Christie chides Obama over VA 'disgrace'
Nashville, Tennessee (CNN) – Chris Christie sharply criticized President Barack Obama’s management of the Veterans Affairs scandal on Friday, calling the resignation of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki “long overdue.”
“I wish that the President had been more aggressive since minute one to go in and fix it himself, because what’s happened there is a disgrace,” Christie said in a brief interview on Friday, hours after Shinseki met with the President and stepped down from his post.
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Christie made the comments during a stop at a barbecue restaurant in Nashville, where he was campaigning with Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.
The New Jersey governor, who may seek to fill Obama’s shoes in 2016, said the President has been too passive in his response to revelations of misconduct at veterans health centers around the country.
“More importantly than the resignation, he should be in rolling up his sleeves and trying to put a stop to it,” Christie said. “That’s more than just saying you’re angry and getting resignations.”
With three stops in Tennessee on Friday, Christie was making his first political foray into the south as a potential White House candidate. Earlier Friday, he campaigned in Memphis at a re-election event for Sen. Lamar Alexander. Tonight, he’ll address the Tennessee GOP’s annual Statesmen’s Dinner in downtown Nashville.
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Chris said he wished obama would have gone in and fixed it himself?? Boy that would be wishful thinking for sure. obama has a trail of destruction and to fix something is not in his pedigree.
Humpty Dumpty and his arrogant self need to shut his BIG mouth.
Like Chris Christie's got room to talk. That no-good SOB's trying to deny any involvement in the bridge scandal. I bet if he was in Obama's position, he would have found it just as difficult.
OBOZO made the VA a campaign issue, vowing to clean it up. He has accomplished SQUAT in his time as Potus. How inept is an administration, that "LEARNS" of these issues from the nightly news. Impeach OBOZO now for incompetance, indict him for crimes against the American People.
@not really news
While all of Christie appointee’s plead the 5th and refuse to answer questions about his involvement with the bridge closer?
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Kind of like Obama's appointees.
This pin head took this opportunity to take a cheap shot at the President when he knows full well that this has been going on for years, started well before Obama was in office, covered up by folks trying to keep their jobs! Obama had nothing to do with this, even Shinseki was in the dark about a lot of what's been going on until recently. This is something that will take a year or 2 to overhaul, but the Republicans what it fixed overnight. But I guess they don't want to talk about their voting down funding for the VA, that only multiplied the problems over the years!
Too funny. Christie slamming Obama . Mr Bridgegate himself....lol
Only 25% of the Federal relief money sent to Christie to distribute to Superfund Sandy victims has been distributed. There are a half dozen different criminal investigations now going on regarding Christie. These besides "Bridgegate." Chris Christie has dealt with bad faith with the state employees of New Jersey and underfunded the New Jersey State Pension System to give tax breaks to corporations and the rich. Christie was the lobbyist who lobbied so Bernie Madoff could continue to run his ponzi scheme and defraud hundreds of their life savings. He has repeated bullied people , coercing their "co operation." Google "Chris Christie Mafia" and you will find a number of interesting articles.
Stop comparing this measely bridge thing to the va mess, dems...apples and oranges..
This from the guy who billed taxpayers millions to pay lawyers to say he wan't guilty in the bridge scandal.
Amaxing that anyone would think CHristie can be trusted for anything. Not only did he turn a blind eye to the GW bridge lane closures, he also ignored looming nudget deficit that will be in billions shortly. He created a climate of nastiness and bullying in his admin that allowed his minions to feel they could get away with this. I am a former NY er and NJ resident and I am furious about this. Under Christie the state of NJ has had its debt downgraded several times and he is prancing around the country instead of working on the state of NJ problems. That is where he can rehab his reputation.
For those who think it is a good thing that the only death was an 82 yr old...just dumb luck. It could have been a child.
Christie would have fixed the VA long ago. Romney too. The GOP needs to run on effective, tough leadership and Christie is the guy. Huckabee? Dr. Carson? Are you kidding me, the media will destroy those guys. Christie has fought in the trenches against the Dem corrupt machine and he will win voters on both sides. He will put Hillary right in her place. We need a strong leader!!!!! That's why Putin is so popular..
maybe their appointments were delayed by the traffic jam on the bridges? folks living in glass houses should not throw rocks
Christi is mouthing off about Obama and the VA to take attention off him and his involvement in the bridge closing. He's got a big mouth, along with the rest of him, and he should swallow that shoe that's stuck in it.
The VA is a mess. So much so, that it will take many presidential terms to truly fix it. It helps, however, that we've ratcheted down on our troops being deployed to so many battle fronts. That said, the irony is not lost on me that Christie is now talking crap while maintaining he knew NOTHING about the whole bridge incident...
Still working on that republicon/TB nomination. Well you found out how being nice to someone who just saved your bottom works,with the republicon/TB people, and it really did not help that he was, well you know, "one of those".
Really.....?It took many Presidential administrations to put the VA that way.
LOL – got to love this coming from Christie, who doesn't even know what's going on in his own office!!
Anyone who can't control his eating habits or his tendency to govern like a Mafia don shouldn't be chastising anybody. Can we go a few days without hearing from this pig?
Don't sweat it. As soon as Obama throws him more hurricane relief money, or a Twinkie, Governor BaconGrease will go back to singing his praises.
Another ignorant right winger. This was going on WAY before Obama was even elected. Bush formed a panel 11 years ago and found the same problems.
Close
Another ignorant right winger. Bush formed an investigative panel ELEVEN years ago and found the same problem then. This has been going on WAY before Obama was elected. Christie is just pandering to the dumber side of the right wing, the largest side.
He is a rino, says one thing in public, kisses up to Obama in private