Chris Christie Announces Presidential Run

"I am not running for President of the United States as a surrogate for prom king of America," Christie said.

 

Speaking at his high school alma mater in Livingston, New Jersey, Chris Christie officially announced his bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination today.

“This country needs to work together, not against each other,” he said. “We must tell each other the truth about the problems we have and the difficulty of the solution.… Truth and hard decisions today will lead to growth and opportunity tomorrow for every American in this country.… We are going to tell it like it is today so we can create a better opportunity for every American tomorrow. The truth will set us free, everybody.”

Christie didn’t really expand on what those truths are, but added that “our government isn’t working any more for us… and it’s the fault of our bickering leaders.” Christie leaned heavily on his six years as governor of New Jersey in his announcement, singling out the overhaul of teacher tenure. “Not only can you govern this state, you can lead it to a better day,” he said.

So what kind of campaign is Christie going to run? He said the usual: He’d be an honest, blunt campaigner. He said he wouldn’t be focus-grouping his answers, and would not rely on political consultants to give him his answers to questions. He said the country was anxious, adding “that anxiety can be swept away by strong leadership.” He tried to strike a bipartisan, anti-Washington tone, talking (in vague terms) about the failures of both Republicans and Democrats.

Christie joins a crowded field. There are currently 14 Republican candidates for the presidency, another declaring next month and a few others expected to join the field. His popularity has slid since 2012, and he appears to have no real path to the presidency.

Christie was introduced by several people. One was Sheila Antman Goldklang, a former Board of Education president and longtime math teacher in Livingston, a registered Democrat. (She talked about knowing Sandy Christie, Chris’ mother.) Christie was also introduced by Lyne Grone, a high school and college classmate, and a dude doing a Michael Buffer impersonation.

Christie came out to Bon Jovi’s “We Weren’t Born to Follow.” The whole event was intended, like many presidential kickoff events, to create a homespun, self-made identity for the candidate, establish that he loves America, and comment on how he came from humble origins. Christie’s dad worked at an ice cream factory! He’ll probably get an announcement bump.

Christie said kids “always ask him” two questions: His favorite color, and what the best part of his job is. Christie said it was the opportunity to “do something great” every day, adding: “I don’t do something great every day. I’m human.”

His tone was almost populist, until he talked about what appears will be a centerpiece of his campaign: The reform of social welfare programs. On foreign policy, he added: “There is only one indispensable force for good in the world… and it is a strong America.”

Christie struck at Clinton as a continuation of the policies of Barack Obama: “We better not turn it over to his second-mate Hillary Clinton.” He attempted to strike a tone as a strong leader: “I am not running for President of the United States as a surrogate for prom king of America… I mean what I say and I say what I mean and that’s what America needs right now.”

He ended with this line: “We are going to win this election, and I love each and every one of you.”