RNC 2012: Christie’s speech was better than the reviews it’s gotten
TAMPA — The consensus around here seems to be that Chris Christie might have been Tuesday’s keynote speaker, but Ann Romney stole the show from the New Jersey governor. I agree, and will have more thoughts on Mrs. Romney’s speech later. But Christie delivered exactly what I expected, and was quite good at doing so.
Christie built on a key theme developed earlier in the night by a series of Republican governors, most of them elected since Barack Obama entered the White House. Ohio’s John Kasich, Virginia’s Bob McDonnell, Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, Nevada’s Brian Sandoval and South Carolina’s Nikki Haley talked about how they’d gotten their states’ finances on track without abandoning their conservative principles, and Christie offered maybe the most dramatic examples of that:
They said it was impossible to cut taxes in a state where taxes were raised 115 times in eight years. That it was impossible to balance a budget at the same time, with an $11 billion deficit. Three years later, we have three balanced budgets with lower taxes.
We did it.
They said it was impossible to touch the third rail of politics. To take on the public sector unions and to reform a pension and health benefit system that was headed to bankruptcy.
With bipartisan leadership we saved taxpayers $132 billion over 30 years and saved retirees their pension.
We did it.
“We did it” offered a clear contrast to the untested Obama promise from 2008, “Yes, we can,” and the examples of the kinds of tough decisions he and the other governors have made offered a clear contrast to the unfulfilled promise of the three and a half years of Obama’s presidency. What Obama has been unable to do — balance, or in most years even pass, the budget; reduce both current and future obligations on taxpayers; create better conditions for the private sector to flourish — they have done. And then they all took that thought to the next step: Mitt Romney can make it work, too.
Or, as Christie put it, “if we can do this in a blue state with a conservative Republican governor, Washington is out of excuses.”
Christie has become a YouTube legend for the zingers he’s flung, off the cuff, at vocal detractors during public events. In a setting like a national convention, that opportunity wasn’t likely to present itself, and didn’t. (A few protesters were removed much earlier Tuesday evening for trying to shout down speakers from the rafters.)
But that fame hasn’t come strictly because he has a quick wit and sharp tongue. It’s because he packs principled truth into those one-liners, and he had several such moments Tuesday night:
- “They believe in teacher’s unions. We believe in teachers.”
- “You see, Mr. President, real leaders don’t follow polls. Real leaders change polls.”
- “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my children and grandchildren to have to read in a history book what it was like to live in an American Century. I don’t want their only inheritance to be an enormous government that has overtaxed, overspent and over-borrowed a great people into second-class citizenship. I want them to live in a second American Century.”
- “This is the American way. We have never been victims of destiny. We have always been masters of our own. I won’t be part of the generation that fails that test and neither will you.”
The delivery was a little rushed — Christie had to speed up toward the end to fit it all in before the networks cut away to local news at 11 — and it wasn’t quite the kind of performance that people will still be talking about even after Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney deliver their messages the next two evenings. But it had all the elements that remind us why Christie has become a conservative champion, and why 2012 is unlikely to be the high-water mark of his influence in the party.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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230 comments Add your comment
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
4:40 pm
And wages for College grads with such majors as engineering, math and science have been keeping pace.
Patently, 100%, made up out of thin air fallacious nonsense.
You still don’t have a basic grasp of the topic.
Otherwise college graduates – even in those fields – would be making at least $150,000 per year.
Right out of the shoot! With no work experience at all.
And that is NOT happening. Even the people in those fields with certain highly desirable expertise and experience are making maybe $75K to $125K.
Unless of course, you have credible links to verifiable evidence noting otherwise.
(It takes around $200K in 2012 dollars to equal $35k in 1970 dollars)
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 29th, 2012
4:41 pm
Dawgdad
I know of what you speak, I occasionally try to see what the other side is saying and I tuned in to see Wolf Blitzer and two attack hounds interview Rubio. They would hurl an accusation at him and before he got 30 seconds to reply, hurl another. You could see he was getting very agitated, but I guess he thought it would be poor form to just walk off. I think, my opinion, that conservatives would be better off to just decline any interview from the left leaning press, unless it is live and one on one, none of this two or three attack the interview subject.
It is over the top, always been bad, but this year, I think they are desperate to prop up the Mistake.
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
4:46 pm
Ruined, there are dozens and dozens of things that could be done to change the course of this floundering ship.
I have written extensively about many of them. Which come heavily from these two sites:
http://www.votenader.org/
Review some items there, ask some pertinent questions about the ideas that intrigue you and we can discus…
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
4:46 pm
The silly con bluebot only allows one link per post…
http://www.voterocky.org/
Humpty
August 29th, 2012
4:47 pm
Rafe
The conspiracy man. Any channel or publication that doesn’t meet his political ideology and weak minded narrative is part of the “liberal media”.
hahahahahahaa
Secular Humanism Is Ruining America
August 29th, 2012
4:48 pm
I will look it over, thanks.
curious
August 29th, 2012
4:52 pm
Why did Reagan kick off his 1980 campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi?
Forget about a new party; the lobbyists won’t let it happen.
td
August 29th, 2012
4:54 pm
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
4:40 pm
I have no idea as to where you are getting your figures from and if you could post a link then I would go and read the material but here is a link to the Daily Kos that says certain degrees have had increases in wages after inflation over the past 10 years.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/09/20/1018630/-Only-the-most-educated-3-saw-wage-gains-between-2000-and-2010
Lulu
August 29th, 2012
4:55 pm
Jam Vet-
Christie isn’t running for President…..and apparently the people of New Jersey wanted him in office….His weight is irrelevant. Ted Kennedy was a drunken murderer, but I guess he was fit to lead…???WTF I suppose you are the picture of health, because you are obviously a liberal. The government has been telling you how to live your life, and you have swallowed the kool-aid. I am assuming that you don’t smoke, that you eat all of the prescribed amounts of food from the USDA food pyramid, that you are considering becoming a vegetarian, that you exercise at least 30 minutes a day and get your heart rate up to 100% of resting each time you do. Because I know it is a FACT that all Liberals have BMI’s of less than 24 right?
Give me a break….people from both parties come in all shapes and sizes-it is ridiculous that this is even being discussed.
Let’s have a real discussion about what needs to be done to put our Country back on the right path. This country didn’t just appear…there were some pretty intellegent men who had a vision about how a free society should work. And for the most part it has worked pretty well. It’s when we as a people believe that the government knows what’s best for us, and we flee from what we know to work, is when things get “ify”. STOP looking to the government to make everything better-look to yourself for change.
DawgDad
August 29th, 2012
4:58 pm
“And notwithstanding the very real chance of imminent heart attacks, diabetes and other terminal maladies, not just physical ones. Likely they have emotional and psychological issues as well.”
JamVet: You know, you MIGHT be right. But look back at history and see what your line of thinking has caused. I’m referring to sterotyping on the basis of appearance, disability. And when you PRESUME someone has emotional and pyschological issues (dare I say, is “inferior” or “defective” or a “danger to society”), well, (1) look what damage that has caused in world and US history, and (2) think about what that says about YOU.
Your comments are a perfect example of why Government needs to be limited, out of necessity to preserve liberty and freedom.
Humpty
August 29th, 2012
5:02 pm
Lulu
The people wanted Obama in office but never stopped you from crying
Guess the irony of all that whistles right on past you
Lulu
August 29th, 2012
5:11 pm
Humpty
Your statement is patenly ridiculous. I did not vote for Obama, but not because of his appearance. I didn’t vote for him because I do not agree with his policies. That is what Jet Vet was implying in his post. That Christie isn’t fit to lead because of his weight. Another great thing about this country is that you get to vote, and that the majority wins, but you have another chance in 4 years to vote for a new leader….that’s the way it is….I accept it, and so should you.
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:12 pm
I suppose you are the picture of health, because you are obviously a liberal.
I trained to run in the Georgia Senior Olympics.
I am 57 and can still bench press my body weight and more.
I do not use tobacco and drink alcohol very rarely. I do read and understand extremely well the labels on food items as provided for by the USDA (one of the feral agencies that cons hate). I hav eeducated myself extensively on healthy foods and lifestyles.
And YOU, it seems, are somewhat ignorant on these matters as the food pyramid has been replaced with updated and improved information a couple of years ago.
Even after devastating, nearly fatal blood clots I am still extremely fit, more so than most flabby cons half my age.
I have a home workout that I do almost every day.
And what the hell does this mean?! …get your heart rate up to 100% of resting…
I have spent innumerable hours of my life in gyms and working out with tons of other people and I have never heard of that one. Are you making this stuff up? LOL.
In short, being in the best shape of my life, saved it. (along with the amazing doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Hospital, Salute!!)
So yes, for me physical fitness (I grew up under Jofn F. Kennedy) is more than just a passing fad. I live it.
You?
I’m guessing not so much…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:14 pm
Obozo measures his success by the number of folks he can make dependent on handout programs.
Republicans measure success by how many folks can get THEMSELVES off handout programs.
Americans (and some Democrats) will side with Republicans.
Humpty
August 29th, 2012
5:14 pm
lulu
I don’t live in NJ and could careless nor have you seen me praise or demean Christie, but nice try.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:15 pm
You don’t want to get in a game of “Can You Top This” with JamVet!
He’s a keyboard renaissance man.
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:17 pm
Dad, interesting that you have no real cogent comebacks, just childish red herrings about stereotyping and a deep abiding hatred for our government.
Being as huge as that man is, is a death sentence. He will probably not be around in ten years. His heart and other organs cannot take the stress.
I advocate compassionately that he get help. That he employ the services of professional nutritionists, coaches – physical and psychological – to help him get rid of those hundreds of excess pounds.
Starting TODAY!
You apparently advocate that he do nothing.
Out of spite?
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:18 pm
BB, go have another couple dozen Twinkies…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:21 pm
curious: Why did Reagan kick off his 1980 campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi?
————————
He didn’t. He did give a speech at the nearby Neshoba County Fair on August 3, 1980.
Jeez, you just made yourself look stupid. How about checking the facts before repeating back the little narratives your stoogemasters feed you?
Dusty
August 29th, 2012
5:21 pm
Good heavens! Did Bookman close down his blog so all his” chilluns” could post over here?
JamVet is preaching like he’s holding a revival down at Five Points. Even Finn is a bit overwhelemed by the surge of sludge and select misrepresentation not to mention the big fat lies. The lady lawyer of lower logistics has also awarded us a comment and a screech. We are so blessed!!
When Kyle comes back I hope he sweeps the floor and washes windows. it is really getting messy here.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
Why, JamVet, so you can claim you won a Twinkie eating contest?
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:22 pm
The only thing that the Dem’s and the media have is divisiveness and the race card. If they can create hate between the races like they have with the occutards and wall street things are going to get mighty ugly. The media is driving the divisiveness in this country.
kayaker 71
August 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
jamVet, 5:17,
Your compassion for Christie overwhelms me. Granted, he needs a good weight loss program which includes lots of professionals involved. You are correct about that. But, really, you could care less if he lives or dies. Your compassion for successful Republican governors who would run their states on a sane fiscal basis is doubtful.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:24 pm
I have a home workout that I do almost every day
Really AmVet? Chasing gerbils is out of necessity…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
JamVet, what’s your prescription for Moochelle Obozo’s huuuuge caboose?
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:27 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
JamVet, what’s your prescription for Moochelle Obozo’s huuuuge caboose?
Thighposuction would be a start.
kayaker 71
August 29th, 2012
5:28 pm
Lil’ Barry, 5:25,
Sometimes those cabooses come in handy. Something to set your beer on.
Lulu
August 29th, 2012
5:28 pm
Jam Vet
My point in my post is that we don’t need to government to tell us what to do or how to live our lives. I am so thankful that I live in a country where I can choose for myself what and how I am going to live my life. If I chose to be unhealthy, that is my choice and I alone will suffer the consequences. If I chose to be healthy, I alone will reap the benefits. But it’s MY choice. Unless liberals have their way.
And as a matter of fact, I am in excellent health. I haven’t smoked a cigarette ever, and I drink only on occassion. I didn’t train to be in the Senior Olympics, but I do cycle many races throughout the year, including “Ride the Rockies”.
And for somebody who is fit, you should know that in order to improve and maintain cardiovascular health you have to INCREASE your resting heart rate by approximately 100%. So if your RHR is 60 bpm, when you are exercising it should be around 120 bpm.
The fact that you categorize conservatives as flabby, and your comments about Christie, shows your true colors, and you are deflecting the real issues.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:29 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:25 pm
JamVet, what’s your prescription for Moochelle Obozo’s huuuuge caboose?
Do you think that caboose can squeeze into 1 seat on air force one without vaseline?
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:30 pm
BB, be a good kid, forget about me, go watch some cartoons and let the adults discuss these matters.
If Christie dies prematurely, it is his own choice, 71. You of all people should know that. I’m almost surprised that you even agreed that he needs to take some action right now. Very anti-Republican. That must have taken a whole lot of moral courage to agree with me, huh?
LOL…
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:32 pm
The fact that you categorize conservatives as flabby, and your comments about Christie, shows your true colors, and you are deflecting the real issues
Lulu, you hit the nail on the head. His hatred of conservatives = Klan hatred of african americans. But it’s ok, republicans are racist and haters, and the enlightened libs are “TOLERANT”. Gag
td
August 29th, 2012
5:33 pm
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:30 pm
“If Christie dies prematurely, it is his own choice”
Just like people that only make $30,000 per year are doing it due to the choices they have made.
The government should not be involved in either case.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:34 pm
kayaker 71
August 29th, 2012
5:28 pm
Lil’ Barry, 5:25,
Sometimes those cabooses come in handy. Something to set your beer on.
Yeah, but when it blocks your view of the IMAX screen after shelling out 12.50 per seat, it’s useless.
@@
August 29th, 2012
5:35 pm
What? Liberals never noticed how rotund Barney Frank is? Jerrold Nadler?
The late Senator Kennedy?
I could probably go on but is there a point to this discussion?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:36 pm
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers: Do you think that caboose can squeeze into 1 seat on air force one without vaseline?
————————–
Hmm…maybe THAT is why she and Lil’ Barry Bailout had to take separate jumbo jets to their Martha’s Vineyard vacation last time.
Good use of taxpayer money, Democrats.
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers
August 29th, 2012
5:39 pm
Lil’ Barry Bailout – Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:36 pm
The Fresh Prince of Bill Ayers: Do you think that caboose can squeeze into 1 seat on air force one without vaseline?
————————–
Hmm…maybe THAT is why she and Lil’ Barry Bailout had to take separate jumbo jets to their Martha’s Vineyard vacation last time.
Ohhh, if only JFK jr had her in his plane. He could have used it for a flotation device and kept his plane above water until the rescue!
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:40 pm
So if your RHR is 60 bpm, when you are exercising it should be around 120 bpm.
I got ya, Lulu and concur. Mea culpa, I did not understand your original statement.
See, we share being physically fit!
I, on the other hand, do not hate our government, which is the very model of MANY others around the world. The BEST one ever devised in the entire history of our species.
If you cons want to try drowning it in a bathtub, prepare to go to war with me.
Oh and lest you heavyweights all try to run away from your flabby legacy, the top ten most overweight states are almost all dead red Republican:
1) Mississippi
2) Alabama
3) West Virginia
4) Tennessee
5) Kentucky
6) Louisiana
7) Oklahoma
8 South Carolina
9) Arkansas
10) Michigan
Hiya, Princey. You haven’t gotten sh*tcanned here yet?
LOL…
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:42 pm
Ah, tolerance…
———-
Sick: Wikipedia entry calls Mia Love ‘dirty, worthless wh@re’ and ‘House N***er’
(sorry, can’t post the link because it included the word Democrats use to describe blacks who leave their plantation).
Dusty
August 29th, 2012
5:45 pm
Errr gentlemen
Let us not post with vulgar voices in this precious blog of vim and veracity.. Vamoose with the caboose before someone (security) throws you into the calaboose..
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:45 pm
Speaking of Michigan, when do Americans get reimbursed the $50 billion GM hasn’t paid back?
kayaker 71
August 29th, 2012
5:45 pm
JamVet, 5:30,
Certainly, you jest. I agree with a lot of your posts, just not all of them. You are right, it is his choice. But you see someone with his political talent and his personality and you almost want to shake him by the shoulders and wise him up. Most crowd estimates peg his weight at about 335-350. Lots of NFL linemen weigh that much and more but they are in much better shape. You just don’t see very many old fat people. The heart just wears out. I am surprised that he is not a Class I diabetic or at best a Class II. He will turn 50 in one week. If he makes it to age 60 without major heart valve disease he will be lucky. Moral courage? You might be surprised.
Hillbilly D
August 29th, 2012
5:46 pm
I don’t really know who Tom is but this inflation calculator is an interesting thing to play with.
I suspect it may be a tad on the low side, realistically speaking because it shows 4% total inflation between 2010 and 2012. My personal experience would put it more like 12-14%. Anyhow, it’s interesting to play with this thing.
http://www.halfhill.com/inflation.html
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 29th, 2012
5:48 pm
Any channel or publication that doesn’t meet his political ideology and weak minded narrative is part of the “liberal media”.
Humpy, you make my point, none of the media outlets are objective anymore, so they have chosen to take sides. CNN should change their name to DNC Central and be up front with their choice.
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:50 pm
Chris Christie read he speech last night from a teleprompter??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG!
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:50 pm
Uh, make that HIS speech. (Maybe I need one! LOL at me…)
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:52 pm
71, no worries. My bark is worse than my bite!
But I am interested in how the cons here will react to him using the T word device last night.
Cons?
Bueller?
Anyone?
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
5:53 pm
And Ann Romney too?????
Tell me no!
This is absolutely terrible!!!
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
August 29th, 2012
5:56 pm
Teleprompters are pretty standard stuff when making a national address.
Obozo needed one to give a talk to schoolchildren.
Weak effort, JamVet.
JamVet
August 29th, 2012
6:02 pm
BB is a teleprompter champion now????
Zooks, the world is changing right before my very eyes!
You know who was a great teleprompter user – the addled Ronnie Reagan. Like Barry, he absolutely mastered that thing!
George on the other hand, looked like a deer in the headlights every time he had to speak out loud. Teleprompter, written notes, winging it, it didn’t matter. He was almost always capable of saying something extraordinarily awkward if not outright dumb…
Lulu
August 29th, 2012
6:03 pm
Jam Vet
Au contraire, I love my government, but I do not love what has happened to my government.
And I hope that you honestly don’t think that the people in the top ten most un-fit states are conservative because they are fat? Or are you saying they are fat because they are conservative….
Either way, it’s insulting. By inference you are stating that liberals are fit because they are liberals.
I live in Colorado, and it is the most fit state in the country. We have historically voted Republican. As a matter of fact since 1960 for the presidental election, we have voted Democratic three times and Republican 9 times. By contrast West Virginia has voted Democratic 8 vs. 5 times since 1960. Your political beliefs are not predicated on whether or not you are overweight, ugly, short, tall, etc..You vote based upon your beliefs, or for Independents, you vote based on the party that is able to promise what you want to hear.