Christie’s Virtues, Rather than his Flaws, Disqualify Him
It amuses me that some New Jersey media personalities and pundits continue to write columns about former Governor Chris Christie as if he had a ghost of a chance for the Republican presidential nomination. There is absolutely zero likelihood of his becoming remotely competitive for the nomination, even if unforeseen developments result in a major downturn in Republican support for current frontrunner former President Donald Trump. The impossibility of the Christie candidacy was established conclusively by the Granite State Poll results in New Hampshire reported Tuesday. Among Republican New Hampshire primary voters, Christie is by far the most unpopular prospective 2024 GOP presidential nominee. He has the worst favorable/unfavorable rating, 10 percent favorable and 64 percent unfavorable. A full 35 percent will not vote for him for president under any circumstances.
Yet when one considers the evolution and nature of today’s Republican Party, Chris Christie has every right to wear these unfavorable poll numbers as a badge of honor.
For almost 15 years, I have been writing column after column describing in depth the political and character flaws of Chris Christie. His present poor GOP poll numbers, however, are a tribute to his virtues, which become most evident when one evaluates the current decadent state of the Republican Party nationally.
The Republican Party which I venerated throughout my adult life was the party of Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight David Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan. That party no longer exists.
The GOP is today no longer a party of democracy. Instead, it has devolved into an American cult of authoritarian fascism, reminiscent of the Fascist Italian Party of Benito Mussolini in the 1920s. It is The Cult of Maga, a sick society with two principal characteristics: 1) White grievance politics, appealing to the basest racist elements in the American body politic; and 2) Veneration of Donald Trump, who not only is an unabashed racist but also a profoundly sick misogynist.
Indeed, Trump has now been confirmed by a distinguished New York jurist as a rapist, a misogynist in the extreme. Yesterday, Lewis Kaplan, the judge in the E.Jean Carroll sexual assault law suit against Donald Trump, held that the jury in the case found that Trump had raped her.
Rapist Trump does not belong in the White House. He belongs in Rikers Island. Indeed, the mass fanatical support of Rapist Trump by rank-and-file Republicans is an unprecedented, and indeed terrifying development in American political history.
Chris Christie has two unimpeachable political virtues relevant to his unacceptability to the Cult of Maga.
First, he is not at all a racist, and thus has never participated in the white grievance politics which is the Maga trademark.
Second, Christie’s anti-racism and anti-misogyny account for his refusal to participate in the veneration of Donald Trump.
Christie’s refusal to embrace white grievance politics and Trump veneration irrevocably disqualify him as a Maga acceptable substitute candidate in the event of an unanticipated Trump decline. The two Maga alternatives to Trump in the event of his unanticipated fall from frontrunner status are Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Ohio US Senator J.D. Vance, neither of whom is presently an announced candidate.
Youngkin will be the candidate of white collar Trumpists (Wall Street), while Vance, the author of Hillbilly Elegy will be the standard bearer of blue collar Maga stormtroopers (Steve Bannon followers). Vance has already attained the status of a decorated veteran in the Army of Maga – Trump himself offered to send Vance as a surrogate for him recently to a social conservative gathering in Iowa.
As for Youngkin, many “mainstream” Republicans are under the mistaken impression that he will be a departure from the Cult of Maga. They are going to be very disappointed.
A September 3, 2022 Washington Post column, aptly entitled “Youngkin builds — and burns — bridges with Black voters“, described in vivid detail the Virginia governor’s continued sycophancy to white grievance politics constituencies. He also has demonstrated fealty to Trump by echoing the Donald’s false claims regarding his recent indictment as “sad” proof of the nation’s “two-tiered justice system.”
While Vance and Youngkin compete for the affections of Trump and Maga, Christie continues to attack Trump for the unconstitutional danger to democracy that he is. A recent New York Times article with sources close to Trump details how, if elected, Trump will govern with an unprecedented authoritarian agenda.
Every time Christie attacks Trump, he becomes more persona non grata to Magaworld and further forecloses any hope he may have for the 2024 GOP Presidential nomination. From the standpoint of modern American political history, however, this is Christie’s finest hour.
Alan J. Steinberg served as regional administrator of Region 2 EPA during the administration of former President George W. Bush and as executive director of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.
True, Christie has no chance. The remainder of this article is one sided opinion and blatant lies.
Just pathetic.
It’s called an editorial and, quite obviously, is opinion. As for you claim that it is chock-full of “blatant lies,” that’s easy to type. How about some substantive facts to back up your claim?
It’s an opinion piece, bozo. It’s not meant to be “news.”
True Christie doesn’t have a shot
But what he says about the magamoron is the absolute truth.Chederhead is a infantile baby who obviously had no right having the title of president in the first place.Remember the majority of the public did not want him in office in the first place.LOCK HIM UP!!
What, are you going to deny that Felony Donnie is a racist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic,traitorous, pathologically lying son of a bitch who should and will be spending the rest of his life in a federal prison, if not worse?
If Trump Desantis or the rest of the maga psychos run, I’ll vote Biden…again. The ONLY repub I’ll vote for is Christie. I’m tired of being ashamed of my party. Republican all my life, but I draw the line at treason, racism, bigotry & blatant misogyny. Go get em Chris!!
great piece of writing,. no vacilation.
Great opinion piece. We should read much more like this. The piece is spot on, and so true. But I remain hopeful for Christie. I’d love to see the Republican Party become normal (or even good, respectable) again, and I think Christie can help make that happen.
While Trump has resolved some civil suits, he has never been convicted of any criminal charges. That is an undesputable fact.
As far as opinion versus news, it is a shame that InsiderNJ allows for opinion pieces to cite falsehoods as fact.
It is also sad that liberals resort to insults and name calling directed to anyone with an opposing opinion. All credibility is lost when writers resort to this tactic.
InsiderNJ should put a stop to this. Civil debate is fine. Keep it civil. There is no reason for the name calling and insults.
You say liberals resort to name calling and insult s? Have you been hiding under a rock the last 8years? Trump and the entire GOP has been doing nothing but that, You guys can dish it out but can’t take it, wake up for goofiness sake.
If you have seen other posts I have often criticized Trump for the same actions. Democrats and Republicans are equally guilty of this.
This piece is right on except for ONE point:
“Second, Christie’s anti-racism and anti-misogyny account for his refusal to participate in the veneration of Donald Trump.”
Trump has always been a racist & a misogynist. And, Christie strongly supported him before Trump dissed Christie. So….
I’m wondering if you can cite specific proven statements, actions or examples of Trump acting in a racist or misogynistic fashion.
Separate facts from opinion.
I see a lot of Trump Derangement Syndrome by the commenters here. These commenters are the “useful idiots” and Communist “apparatchik” that Soviet dictators Lenin and Stalin so loved. They can’t cite one specific fact, but make a lot of personal, defamatory, ad hominem attacks on President Trump. As one commenter said, she would vote for Biden again. Stupid is, as stupid does. I guess she doesn’t mind paying exorbitant amounts of money for groceries, foodstuffs, gas to fill up her car, high income and property taxes, etc.
Very true. These folks probably listen to CNN, MSNBC and others like them.
I also wonder why author Steinberg hates Trump so much. No one has been a better supporter of Israel then Trump. Biden, Kamala and some truly radical democrats hate Israel. Why would he want Biden to win reelection.