Chris Christie sources say he still may run
Oh, dear. After issuing all but Shermanesque statements about not running for president 鈥� 鈥淚 will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected,鈥� as Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman put it back in 1884 鈥� it looks like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie still may enter the rocky race for the Republican nomination.
That, at least, is what 鈥渟everal people close to the governor with knowledge of his thinking鈥� tell the Associated Press.
Christie reportedly is being urged by senior establishment Republicans (including George H.W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, and Nancy Reagan) who see him as the best bet to beat President Obama in 2012. Former New York governor George Pataki has just endorsed him.
The Monitor's Weekly News Quiz for Sept. 25-30, 2011
鈥淗e鈥檚 definitely our strongest candidate in November,鈥� US Rep. Peter King (R) of New York told the New York Post. 鈥淗e鈥檚 the closest we have to putting together the old Reagan Democratic coalition.鈥�
Of course, no one close to Christie says anything definitive on the record. Who鈥檇 want to get out front of a man of Christie鈥檚 Falstaffian heft?
Speaking of which, columnists (including the Monitor鈥檚) have felt free in recent days to comment on Christie鈥檚 ample (and perhaps unhealthy) girth as a factor in whether he鈥檚 qualified to be president. Christie himself has spoken of his weight problem.
But there鈥檚 been pushback to that line of thinking.
Writing in New York magazine (under the headline 鈥�Chris Christie Is Fat. So What?鈥�) Jonathan Chait argues that 鈥渢he American overclass prizes thinness to a degree that is actually unhealthy, and the disgust privileged Americans feel toward fat people, who are more likely to be poor and middle-class, dresses itself up as medical advice.鈥�
鈥淲hy does his weight matter at all?鈥� Chait asks. 鈥淭he only real reasoning I see here is that American elites view obesity with disgust, and they鈥檙e repulsed at the notion that a very fat guy could rise to a position of symbolic leadership. It鈥檚 not a very attractive sentiment.鈥�
Believe it or not, some see the issue as one of civil rights. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (whose slogan is 鈥淲e come in all sizes鈥�), for example.
Peggy Howell, the organization鈥檚 public relations director, is quoted as saying, "I see it as a tactic to try and take attention away from his accomplishments and instead focus on his body size.鈥�
"Do people have a bias against President Obama because he smokes?鈥� she asks. 鈥淲hy should there be any difference in supporting a leader who smokes cigarettes or a leader who has a little extra weight on his body? Neither are perceived to be healthy choices."
On the New York Daily News opinion page, David Swerdlick even suggests that Christie鈥檚 heftiness is a 鈥渨inning trait鈥� for many Americans.
鈥淚t's precisely because of Christie's husky stature 鈥� combined with his blunt-talking, Jersey-guy attitude 鈥� that makes him such an appealing candidate to those in the GOP who have been begging him to get in the race,鈥� he writes. 鈥淲hy? His size, style and every-guy persona are the perfect contrast to President Obama. Where Obama is slim, Christie is beefy. Obama is reflective and Christie shoots from the hip.鈥�
No, it won鈥檛 be Christie鈥檚 weight but his less-than-tea-party background that could make it hard for him to win the GOP nomination.
Dan Amira, who writes on politics for New York magazine, has a recent article titled 鈥淔ive Things Conservative Voters Would Hate About Chris Christie.鈥滱mong them:
He鈥檚 said there needs to be 鈥渁 clear path to citizenship鈥� for immigrants (what hardliners call 鈥渁mnesty鈥�).
He鈥檚 for 鈥渃ommon sense鈥� guns laws 鈥渢o make sure that we don't have an abundance of guns out there鈥� 鈥� the kind of position that makes National Rifle Association members double-bolt their gun cabinets.
He鈥檚 said that "climate change is real" and "human activity plays a role in these changes." (Among the declared GOP candidates, only former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has not waffled on or denied global warming.)
New Jersey under Christie鈥檚 leadership is participating in the Race to the Top federal education program, and he鈥檚 called Obama鈥檚 Education Secretary Arne Duncan 鈥渁 great ally to try to reform education for kids across America 鈥� an extraordinary leader on this issue.鈥� (Most of the declared GOP candidates would can Race to the Top.)
While most conservatives were decrying plans for an Islamic mosque and cultural center near 9/11鈥檚 ground zero, Christie said both supporters and critics were using it as a political football.
So if Christie does get into the race, it won鈥檛 be his physical size but the nature and dimension of his record that tips the political scale.
