Dems into urban areas is not viable argument.
2: Yes, if you look at actual voting maps of districts then you will see that most Dems live within 20 miles of major urban areas so how exactly are these maps suppose to be drawn?
3: The numbers do not lie. There were 600,000 voters in Ohio (with similar numbers in PA, FL, and VA that voted for Obama and then crossed over and voted for Republicans for the HOR’s. This is not Gerrymandering but real votes my friend.
Jm
December 13th, 2012
9:54 pm
Erwin
Great movie
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:58 pm
One last post for the evening…
In Ohio,
There were 2,697,260 votes cast for Obama. There were 2,009,516 votes cast for Democrats for the House of Reps. That means 680,000 people voted for Obama but then voted to put their House of Reps Republican back in office.
In Georgia:
Cherokee County:
Mitt Romney 76,514 votes
Phil Gingrey 73,795 votes
People didn’t vote for the Republican House candidate 1 to 1 in a county that Romney carried with right at 78%
http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/GA/Cherokee/42306/112275/en/summary.html
Walker County:
Romney 16,247 votes
Tom Graves 15,474 votes
Same thing, and Romney took 74%
http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/GA/Walker/42424/112423/en/summary.html
The GOP House ain’t all you make it out to be. Even Republicans didn’t vote for them.
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
10:04 pm
“All districts have to be drawn into comparable population sizes so packing Dems into urban areas is not viable argument”
You need to familiarize yourself with the term “gerrymandering” – or as someone once described a voting district in North Carolina: “If you drove down the interstate with your doors open you’d kill every voter in the district”
td
December 13th, 2012
10:08 pm
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
9:58 pm
You are correct about the vote totals and there is a % of voters that vote for the President will not even vote for their Representative or in any other race for that matter.
That is not the point I am trying to make here. The point I am making is that there was a high enough % of voters enough of the key swing states that intentionally voted for Obama then a Republican for the house because they did not want one party in total control of the Federal government.
td
December 13th, 2012
10:10 pm
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
10:04 pm
I am well aware of Gerrymandering and how BOTH parties take advantage of it to maintain control in the HOR’s. This is not the point I have been trying to make that the Obama supporters on this blog refuse to accept.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
10:13 pm
The point I am making is that there was a high enough % of voters enough of the key swing states that intentionally voted for Obama then a Republican for the house
You have failed to make that point. As has been pointed out, all that has been shown is that more voters voted for President. Does not mean that they voted Republican for the House. Major fail.
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
10:13 pm
“This is not the point I have been trying to make that the Obama supporters on this blog refuse to accept”
The point you are trying to make is that you wish the election had turned out differently.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
10:17 pm
And to prove you are wrong:
President
Barack Obama (D) – 2,827,621 (50.67%)
Mitt Romney (R) – 2,661,407 (47.69% – there’s that 47% figure again)
Other – 91,794 (1.64%)
Total – 5,580,822
Margin – Obama by 166,214 (2.98% – I was expecting 3.1 or 3.2)
U.S. Senate
Sherrod Brown (D) – 2,762,690 (50.70%)
Josh Mandel (R) – 2,435,712 (44.70%)
Scott Rupert (I) – 250,616 (4.60%)
Total – 5,449,018
So if your theory were to hold. The votes for Senator should have been the same as President. And yet there were over a 100k more cast for President.
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
10:19 pm
1: All districts have to be drawn into comparable population sizes so packing Dems into urban areas is not viable argument.
Have you looked at Georgia’s map????? I know you’re not that purposefully stupid. C’mon man….
#2 The maps can easily be drawn using geographical boundaries without overpacking one party into specific districts. That’s already been proven by different groups using computer programs.
#3 You do realize that the Ohio Secretary of State has the official results online, right? Here’s the actual results per the Ohio SoS.
Obama: 2,827,621
Romney: 2,661,407
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/Research/electResultsMain/2012Results/20121106uspresident.aspx
House Dems: 2,511,649
House GOP: 2,620,233
http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/elections/Research/electResultsMain/2012Results/20121106usrepresentative.aspx
Now, if your theory on those 600,000 votes crossing over to Romney from Obama was correct, wouldn’t that give the House GOP a vote total that exceeded Romney’s total if that were indeed the case? Or is it that you fail to realize that some people vote 3rd party in district races? If I were you, I wouldn’t use that talking point anywhere else, lest you want to get laughed off the internet. Hell, Romney’s vote total in Ohio exceeded the House GOP’s total, so not every vote for Romney meant a vote for a Republican candidate down the ticket.
I’m going to go to bed now. Read over those vote totals and learn something for yourself instead of relying on others to give you stuff to try to talk about online. Your information feeders are setting you up for failure, big time.
getalife
December 13th, 2012
10:20 pm
After the 14 elections, our President will have a rubber stamp congress whether you like it or not.
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
10:24 pm
The point I am making is that there was a high enough % of voters enough of the key swing states that intentionally voted for Obama then a Republican for the house because they did not want one party in total control of the Federal government.
You can make that point until 2014, but that still doesn’t prove your point is correct. It’s not, no matter how you try to rephrase it. Had each House district been evenly divided between the parties, there’s a good chance that the House would not be GOP controlled next congress. The GOP House candidates had more than 2 million less vote totals across the country than the Dems did. That’s about half the total that Obama beat Romney by. There’s no way to prove it because of gerrymandering, but that points to the idea that the GOP took an ass whipping this election. They even lost seats that they won in 2010 due to the Tea Party.
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
10:25 pm
Y’all have a good evening. I’ll probably be up late lauging at this stuff. Too damned funny!!!!!!
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
10:26 pm
In Ohio 411,970 more votes were cast for President than for the House of Representatives. And that is TOTAL votes, all parties.
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
10:29 pm
“After the 14 elections, our President will have a rubber stamp congress whether you like it or not.”
I hope you’re putting a lot of money on that. I think there’s a BARE possibility the Dems will take the House and retain the Senate, but I think the chances of a super majority in the Senate are less. But even IF they get that too it’s no guarantee they’ll rubber stamp the President’s agenda.
These are Democrats we’re talking about. You know, the ones that DEFINE “herding cats”
Doggone/GA
December 13th, 2012
10:31 pm
oops! “I hope you’re putting a lot of money on that”
I meant I hope you’re NOT putting a lot of money on that!
td
December 13th, 2012
10:33 pm
Brosephus™
December 13th, 2012
10:19 pm
The numbers I put together were straight off of the Politico website (left wing rag). It looks like I should not have believed anything written in a left wing rag.
http://www.politico.com/2012-election/map/#/President/2012/
By your own numbers 300,000 people that voted for the President did not vote for a Democratic candidate for the House. If these voters were so enthused about giving a Obama mandate then they would have voted for the Dem house member to give him the mandate.
td
December 13th, 2012
10:36 pm
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
10:26 pm
In Ohio 411,970 more votes were cast for President than for the House of Representatives. And that is TOTAL votes, all parties.
And these are the same voters that will probably not bother to vote at all in the mid term elections. It will be the reason Dems will not take back control of the House.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
December 13th, 2012
10:40 pm
Ahh, td, that’s good. So far you failed on your first little theory, so now abandon that rather than defend it and move on to an new unsubstantiated claim. Sure… you keep believing it sweetie. When you get something to back that claim other that just pulling it out of your butt, come on back.
Dekalb comments
December 13th, 2012
11:09 pm
I wish Mr. Christie well. I hope he can find the right mix of diet, exercise and medical attention to bring his obesity under control.
Elected officials are supposed to be role models. I know that is laughable today with the disrespect members of Congress show themselves and the President. But that should be our goal in a representative democracy.
As such, Christie’s weight is a problem. One it raises serious concerns about his physical fitness for a job such as the presidency. Secondly it raises a question about his ability to take control of a serious situation. That reflects badly on his ability or willingness to manage a serious situation as President.
But I do wish him well. I think, despite his firebrand rhetoric, he is probably one of the more sane Republicans.
barking frog
December 13th, 2012
11:19 pm
Christie is just another 47 percenter who fell in line after the President
gave him a bunch of free stuff…
Dekalb comments
December 13th, 2012
11:25 pm
@Barkingfrog
Christie was obese long before the President even thought about running for office. You can Google back photos of him in younger years. He has not been concerned with his weight or his health for years.
The causes of obesity can be complex. It can be due to genetics, metabolism, psychological issues (e.g. low self-esteem, etc.). It can also simply be that someone never learned to eat healthy food, exercise and commit to a healthier lifestyle.
But Mr. Christie’s problems are not because he is part of some non-existant 47%. His problems precede his political career.
St Simons - he-ne-ha
December 13th, 2012
11:34 pm
no, Christie’s weight should not be a problem.
I’m as far left as you can go.
but even I think that’s a cheap shot.
I wanna beat him fair & square, not like that.
guy
December 14th, 2012
12:43 am
Next, Get ready for a story of racism concerning Susan Rice.
captguitarman
December 14th, 2012
1:50 am
Remember way back when a “heavy set” man or woman could become a star? Remember when all it took to make it in the recording industry was great talent . . . a great voice? Remember when country music stars didn’t have to be sexy to make it big? Anyone paying attention to the fact that if you are not super talented, and physically goreous, in almost every entertainment endeavor these days, you are probably not going to make it? Sure, as in all things, there are exceptions, but those exceptions are not the rule.
What does this have to do with electing our leaders you may so naively ask? Everything. The popular culture is affecting all walks of American life these days. That is not to say that it i a good thing, especially in politics, where the handsome, buff, and cool and hip guy is going to get a 25 point head start over Mr. or Ms. Average looking and even more over Mr. or Ms. Ugly or Obese. This has not trickled down yet into all levels of poltics, but it will. This phenomenon is what made the intellectually challenged Palin and Bachmann even possible – they are both older, hot looking women. If you don’t understand that, you have not been paying attention to the impact of popular culture on our society. After years and years of emphasis on “substance” in all things, and the feminists’ efforts to have women evaluated on their intellect, talents, abilties, the exact opposite result has occurred. It is only poetic justice that this standard now also applies equally to men.
Christie. You want in the next presidential election? Here’s some good advice. Go on one of those celerity weight loss regimens about 6 months before you start appearing every couple days on the Republican candidate “debate’ circuit in 2014. Re-make yourself and become a buff guy. You will be a huge hit among today’s majority of voters just by doing that (sad but true). And then if you get nominated and elected, you can go back to your normal routine, and get the Smithsonian to send William Howard Taft’s (350 pounds) bathtub back to the White House so you can use it.
Ann
December 14th, 2012
5:08 am
@getalife While Clinton made a comment about losing weight for his daughter’s wedding, to imply that is the reason he went vegan is not accurate. He has stated that, after his heart surgeries, he still needed to reduce his cholesterol and that he had read about great results with plant based diets. He also stated that he wanted to “be around for his grandchildren”. To read more about it, here’s an article where Clinton talks about why he chose a vegan diet.
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/president-clinton-lost-24-pounds-on-a-vegan-diet.html
barking frog
December 14th, 2012
5:27 am
@Dekalb comments 11:25
I did not comment on Christie’s weight. I commented on the fiscally
conservative Christie wanting Federal dollars now that his state
is in a jam, but thanks for telling me what may be the reason he
is fat .
Pale Padre
December 14th, 2012
5:53 am
As the Old saying goes,”You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Remember fitness guy,Jim Fix ?
Hidden defects,body slam some youngsters.
Corbin Sharpe. Baby Boomer...and got the scars to priove it!
December 14th, 2012
6:14 am
Good morning all y’all…another week shot to hell,…
This is how I usually end up doing decorations for Mithra…
http://cheezburger.com/6818007040
Brosephus™
December 14th, 2012
6:17 am
By your own numbers 300,000 people that voted for the President did not vote for a Democratic candidate for the House. If these voters were so enthused about giving a Obama mandate then they would have voted for the Dem house member to give him the mandate.
Geezzzz…. Now I know you’re not playing dumb, you are dumber than a sack of dead rocks. Just how would that have happened, Einstein? Democratic voters voting in Democratic districts would beat Republicans in different districts, huh???? Damn, even my 4 year old would know better than to say something so friggin’ stupid. I bet that thinking gives you headaches, huh?
Joel Edge
December 14th, 2012
6:30 am
Unfortunately (for him), he’s a Republican. If he was a Democrat this question would never be asked. Maybe Barbara Walters should be asking Patrick Moran about his girlfriend. I beginning to agree with the Twitter Idea of simply putting a (D) after your name, then you can pretty much get away with anything.
Redcoat
December 14th, 2012
6:32 am
And if Christie was a democrat……..? would it matter? Overweight Dems/Libs need not run for office, you have a problem per Jay Bookman.
Wait a minute
December 14th, 2012
6:36 am
Prez smoked for decades, so he’s well up the increased mortality scale as well.
And, yes, Hillary, who was never slim, has become downright obese herself. Probably one reason she’s quitting job is to avoid the lifestyle of stressful job, having to travel all over world, etc. She’ll end up looking as dead as her part-time husband.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
7:25 am
Christie. You want in the next presidential election? Here’s some good advice. Go on one of those cele[b]rity weight loss regimens about 6 months before you start appearing every couple days on the Republican candidate “debate’ circuit in 2014. Re-make yourself and become a buff guy.
If your hope here would be for the Gov. to be a “buff guy” in six months (that’s how I’m scanning this), it ain’t gonna happy. His level of obesity will take longer than that, it should, anyway.
As I’ve heard and oftimes repeated, the weight doesn’t go on overnight, so one shouldn’t expect it to come off overnight either.
(if, OTOH, what you meant was that he should start his regimen 6 months before the first 2014 [shudder!] Presidential debate events, so that the nation could monitor his progress, that would result in a buff guy in 2016–that’s certainly doable.)
alex
December 14th, 2012
7:30 am
Didn’t obama smoke when he became pres. Jay did you forget this, No just a far left (or right) putz), sheesh, your opinions are ridiculously closed minded, take a vacation, get some objectivity….
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
7:30 am
And if Christie was a democrat……..? would it matter?
Yes.
For about the 1000th time–try actually reading Jay’s posts, and not just the headline, before reacting.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
7:31 am
By the way, did we ever figure out who “Redcoat” used to be?
(I know “Nero” was “USMC” and of course “oops” was “jm”…)
Mick
December 14th, 2012
7:32 am
Amazing, one month after a long, fractious election cycle we are already commiserating over 2016. No wonder people tune off and drop out…
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
7:35 am
long, fractious election cycle we are already commiserating over 2016.
hence the “[shudder!]” @7.25.
Mitt’s body’s not even cold, the Inaugural podium hasn’t even been built, etc.
(and I bet there are still a few absentee ballots trickling in.)
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
7:39 am
the next entry ought to be about Moooo’ chelle Obama and her “bunch a junk in the trunk”
Wingers are weird.
Krystal'sBalls
December 14th, 2012
7:42 am
I do not think it should be. The guy seems to be energetic and mobile enough as he is. Could he stand to lose a little? Yes. However, I do not think that it should be held against him. I will be honest, I could support a candidate like Chris Christie. I might not agree with all of his politics, but I like his approach, pragmatism, and apparent honesty. That counts for a lot in my book.
Welcome to the Occupation
December 14th, 2012
7:43 am
Mick: “Amazing, one month after a long, fractious election cycle we are already commiserating over 2016. No wonder people tune off and drop out…”
Welcome to weight-gate! More fodder for a capitalist media obsessed with personal peccadilloes of leaders rather than where they fit into the framework of competing economic interests.
Brosephus™
December 14th, 2012
7:43 am
By the way, did we ever figure out who “Redcoat” used to be?
Honestly, who gives a sh*t? Anybody that has to change names to hide who they are because of dumb crap they’ve said before should be ignored anyway.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:08 am
Honestly, who gives a sh*t?
I shouldn’t. But there are soap-operatic aspects to the comments threads that are sometimes amusing to contemplate.
Anybody that has to change names to hide who they are because of dumb crap they’ve said before should be ignored anyway.
For those just tuning in, Bros and I are both in favor of a “clown filter,” i.e., a button you could push to be able to filter out specific posters’ comments. I assume the reason the AJC won’t give us this bit of c.1995 online wizardry is because they LIKE having us at each other’s throats; our pushing and shoving is, probably, very entertaining for untold numbers of online lurkers.
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2012
8:14 am
Unless he has a heart that is physically matched to the body size, he will have more problems than the “average” person. Further, he is more likely to have other problems including diabetes due to his weight. Of course these things can be managed in a cost effective and caring manner with ObamaCare.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:15 am
I will be honest, I could support a candidate like Chris Christie.
It will take a *lot* of mitigating circumstances for me to overlook stuff like shutting down the Hudson rail tunnel construction for BS reasons, likening Reagan’s PATCO firings to fighting the Soviet Union (an honor he shares with Scott f-cking Walker), and being as anti-choice as a politician is allowed to be in that neck of the woods.
Peter
December 14th, 2012
8:17 am
Hopefully this is am eye opener for the man……. if not just for his health in general.
1/2 of American’s should wake up as well, and lose the weight for their own personal health, and give healthy folks a shot at cheaper health care.
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2012
8:17 am
For those just tuning in, Bros and I are both in favor of a “clown filter,” i.e., a button you could push to be able to filter out specific posters’ comments. I assume the reason the AJC won’t give us this bit of c.1995 online wizardry is because they LIKE having us at each other’s throats; our pushing and shoving is, probably, very entertaining for untold numbers of online lurkers.
I’m thinkin’ the con’s posts here are the basis for the GOP’s unskewed polls that still have Mitt in the lead.
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2012
8:19 am
I will be honest, I could support a candidate like Chris Christie.
How much do you routinely bench.
godless heathen - fiscal cliff dweller
December 14th, 2012
8:20 am
Brocephus: You here? What you doing on the helifreak?
alex
December 14th, 2012
8:23 am
Anything about “the cliff” or are we relagated to discussing fat, smoking, ugly,arrogant candidates …..with “smart” one line responses…..
Welcome to the Occupation
December 14th, 2012
8:27 am
Bros and I are both in favor of a “clown filter,” i.e., a button you could push to be able to filter out specific posters’ comments
Doubt they’ll ever go for it. It would fundamentally alter the nature of the forum if some posters were invisible. Unless they wanted to switch entirely to a Twitter-style follow/unfollow model, but again, would make list entirely different animal, more cliquish.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:30 am
1/2 of American’s should wake up as well, and lose the weight for their own personal health
Sigh.
I’ve avoided this but unless we get dead threaded by SHEETZ–for your dining/dancing pleasure, my take.
Americans got to this point not because of willful decisions to repeatedly put a few dozen excess calories in their mouths on a routine basis, for years on end. Americans got to this point because, in order of appearance AND importance:
1. cheap land fostered postwar suburban sprawl
2. cheap content (local tv news) fostered irrational parental terror over stranger abductions of children.
Those two factors have more to do with our collective obesity than anything I can think of. It’s not Big Ag conspiring to force HFCS down our pieholes; it’s not a lack of Personal Sponsibility, or most any other single thing that people like to drag out in these discussions.
It’s those ^^ two things, that account for about 90% of it.
Brosephus™
December 14th, 2012
8:30 am
Bros and I are both in favor of a “clown filter,” i.e., a button you could push to be able to filter out specific posters’ comments.
That is very long overdue. My scroll wheel on my mouse doesn’t even click anymore because I’ve worn it out so bad.
—————————
godless
What’s helifreak?
DannyX
December 14th, 2012
8:34 am
“Anything about “the cliff” or are we relagated to discussing fat, smoking, ugly,arrogant candidates …..with “smart” one line responses…..”
Agreed. Republicans are falling off the cliff with dismal approval ratings. A new Wall St Journal poll has Republican approval at a dismal 30%. Baseball has the Mendoza line, politics has the George W Bush line, and that’s where the Republicans are at. 45% disapproval.
Republicans are committing suicide falling of the cliff.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:34 am
It would fundamentally alter the nature of the forum if some posters were invisible.
Meh. it wouldn’t be that different. In those online forums where such options are available, plenty choose not to avail themselves of it. And plenty make big shows of “plonking” others (anyone here remember that term?) and continuing to obnoxiously assert how superior they are to that-guy-they-don’t-read-any-more.
It’s certainly not without its problems, but I see it as a basic courtesy that an online host provides to its participants.
Doggone/GA
December 14th, 2012
8:35 am
“It would fundamentally alter the nature of the forum if some posters were invisible”
It’s been my experience, on forums that have such a filter, that most people end up turning it off anyway…because other make comments about “hidden” posts that picque your curiosity.
TaxPayer
December 14th, 2012
8:36 am
For those hoping for a safe rebound from taking the fiscal cliff plunge, be sure to check and recheck the length of your bungee cord.
Brosephus™
December 14th, 2012
8:36 am
1/2 of American’s should wake up as well, and lose the weight for their own personal health, and give healthy folks a shot at cheaper health care.
No, what needs to happen is people need to get away from using BMI as a way of deciding who’s healthy and who’s not. Size doesn’t always indicate whether one is healthy or not. For all we know, Christie could have great stats when it comes to cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and everything else. He could have a perfectly clean bill of health, yet people will view him as unhealthy because of his size. On the other hand, you could see someone with good BMI and a outwardly healthy appearance, and that same person could have 85% blockage of their aorta.
My take is we should stay out of other people’s personal business, and one’s health definitely qualifies as their personal business.
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:37 am
…oh, and another basic comments change that’s way overdue–threading. If you reply to a post, that’s a separate sub-thread, which can be expanded/collapsed by others to view/not view at will. That’s been around since they were using chisels and stones to make the Internet, I believe.
bookman parrot
December 14th, 2012
8:38 am
to the “jacks” that were questioning what viable candidate. well, based on jay’s “concern” (i.e. the lib style of poo-poo ing ) of Christie being non-presidental it is an easy and inference. it would be better to have an overweight transparent pres, than a normal weight untransparent pres.
Lord Help Us
December 14th, 2012
8:39 am
‘U.S. consumer prices declined a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in November’
Wasn’t someone talking about hauling their money around in a wheelbarrow recently…
Sheeesh…
bookman parrot
December 14th, 2012
8:39 am
yes i know i have some typos..
Brosephus™
December 14th, 2012
8:42 am
dB
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:42 am
Wasn’t someone talking about hauling their money around in a wheelbarrow recently…
This is why I yelled at my radio this morning when I heard a “news” reporter inform me that the President and Congress are required to get a “debt reduction plan in place.”
It’s already well known that we are ruled by horrible people, but the media reporting on them are little better.
Mick
December 14th, 2012
8:45 am
I say let it ride…enjoy reading all the commentary, some of it is bizarre and many others just plain moronic, ain’t that america???
stands for decibels
December 14th, 2012
8:46 am
awsh-t… Gramps McCain SHEETZ.