To win the Presidency in 2016, Christie is my party's best and only hope!
I certainly think so. Christie's not a RINO; he's a guy who, in most years, would have been the kind of candidate that would be perfectly acceptable to most of the GOP, based on his overall issue positions. In addition, he offers a real chance to expand the map for the GOP.
There are guys that the GOP could nominate that people would like and would be OK Presidents that are too unfamiliar with the general public (Mitch Daniels, maybe John Thune), or guys with special baggage (Jeb Bush and the Bush name/dynasty issue). There are guys that people would like that would be strong candidates that have a key re-election fight ahead of them where anything could happen (Scott Walker, John Kasich, Susana Martinez). There are guys who are rock stars who are too closely associated with the party's wingnuts (Marco Rubio, Rand Paul). There are guys who might be OK Presidents that have flopped badly when offered greater exposure (Bobby Jindal). There are guys who have embarrassed themselved in the past whom people wonder just why they are even trying to run in 2016 (Rick Santorum, Rick Perry). And there is Ted Cruz, who is the biggest embarrassment the GOP has to deal with within its ranks.
After being whipped by Obama twice, the GOP (I would hope) is developing a practical streak. New Jersey was hit by a major storm at an incredibly inconvenient time (politically speaking) and needed the help of the Federal Government right then. What would a reasonable person expect their Governor to do at such a time if it was their state and their community hard hit? Openly criticize the President who came to help? Impugn the motives of the visiting President? Criticize the efforts of FEMA early and often? Leave the matter of governing to his surrogates and go out and campaign for the President's opponent? What Christie did at that time was what REASONABLE people would expect THEIR Governor to do under the circumstances he was faced with. If the rest of the GOP can't see this, then they are, collectively, too immature to be trusted with the reins of City Hall, let alone the White House and Congress.
