(CNN) - Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie insisted Sunday that he was not criticizing former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin when he told The New York Times that she "rightfully has been criticized" for consistently following a script.
"It wasn't a criticism of her. It was an observation," Christie said on "Fox News Sunday." "If you avoid those unscripted moments, I don't think the American people will trust their instincts about whether you would make a good president or not."
Christie said voters learn the most about how candidates will govern through the campaign process "when you're not being handled or told what to say but you have to react to situations like this."
The former 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and potential 2012 candidate said she was the subject of a "blood libel" by those who suggested her comments and actions contributed to the shooting of Democratic Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
From CNN Politics
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Sounds like criticism to me. But I think Governor Christie makes a lot of sense.
Uh Oh – will the BIG Christie now have to backtrack with the BIG Limbaugh?????
Somebody guess – the two of them combined, how many calories a day are eaten??
Oh he is scared too?? Never thought he would ever clarify what he has said. He is such a bully but I guess S.P. is a bigger one on their playground. So only his waist line is big... "man up" and stand by what you said. I guess you want to be her running mate... hmmmm
Is this man THAT terrified of Palin? First he "criticizes" her & now he's not "criticizing" her...just observing? He's a dispassionate observer? Does he have a dictionary? Does he have a clue? (Or maybe he should stay in Disney World
What does she have to lose, her scripted dialogue makes her look uninformed and out of touch with reality.
I just hate the fact that he keeps saying he is not running for president. He seems to have the most common sense of the lot of them, democrats and republicans.
I don't mind someone giving me the reality of the situation in clear and concise terms. That is what he does.
Yet again, we have the Alaskan Air Head shoved in our faces. What is with CNN?
Yes it is a criticism of Palin. She deserves to be held accountable for the garbage that emulates from her vacuous noggin.
Boy! those repubs sure like to play on words and re-interpret what they have previously stated.
I'm no fan of Christie,.. but he was right about Palin,..and no apologies on his part are needed. Palin is a fraud,.. a cowardly hit and run persona.
unfortunately, she has shown she cannot respond on her own without letting people see how totally unqualified shethe Presidency. Her initial reaction is always gaffs. No one wants someone in the White House that cannot think on their feet. Even after "handling" she still has to insert some form of violence orattacking in her responce. I cannot get the picture of her beating that fish to death or interviewing in front of a farm where they are killing turkeys by sticking them head first in a machine . Maybe she would start a new tradition at the White House – killing the turkey. She cannot respond on her own wihtout healp or the real ignorance emerges. It still does after her delayed response because the people who "handle" her are just a negative as she is.
Bravo Gov. Christie! Sarah Palin likes to talk about how 'tough' she is, but in truth, she's afraid to face any potentially unfriendly or non-obsequious questioning. Hence her appearances only under circumstances where she can tightly control the script and the outcome. If she was tough, and had confidence in her abilities, she'd welcome the opportunity to talk with and debate with people who may not agree with her. Instead, she hides behind her script. If she's not willing to face up to a neutral or non-friendly interviewer, what's she going to do if she has to deal with Putin or Hu or some of the other world leaders?
Kudos to Christie for standing his ground with the fox handlers.
"If you avoid those unscripted moments, I don't think the American people will trust their instincts about whether you would make a good president or not." I think he means, "...whether I [Chirstie] would make a good President..."
And how courageous of him to go on an outlet so challenging to Republicans! NOT!
First I thought Christie was cool. Now it sounds like he did bow to the fox powers. What a tool!
When charlatans spends years broadcasting that the government is planning a communist takeover, that the president is a covert terrorist who hates white people, when they publish maps with the names of their foes under crosshairs and speak of death panels, the surprise is how did the Tucson tragedy did NOT happen early. This is a country of 300 people with guns galore. The combination can't be any more deadly. The Right needs to stop this kind of rhetoric asap, before it is too late.
Karl Rove did the same last October now Chris Christie. Republicans have serious problem when it’s come to Sarah Plain
Man up
2010 victory is nothing because turn out was low. That mean republicans not even close to 2012
Her only script is about herself! The woman is almost as bad a Limburger Cheese!
Funny to hear a repub backtrack... as if (in this case) it's important to be concerned about the Palin Twit. And of course if anyone calls them on their backtracking... they're called unpatriotic.
So, at some point, will Baby Blimp Christie and The Good Ship Limbaugh get together for a Two Tons Of Fun tour?
wow each time i start to think some GOP members start to develop a brain and MAN UP...they backtrack from their criticisms of the pitbull Sarah Palin.
Palin is a failure and a joke. She should shut up and go back to shooting animals.
Sarah Palin is like Ann Coulter. Both are good looking. They get a charge out of sticking their finger in the eye of the "system" and challenging the left. And they are shameless self-promoters. Both are not qualified to hold public office. I'm sorry, but you don't quit a governor's job to pursue other interests. And she wants to be President? Selfish – selfish -selfish! The Palins are all about the Palins. Period.
I am a conservative, anti-abortion right wing "nut", but I have come to realize that her actions are more self-serving than country-serving. She is on this "I am woman, hear me roar" kick. She has not accepted her limitations, and can hurt the country if she runs for President. And hurt it worse if she wins. She needs to defer to a Republican candidate more qualified for the job, and campaign for that person.
Why are people back tracking from Palin. She's and idiot. If it quacks like a duck, must be a duck. Man up Repulicans are you will be sorry. Palin needs to be taken out of the spot light. It must be done. and the repulican politician with the courage to say and stick to it will be praised for it.
Gov. Christie: I praised you earlier for your candid viewpoint........whether anyone agreed with you or not. Now I find myself offering you some advice........"Say what you mean and mean what you say."
hy do we (R's) still bow down to a shallow, uneducated person of little intellect?
The Republicans are up against a wall. They helped to create this trainwreck, she is poisonious to the GOP but, they don't want to offend her supporters. The majority of Americans do not want to see her as President of anything.
We hear you Governor: Palin is like poor Minnie-me, and interview at FOX is such a Charade! Roger Ailes (president) unfortunately no longer runs a legitimate news organization! On Monday, Hannity will sink even lower. This is such a Charade, and for Palin: Katie's calling. . .
Someone ought to petition the court for Sara Palin's mental evaluation. She posts stoopid youtube videos, uses words she does not understand, and targets elected officials. We may have another Jarred Laughlin in the works...
Maybe it's me but the quote doesn't make sense. It reads like there is a 'don't' that doesn't belong there.
He is right! Sarah needs to learn to go with the flow to train herself for public debates. If she sticks with the FOX NEWS friendly station, she will never be exposed to tough questions that she may face in later debates. I do know Sarah is just pulling America's string in order to make her money; she knows she cannot win the big cheese (Indies do not like her).
The SOW is paranoid at this point, and getting worse by the week. When nothing is said, she imagines folks are whispering behind her back.
It won't be long before she changes who works for her AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!
Never mind, after rereading it, I was overlooking the 'avoid" word. Silly me, I had a Palin moment.
Either CNN has not reported what was said or this guy, like many politicians, is talking in circles. I cannot understand, is he or isn't he ? Duh . . .
GI Joe – what does the number of calories consumed by either of these men have anything to do with their opinions? If you're really that stupid, I hope you're not really a soldier, because I am not sure if you know which is the business end of a gun.
He's right. If you listen to her give a prepared speech, or read a written realease of hers, she sounds like she has a grasp on speaking and writing. When you listen to off the cuff remarks, ala the Katie Curic interview, you realize she can't think for herself without somebody telling her what to think and say.
Who cares if Pain is criticized? I will criticize her, every day, every minute. She is a classless, ignorant, inept, money
grubbing, worthless person. She can't read, write, comprehend, think nor face reality. The queen is in her parlor
counting out her money, and that is her number one focus. She abuses animals, abuses people, abuses the
English language and abuses all that is good about America. Now you know.
While I don't agree with a lot of what Gov. Christie believes in, he might be one of the few elected officials who backs up what he promised to do when he was elected. Of course, with that attitude, he won't be able to win a primary against adulterers like Gingrich and Giuliani, or morons like Palin.
On a different subject, though,
@luvpizza:
Sarah Palin is like Ann Coulter. Both are good looking.
You're kidding, right? Coulter wouldn't make a decent toothpick for a cannibal!
Oh, watch them fall like dominoes ! They point out Sarah Palin's weakness and then they quickly backtrack because someone is telling them, "it's not nice to piss off SP- retract your words" I am running out of Repubs I can believe and listen to. So help me if Joe Scarborough retracts his comments that the woman is not qualified to run for President , I quit the RepubParty. This woman doesn't know when to shut up and just listen – you got 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason Sarah, you should listen twice as often as you SPEAK !!!!!
He's right. If you listen to her give a prepared speech, or read a written release of hers, she sounds like she has a grasp on speaking and writing. When you listen to off the cuff remarks, ala the Katie Curic interview, you realize she can't think for herself without somebody telling her what to think and say.
The first republican that calls Palin a joke, Limbaugh a joke, Fox a joke will be the next president. Until then, nothing.
When Christie criticizes people, it is not criticism; he just views himself as a flawless individual with all the answers. In his own mind, he is just another republican victim of the real media.
OneMoreTIme is right! So is Bassackwards - when she read that "blood libel" statement - she didn't always get the big words out correctly, and her inflection showed that she had no idea what she meant!
Why shouldn't she be criticized and why would anyone have to apologize for doing so? The woman needs to be criticized until she shuts up!
Christie loves playing the semantics game
Sister Sarah has become the 800-pound gorilla of the GOP. That used to be Rush's slot, if you remember. Nobody dares cross her, and any that do must grovel in penitence. These folks love to talk about how tough they are but none have the guts to even stand up for their own words. And if Sarah was half as gutsy as she likes to pretend, she wouldn't have to blast back at every perceived slight.
He must have gotten a call from Rush to "tone down his rhetoric."
The more this guy talks the sicker I get to my stomach over him. He is one of the most egotistical individuals I have ever seen. He really thinks he has a chance to be president. He has to remember there are not enough republicans to elect him. And this type of individual does not go over well, not well at all with the rest of the country.
considering the fact that most people are overweight in this country, i find it hilarious that the ever so self aware lefties wud stoop to such ugly rhetoric and personal insults against Christie. even u morons dont believe the b.s. political correctness u demand of others. and u think nobody notices? hahahaha i luv this ticker
Anyone who claims the republicans are the party of hate and vitriol, needs to read the comments posted on CNN's political ticker.
Sarah Palin appears to be afraid and rightfully so. When she actually engages in some sort of a discussion with someone who does not necessarily agree with her, she comes off as an uniformed, intellectual lightweight. That may be good enough for part of the American electorate, but for many it sets off alarm bells that this person might not be up to the job. Actually she isn't.
eessydo: "I don't mind someone giving me the reality of the situation in clear and concise terms. That is what he does."
How do you feel about President Obama reminding us that this economic recovery will take time? Or that the reason for our deficit, which puts some many on the right into a tizzy, is because Bush kept the cost of two wars off the books, while simultaneously cutting taxes on the most wealthy?
Just checking to see if really don't mind being given the "reality of the situation in clear and concise terms."
This is all the proof we need that Christie will run for President in '12. He's afraid to alienate Palin because he doesn't want to alienate her fans. That's why he's walking back his criticism of her.
Reading the hate speech on this site just reaffirms the stupidity of the Obama sheeple. I didn't think people could be so stupidly full of hate and violence, but I see they haven't changed from the hatred and intolerance they spewed during the Bush years.
Riiiiigght, go with the flow for Sara Palin is impossible, no matter what she would say or do the liberal left mullet wrapper so called journalists (lib activists) would crucify her for every word and spin every meaning. Blood Libel was used in a Wall Street Journal commentary a few days before Sara Palin spoke up, now removing the biblical definition of the phrase the term could easily be applied to what the left mullet wrapper journalists (CNN included) attempted to do with pinning blame on Palin and the right for the Arizona shooting through use of the media. I could easily see how the term blood libel would apply, I know that would be a quantum leap in thought for most libtard's but anyone with any intellect understands the application of her use of the phrase and exactly what she meant.
Heck, I'll criticize Palin then. This lady is shrewd about the media, shrewd about her "base" and shrewd enough to have turned mediocrity into rousing successes. But she is not Presidential material, and that horrible video performance, blaming everyone but herself for the angry tone of American politics, proved it once again. She is important only because the media insists on making her so.
She lies about others and what they say and do - and gets angry when the truth is spoken about her.
tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk
iluvpizza says: "She has not accepted her limitations, and can hurt the country if she runs for President. And hurt it worse if she wins. She needs to defer to a Republican candidate more qualified for the job, and campaign for that person."
Not to worry, Pizza, when the primaries start in earnest, all the Republican wannabes, Pawlenty, Gingrich, Romney, Huckabee, et al, who've all said what a viable voice for the GOP she is, will all trash her as well as each other in their attempt to win the nomination. As per her usual reaction, which is to attack anyone who says anything disparaging about her rather than to offer solid discourse to prove them wrong, she will disenfranchise herself from the both GOP and Tea Party. Let's hope she does run. Maybe this final put-down by her own party will make her finally go away.
What kind of person defends the things $arah Palin has said and done. Not anyone I would ever support if they decided to run for office. Shame on you Governor, defending a woman who's words divide this nation, is really indefensible..
Finally! Republicans are starting to actually see Sarah Palin for what she is! This woman has done more to divide our country than Rush, Sean and Ann all put together. She is mean spirited, hateful, self-centered beyond anything I've ever seen and a greedy money grubber. The sooner we all quit giving her any credibility the better.
But he would make a good "vice-president".
I don't know what's more disgusting about this man. His heinous opinions or his grossly-overweight form.
wow, chrissy christie faced down by palin. dude, man up. what did they do - threaten to take the donuts away from you?
Monster Zero your ignorance is really showing, and using the word "libtard" tells me a lot about the kind of person you are. It's no wonder you support $arah Palin, decency is beyond you.
"He added the former vice presidential nominee (Palin) “rightfully has been criticized” for her refusal to go less scripted." And now, that big bully Christie must back peddle, because he's terrified of the ass whupping Limbaugh will give him for criticizing that mental arthritic Palin. He's back peddling just like Rove back peddled after he said that Palin lacked the gravitas to be President. Next time Rove spoke, he said it was very smart of a Presidential candidate like Plain to do all those book signings. Turkeys!
Why is everyone in the GOP so afraid of this nitwit to call her OUT on her stupid & uneducated comments. PLEASE!!!! Christie can surely berate the common citizen but does not use the same attitude toward people in his own party – especially when they are WRONG.
Grow a spine GOP and stop the insanity.
he should have criticized her ... she's done more to earn criticism than not.
Come on ppl, the woman was on a losing ticket, can we drop her from the news??? she is not that damn good looking.
Palin is not an authority on anything. She couldn't even finish her gov term in Alaska. She is a reality show personality at best. And that show has been canceled. Shows how weak the republican party is. This women palin "queen of the idiots" is simply a sick joke that we must endure for god knows how long.
I'm not a Christie fan by any means, he needs to stop traveling around making speeches and DO SOMETHING for NJ.
However, this was advice not criticism. A good example of what he was trying to say is the time when "W" visited the rubble pile at the World Trade Center. His advisors didn't want him making remarks off the cuff. But it was those remarks that helped bring the Democrats and Republicans together (until the Iraq war started at least). The problem is Palin can't go off script because she sounds like a blithering idiot when she does.
I thought Republicans were required make "clarifications" on Limbaugh's show first?
I hope Christie doesn't allow Palin to distance himself from Democrats who like him and would support him. Palin has no chance of getting Democrats as well as many Republicans or Independents to support her but Christie does.
Christie needs to sit in the corner and be quiet until Rush tells him to speak.
Monster Zero: You say that "blood libel" was used in the Wall Street Journal a "few days before" Palin used it; cite your source. I did a quick check and saw that the term appeared in the WSJ after she said it ...
Some facts, please.
are we talking about this woman being president some day?
I dont know why anyone listens to either one, they both have shown their true colors
Christie taxes the poor takes away from the needy and gives to the Rich, talks about teachers and Unions taking away their pensions then turns around and give the Rich a huge Tax cut.
Hes a Republican for the Rich Big Business Wall Street bankers, Big Oil
He's a big bag of air just like Palin and their 15 minutes are up
One of the most pitiful back-tracking ever. It was even worse than listening to Michael Steele after Limbaugh gave him orders.
The Alaskan Air Head is a disgrace to any sensible American citizen.
It appears that Christie is fiddling around with the truth.
When The Alaskan Air Head's vacuous persona fades from the headlines the better off this country will be.
Some advice to anyone who wants their opinion be honestly considered: Stop using words like "libtard" and "repugnantcan". As soon as you show your immature spewings, nobody takes what you say as honest opinion, but as the rantings of a spoiled child who can't think of anything viable to say. Grow up!
Every time someone calls this woman out, it seems like two two days later they always issue a "clarification" that is really an "I didn't mean it." Why bother? The woman is unelectable and most people know that. The senior GOP people should be finding a way to get rid her, she cost them the Senate in the midterms and she will cost them a chance at the White House in 2012 if she keeps it up. America may be frustrated with Washington politics, but they aren't crazy or stupid enough to elect someone like Palin or her other wingnuts like O'Donnell.
2012?
All one needs to do is read the comments here to understand that America is doomed. I also agree with Old Man River, above...
And welcome to GOP primary season 2012. Christie's just testing the waters right now.
Now the partisan conformist can't retreat quickly enough. Obviously he does not have the courage to stand behind what he says, and criticize what needs criticizing.
To Old Man River: ub so RIGHT! When I see non-thinking name-calling in a post, I don't even bother. Sadly, what I think such posts indicate (because there are so many) is that most people have no patience or capacity to think past their surface reactions. & I think who we often elect for our officials is indicative of that...too bad for us all.
Geez, and now Christie is afraid of Plain?
What is she, the head blackmailer in-charge? Somebody says something about her then they immediately start backpedaling.
There is no there, there. Unless she is blackmailing these people there is no reason for them to take back or soften their words all the time.
She is not qualified to be the mayor of Petticoat Junction, so why is everyone scared of her?
Christie never liked, nor respected, Palin. He is simply trying to force her to interact more with the media, in irder to eliminate her quickly from the potential candidates that he has to face.
Flip and Flop
That's some pretty courageous back pedaling there Christie. Mustn't offend the prom queen.
"It wasn't a criticism of her. It was an observation." WOW. This is how dumb people in office think that you are. (You can't criticize without observing.)
As long as Republicans defend Sarah Palin, I'll vote for anyone except them.
Palin "rightfully has been criticized" but "It wasn't a criticism of her. It was an observation," Christie said. Well, the "rightfully" part was not just an observation but indicated agreement. If you agree that someone should be criticized isn't that also being critical of that person? How does that work? These wacky Repulicans–“I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.”
Even Christi, who's now known as a straight shooter, has to do the Kabookie Dance when talking about Palin.. it's like she's some VoodDoo Godess, capable of wicked spells...
While I admire Governor Christie for his principles and intestinal fortitude, I think he's wrong here. Sarah Palin has every right to defend herself against the radical left media and politicians that attack her 24/7/365.
Every event she ever attends is pre scripted with Q&As already coregraphed. She get's into real trouble when someone asks something like" What does she read?" You know one of those trick questions...Or another trick question" Do you believe in the Bush Doctrine?" She's really not too smart but smart enough toavoid those trick questions now.
So he's not criticizing her, he's just saying she's too stupid to be President?
No one knows whether anyone will be a good President or not. We know next to nothing about how candidates really feel about anything. All we ever see, is media orchestrated commentary, 95% of which, is pure BS, and we all KNOW it is BS, from the git-go.
No one REALLY wants us to know anything real about any candidate for office......and they actually do everything they can to only expose us to what they WANT us to think, and none of that necessarily has any relationship to reality. It is pure salesmanship, and nothing else.
The entire political process is a complete and total sham. Or, put in another way, a complete and total con game.
OMIF (Open mouth, insert foot) Sometimes added explanation of previous quote need not go further.
"What trick, what device, what starting-hole, canst
thou now find out to hide thee from this open and
apparent shame?"
From Henry IV (II, IV, 251-253)
I don't see this as backing off. His original comment was to the effect that people have criticized her for never going off script, and that he believed that there was legitimate grounds for that criticism. That is not criticism, it is exactly what he said it was, and observation about the criticism she has received. After standing his ground with the NJEA, which no politician in the 30+ years I've lived in Jersey has had the stones to do, Christie has certainly earned the benefit of any doubt in this situation. I have voted for Dems more often than not in the past, but this man will have my support for whatever office he decides to run for because I will never have to listen to what he says and then try to figure out what he really means like I do with every other politician.
Folks, I just watched part of Palin's "blood libel" speech (on Reliable Sources). Unless she memorized the whole thing (which, since they weren't even her words, she is incapable of) - SHE IS READING OFF A TELEPROMPTER! Unless someone near the camera is holding up large pieces of paper with the speech - she is reading off something! Not that there's anything wrong with that, but.....
Palin would make a horrible president and everyone knows it. She is the most unqualified person I can think of in recent history who has even toyed with the idea. The republcian side is just afraid to admit it because she is their scapegoat and they are using her for own advantage and will then kick her to the curb when the time is right. Most of America has already kicked her to the curb where she rightfully belongs.
I am a life long GOP member and the Governor has it right on. The party elders will NEVER support Palin on the GOP ticket in 2012. If that were to happen I would vote for the other party for the very FIRST time!!
Christie would be every bit as much a disaster as Palin would be as president.