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."
All part of the GOP/MSM agreement to work together to keep attention away from Obama's jobs plan and the GOP's ridiculous attempts to kill the economy in hopes it helps them in 2012.
He's announcing the new iPhone!
Which part of" N"O does the Party of NO not understand? The "N" or the "O"?
Good now get back to work and do what you are paid to do, Bachmann should be the next one to be told to go and do her job that she is paid to do, instead of living of the taxpayers.
@ JimmyNelson: If you're voting for Obama AGAIN, you're definitely NOT "INDEPENDENT."
@melteim. Democrats already have their own candidate in Obama.
@John, PA. Why do Republicans need more candidates in order to beat Obama? Just pick one and run with it since you believe any one on your list can beat him.
The sad thing is, the Republicans want Christie to run now, but if he does he holds no chance of getting the nomination as he isn't conservative enough.
Republicans are funny.
I don’t want him but I will give him credit for being smart. Better to be a big fish in a small pond. He is smart enough to know he does not have the experience and likely would never win the national election. He is basically like a merger guy hired by large corporations. He goes in and fires and cuts. The presidency requires more than that.
We were hopeing that he WOULD run so he would get the F out of New Jersey.
OBAMA will serve a second term. To the opposing, 'a good thing don't last forever'. Someone had to shake this thing up!
Of course he won't, you can't even get him to run around the blocks near his own home. Not sure how he ever got elected but only in NJ I suppose something like that can happen.
Now that Christie is out, all we can hope for is that Palin runs and we can watch an Obama – Palin debate.
It would be fun to watch Obama "the brain" take apart Palin on stage. Unfortunately I don't think that Palin will run as she will lose terribly and that will kill her ability to attract paid appearance.
It may seem that President Obama won't win, but don't count him out...trust me... he WILL NOT be a one term President!
DUH.
Hasn't he said this for weeks or months? Let's try focusing on a real story.........
The grass is always greener, next they will want Palin again ...duh!
Christie said no is no, because he knows he is not extreme enough for this newer republican party....he is no dummy, his time is coming but it is not now , he will wait for that pendlum to swing back to center right.
If the GOP was smart they would look closer at Huntsman, but they lost their smarts with the tea party!
Im looking forward to seeing Christie in the 2016 race. The guy is awesome, just what this country needs. A fiscally conservative, socially moderate guy who can go toe to toe with those special interests...Teachers Unions, for example. He just needs more experience. While he is way more expreinced than Obama was and would likely do amuch better job even at this point, it would be a good idea to gain greater exposre/knowledge. Good luck to him, he's going to have my vote when he is ready!
Well that's too bad. I was looking forward to seeing yet another GOP "rising star" self destruct before our very eyes.
Man, leave the guy alone.
If he becomes prez then the mafia will end up running the country.
Thats not breaking news. That is what he has been saying for MONTHS!
why doesn't he make the announcement to all of the big GOP donors behind close doors like they handle every other matter? few expected or wanted you to run, so is this really necessary? great PR move!
What on earth is wrong with the media? It's sad that he needed to hold a press conference to reiterate what he has stated a HUNDRED TIMES already, because you guys just won't take no for an answer.
He has said he's not running many, many times. You guys just refused to accept his answer. Leave the guy alone.
Christie knows better than to throw himself into this mess of lemons. Anyone who can't pander to right wing extremists is not fit for the Republican Party these days.
I like Christie but he needs to finish the job he took, not bail out on NJ citizens like another governor from Alaska did or like another Senator from Illinois did to become president.
Not disappointed by his decision not to run, but could he really be any worse than the other yahoos running for the GOP nom? Really? Let him run, I'd rather have him then Bachmoose.