Christie: 'Now is not my time'
(CNN) - Republican Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey announced Tuesday he will not run for president in 2012.
The first-term governor said the pressure he received over the past few months caused him to consider throwing his hat in the ring - after repeatedly shooting down rumors - but that ultimately he is committed to his position in the Garden State.
"Now is not my time. I have a commitment to New Jersey that I simply will not abandon," Christie said at a press conference in Trenton. "That's the promise I made to the people of this state when I took office."
Christie fielded recent calls to run for president and spent time discussing the possibility of a White House bid with his family, friends and operatives. Now, having decided against a bid, Christie said he does not "feel any sense of regret at all."
"I felt like it was my obligation as I said before given the seriousness and the amount of people who were coming to me and asking me to reconsider to reconsider and I did," Christie said. "In the end I came back to the same place I was in the whole year."
He pushed back against reports that his family was skeptical throughout the process, saying they supported him, whether he decided to run for president or not.
When asked about the rest of the GOP presidential field, Christie said his decision was not affected by the strength or weakness of the pool.
"None of them were a factor," he said before adding that he was not prepared to make an endorsement.
He also brushed aside suggestions, in his typically brash fashion that he would serve in the No. 2 spot on the Republican ticket.
“Listen, I don’t imagine I’m going to be asked. I don’t think I have the personality to be asked,” Christie said. “I mean, seriously, can you imagine? You know, the guy would probably want to get a food taster. I don’t know, seriously, I don’t see it.”
The newly minted vice chair of the Republican Governors Association said he is now focused on making sure President Barack Obama only serves one term as president.
"He's failed the American people because he's failed that absolute litmus test to be President of the United States and that's to know how to lead and how to decide," Christie said.
Christie light heartedly addressed the coverage of his weight that escalated in recent weeks, particularly among comedians. As long as the jokes are funny, he is OK with the coverage, he said.
"For me, their job is to be funny. And if one of the things they want to make fun of is my weight, it's fair game," Christie said. "I'm a public figure … All I care about is that they actually are funny so that I can at least laugh about it while they are mocking me."
Good man! Sticking to his guns and finishing his current mandate as a governor. Unlike the rest of the chumps in that field. He is one of the few conservatives that I can actually stomach.
I actually like Christie. Not for President, but I like him.
At least he didn't quit like the Quitta from Wasilla.
He's formidable- literally and figuratively- but he CANNOT withstand close scrutiny. If they put him under HALF the microscope that they did President Obama he wouldn't make it.
He needs to mature and get his temper tantrums and Soprano-like governing style in check.
"Now is not my time" ......................
Checked his crystal ball, or called the Koch Brothers.
Both said no.
What does this say about Christie entering the race for President? Will he or won't he? The fact that every time he is asked he says no leaves many to wonder just what "NO" means?... Come on people, does it look like he's going to run,jump in, or do anything physical? He said to be President you must want it more than anything and right now he wants more food...
Sarah Palin was waiting for this.
Finish screwing up New Jersey first.
If you do a good enough job, the Koch Brothers will annoint you.
A good run around the block between now and 2024 (sorry, it'll be Hillary after Obama in 2016 for two terms!) on a daily basis will further help prepare him for his shot at the Whit House.....in 2024.
@ what's up:
No, I think its the desperation of the GOP, their angry and disappointed donors, combined with their low IQs that has resulted in Christie being hounded like this. Frankly, they love a comedy, and the GOP frothing mob is always good for a laugh.
So now all the repubs rare left with are the crazies and has-beens. The only exception might be Romny. He's not a crazy nor is he a has-been. They better hope he's electable, though. I'm still for Obama.
He said, what the Republican motto is, Obama will be a one-term president if they have their way. Obviously the GOP gave the orders to the soldiers and they are just following orders by keeping the economy in the tank. Make Obama look as bad as possible and they think their play book will look better. Instead of "Remember the Alamo", how about "Remember Bush".
Sarah will beat obama if she runs. She is the right lady for the job. She warned us about obamas inexperience; his palling around the death panels we didn't listen and now we are reaping what we sowed. We will not allow obama to fool us again.
Chris Christie will not run for president...Nor will he run for a bus, an elevator, his life or the cure.
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I say, good for him! Finally, a politician who wants to prove themselves worthy of running for President before actually committing to doing so. The State of New Jersey has had many challenges over the past decade, and it will be interesting to see if Gov. Christie can meet those challenges before thinking of the presidency. As a swing voter, I would be inclined to vote for him in the future if he can show a positive vision for the future...and actually deliver!
OK, so what this means is that he actively considered breaking his promises to the people of NJ, but decided not to break his word because the TIMING to do so was wrong. Let's parse the Machiavellian morality of that! You use the people whom you threatened to abandon as the excuse not to break your word.
We don't need Christie........The Teleprompter is in the tank and has ticked off conservatives before he got elected for being over the top socialist, and ticked off liberals now for not being stupidly wild enough. Christie is too liberal to win the Tea Party vote.......global warming and muslims selected for office guarantee you won't get my vote or selected by the Tea Party once it circulates widely. Obama loses in a landslide in 12, he's not as charming as Clinton, can't play the saxophone, and the economy will be messed up for years.
Don't believe the hype. The elite tried to destroy Jefferson too, but he got elected. The banksters hated Jefferson too. Ron Paul 2012.
Well, it's over. Obama just won the election. None of the Republican front-runners can win. Chris Christie was their last hope. Nominating Perry, Cain or Bachmann would alienate the center, nominating Romney or Huntsman would alienate the far right, and nominating Paul or Palin would alienate everybody within spitting distance of being sane, and on top of all that, it's too late for any new candidates to enter the fray.
Christie has very little Republican experience, first he needs to master the buying power of votes, especially from corporations.
With all my respect, sir, I think you should loose some weight. You are public person and you should give a good example to the new generation. I am not questioning you as a politicians but as a human being. Obesity is a serious problem in this fat country. Let's start running tomorrow.
Christie: "I will not run for President."
Collective world outside of New Jersey: "Okay. Who are you again?"
@Lynda/Minnesota – well said.
Amazing how these super patriotic Republicans can take so long to say "no" to America, who they so deeply and unquestionlingly love. Then you've got Palin, who wont show unless she can write a few pages about it in her upcoming book. The GOP clown show is not out of clowns, they are, however, out of new clown acts to keep America's attention. Obama must be laughing his tail off.
"He's failed the American people because he's failed that absolute litmus test to be President of the United States and that's to know how to lead and how to decide,"-Chris Christie...
This is how empty the Republican Party is-how to lead?-whether you are in favor of it or not-Obama got the first national health care bill through Congress in 80 years-that's leadership...
How to "Decide"? Hmm....let me see--Somali Pirates?-Killed-Osama?-Killed-Al Queda?-kneecapped....Hmmm....
Republicans believe the old "Big Lie" adage--if you say it long enough and often enough it becomes true-not this time folks....
Obama 2012!
@AlaskaPalin, please do tell how Palin out-experiences Obama at this point. I'm all ears.
Good grief, when Palin is as high as we can set our sites, no wonder we're falling so far behind. This is just sad. All of it. The hate, the divisiveness, the acceptance of ignorance. All of it.
AlaskaPalin – Obama palling around the death panels? It this person for real? Must have been home-schooled at Fox News by Professor's Beck, Hannity, and Palin.