Top Christie ally defects to Bush

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/20/top-christie-ally-defects-to-bush/

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[Ebsy]

RIP.

[retromike22]

Every time I think about declaring the Christie campaign dead, I keep on thinking about McCain's rise from the dead in summer 2007 and his old school style of campaigning that saved him in New Hampshire.

[IceSpear]

Christie might as well not even run at this point but his ego will force him to.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Christie might as well not even run at this point but his ego will force him to.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Every time I think about declaring the Christie campaign dead, I keep on thinking about McCain's rise from the dead in summer 2007 and his old school style of campaigning that saved him in New Hampshire.

McCain was second in line from 2000, a media darling and was beloved among independents. Fatso has none of those advantages.

[© tweed]

Christie might as well not even run at this point but his ego will force him to.

egotist, yes; dumb, no.  he will not run.  endorse Jeb, hope he loses.  gets out of office in 2017, makes the rounds on FOX News and at fundraising dinners lambasting the second Clinton administration.  he is thus rehabilitated, and a frontrunner for 2020.

[Ebsy]

Christie might as well not even run at this point but his ego will force him to.

egotist, yes; dumb, no.  he will not run.  endorse Jeb, hope he loses.  gets out of office in 2017, makes the rounds on FOX News and at fundraising dinners lambasting the second Clinton administration.  he is thus rehabilitated, and a frontrunner for 2020.

Probably not.

[IceSpear]

Every time I think about declaring the Christie campaign dead, I keep on thinking about McCain's rise from the dead in summer 2007 and his old school style of campaigning that saved him in New Hampshire.

McCain was second in line from 2000, a media darling and was beloved among independents. Fatso has none of those advantages.

Not to mention that poll after poll shows a majority of Republicans dislike the guy. Even at McCain's worst I don't recall him ever being underwater with his own party.

[BaconBacon96]

It's remarkable how far this man has fallen.

[© tweed]

Christie might as well not even run at this point but his ego will force him to.

egotist, yes; dumb, no.  he will not run.  endorse Jeb, hope he loses.  gets out of office in 2017, makes the rounds on FOX News and at fundraising dinners lambasting the second Clinton administration.  he is thus rehabilitated, and a frontrunner for 2020.

Maybe but I doubt it. Two things here: 1.) He wanted to run last time but didn't, incumbent, late entry, etc.; 2.) Christie doesn't want to become a has-been and four years is an eternity in politics, more likely 8 post Hillary's reelection. 2024 will feature the next gen GOP and CC will be a "hated retread" at that point.

the plan I spelled out may not work, but a last-ditch 2016 run will not run either.  that can be known for certain.  he's not going to take the certain L.   he probably regrets not fighting Romney in 2012, but he didn't expect this implosion to happen.  and really, who did?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Expect some lane closures off the Garden State Parkway near Middletown.

[Ebsy]

Expect some lane closures off the Garden State Parkway near Middletown.

I'm looking forward to reading the traffic study.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Every time I think about declaring the Christie campaign dead, I keep on thinking about McCain's rise from the dead in summer 2007 and his old school style of campaigning that saved him in New Hampshire.

McCain was second in line from 2000, a media darling and was beloved among independents. Fatso has none of those advantages.

No, no, Mike is right. Christie is effectively 2nd in line from 2012 (either he or Ruan us and Ryan won't run) since he had every opportunity to jump in and become the only person with a serious chance to defeat Romney but refused. McCain was nowhere near the media darling that Giuliani was. Frankly, I'd call them equals there. And Christie may not be beloved among independents atm, but he has been and he still is the only Republican getting any Democrats vs. Hillary.

He might be in a slightly bigger hole but campaign style + debate attitude may be able to bring him back. I'm starting to get real confident that Walker will be tough to beat though. Huck or someone may need to steal Iowa to give another establishment candidate a chance.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Every time I think about declaring the Christie campaign dead, I keep on thinking about McCain's rise from the dead in summer 2007 and his old school style of campaigning that saved him in New Hampshire.

McCain was second in line from 2000, a media darling and was beloved among independents. Fatso has none of those advantages.

Not to mention that poll after poll shows a majority of Republicans dislike the guy. Even at McCain's worst I don't recall him ever being underwater with his own party.

No but there was also nearly no one below water nationally in 2007. It was a different time for favorability ratings. McCain dropped to net negative for the overall voting population in August when he fell to a distant 4th in a non-divisive field. That was supposed to be the signal of the end.

Don't forget, Christie's been down before with Repubs post-Bridgegate and was still statistically leading polls later that year.
I feel like there are Republicans out there upset about pensions and they are using the "he hugged Obama" and "he is corrupt" excuses again but he can fix that in national campaign mode unlike say Corbett who was not that type of leader who could be instantly likable.

[Bull Moose Base]

Don't forget McCain had already won New Hampshire the last open primary and was popular in South Carolina. Christie feels more like an accelerated version of the Giuliani collapse.

As far as how 2016 sets up 2020 for the GOP, if the 2016 nominee ends up Bush, I'd bet the 2020 frontrunner is the conservative who performed strongest in 2016. If the 2016 nominee is a conservative alt to Bush, I'd bet that person will again be the frontrunner for 2020.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

#socialistsforchristie

[Beet]

If I were a Republican, I wouldn't want Christie just because of how he screwed Romney during Hurricane Sandy.

[King]

Watching Chris Christie's pathetic presidential campaign to complete his downfall will be one of the great joys of 2015-16 for liberals and conservatives alike.

[RogueBeaver]

Watching Chris Christie's pathetic presidential campaign to complete his downfall will be one of the great joys of 2015-16 for liberals and conservatives alike.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Good news....
Chris Christie does not have the temperment to be President

[RINO Tom]

Ugh.  Christie is dead in the water, and he WAS (key word) easily the most attractive option for the party as far as winning the general goes.  If Kasich doesn't run and/or Rubio doesn't "catch on," the GOP is screwed.

[retromike22]

If I were a Republican, I wouldn't want Christie just because of how he screwed Romney during Hurricane Sandy.

I agree. Helping to your assist your own citizens during a natural disaster instead of campaigning for the GOP nominee is a Republican sin.

[© tweed]

If I were a Republican, I wouldn't want Christie just because of how he screwed Romney during Hurricane Sandy.

I agree. Helping to your assist your own citizens during a natural disaster instead of campaigning for the GOP nominee is a Republican sin.

nah, there definitely was a premeditated "look at how nonpartisan I am in times of crisis" aura to Christie's performance from Oct 29 - Nov 6, 2012.

[Likely Voter]

BTW, his approval ratings in NJ hit another low last week.  Once the indictments of Christie's staff/appointees come out I think he is done. I agree his ego will push him to get in. He has obviously been planning this run for a long time and it is hard to let go. But campaigns need $millions and can he really get people to pony up? With Kasich now sending signals and Rubio in the race, the establishment types have a lot of choices.