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."
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Too bad, I will have to probably seek a third party candidate. Perry and Romney are sure to be about as useless as Obama
Really, I guess he only said "No" about 600 times, and yet the media keeps sounding off on how he "is leaving the door open."
Carol, he is a bully himself and not even VP material.......
Romney=Obama Perry=Bush Cain= Flavor of the month
Ron Paul is the only one I trust. Please google Ron Paul Predictions!!
He's only said that for the last 6 months. The GOP needs him more than he needs them. They KNOW they have no shot next year.......
BD
Ron Paul is the only man to vote for anyway. He's the only voice of Real change and Real Hope.
He might have some good ideas but he has way too many rough edges. I would not be happy to see him in a sensitive situation unless he learned how to harness his mouth. He may be speaking truth when he rants but a little common courtesy and respect for others is lacking.
I'm glad CNN in environmentally conscious by recycling the same tired response from Christie. Frankly, having to answer this question over and over will jack up his stress level like nothing else will.
This is old news. I suspect he's not running in '12 so that he can run in '16 - at a time when the GOP might have a chance; maybe. (It's possible they'll reinvent themselves by then; let's hope so.)
Oh crap! We thought surely he was going to leave New Jersey!
We all knew he wasn't going to run. Obama is a shoo in anyway.
This is not a surprise. Christie isn't stupid. Oh sure, he basked in the limelight for a short time, lapped up the begging requests to run, but if he lost, he'd have nothing. And he would lose. Or have a heart attack on the campaign trail.
How is this news? He said 1000's of times before that he wouldn't run.
That was the sound of the GoP going down the toilet. They had hoped CC would clog it up and the world would stop spinning...but alas the turds had no chance and down into the tubes they went.
Gee, what gave it away? The first time he said he wasn't running or the one hundreth?
We need him like we need Howard Taft!!
A very smart decision, for many reasons. He can prepare himself to enter the race in 2016.
This isn't breaking news...he has been saying it for a year. Way to go CNN, slow news day?
why are we playing this game – Mitt Romney is the GUY – he is a successful businessman, ran a successful admin in MASS and revised the Olympic Games – what's wrong with that – so what if he tried Romneycare in Mass – I'm one Repub who is glad he did – the health care system is broken in this country – the lobbyists want you to think we should leave it the way it is, but GOP invidividuals and small businesses keep getting hit with increase after increase, more than inflation...if you work hard and get a small raise, that raise is lot due to increases in your health care insurance payments...Romney might not be super-flashy, but we don't need super-flashy, we need someone with brains and experience.....
At least this governer is willing to finish his term rather than quit to try moving on to bigger things.
^Breaking news!^ CNN has no news to Break!!!!!
Everybody just better look out. There is a real chance Mr. Herman Cain is going to come out of the GOP primary a winner. And Obama vs Cain in 2012 would be the greatest election in the history of this country. No joke. That's how great it would be. It would be instrumental for Cain to win and be President, which he would. It would be instrumental in the African-American community, that is it would be an actual boost to the African-American community to stand up and do something about their situation instead of simply expecting more government checks to keep them imprisoned to their lifestyle. It would be the first time we'd have a brilliant fiscal person for President, at the time we most desperately need it.
One man to unite many, Herman Cain.
Does Cain believe he's still Godfather (pizza that is).
They all know that President Obama is unbeatable in 2012. They are, of course, waiting for 2016 – their next big chance.
No use spending money this time around – for nothing.
Run? RUN?? HA
Try helicopter or limo ride.