NJ GOP Chair Says Christie Doesn't Need Specifics

by: vincent solomeno

Wed Jul 22, 2009 at 10:00:00 AM EDT

These days, the open secret among Trenton Republicans is that Chris Christie is long on sound bites and short on substance. Despite being criticized by rivals throughout the primary campaign for his lack of specific proposals, Christie has coupled his message of "I'm not Corzine" with vague promises to cut taxes and spending while offering no real plan to achieve those goals. As excitement grows among GOP insiders over their first serious chance to retake Drumthwacket since 1993, it makes sense why they would keep mum on their candidate's inability to articulate a fact-based, comprehensive vision for where he wants to take New Jersey. From a purely tactical perspective, the strategy seems to be working. Working, that is, so long as they can keep their secret from the rest of us. That's not an easy effort to sustain with an educated electorate, and Assemblyman Jay Webber revealed yesterday what many already know: Christie's platitudes are shadows on the wall.

Ed Mazlish is a blogger who shares many New Jersey conservatives uncertainty over whether Christie is the real deal or a country club type cut in the mold of Tom Kean and Christie Whitman. Folks like Mazlish watched during the primary as Christie trotted out Bret Schundler and Rudy Guliani (one could devote an entire diary to this man's bona fides within the movement) to assure voters that he was a true conservative. Since June, they have also seen Christie dance the post-primary shuffle back to the political center. Whether or not the Republican standard bearer can hold together the disparate elements of his party may explain why he has been purposefully evasive in his policy pronouncements. Judging by recent polls that may make sense in the short term, but as Mazlish's account of his encounter with Webber makes clear, not even the most loyal of Republicans are fooled.

Webber is one of Christie's biggest boosters. Recently named by the campaign as GOP State Chairman, he was enjoying lunch yesterday when Mazlish approached him with a few questions. The transcript of their conversation is available on the blog Conservatives with Attitude, but here are the highlights:

Mazlish: Can you tell me why I should support Chris Christie in November?
Webber: Because he will cut spending and cut taxes.
Mazlish: Can you tell me specifically what spending he will cut and what taxes he will cut?
Webber: Go to his website... I think he has 63 specific proposals for reducing the size and scope of government in NJ.
Mazlish: I have been there, and I was just there this morning. I blogged a comment about the 10 specific points he has on the page for how he will cut spending. There are no specifics there.
Webber: I don't think he needs to tell you specifically how he is going to cut spending and taxes until he gets to Trenton.
Mazlish: You don't think that I have a right as a voter to know before an election specifically what his plan is, what his goals are and how he will accomplish them?
Webber: It sounds like his message isn't resonating with you, and that's fine.

As Webber's words reveal, New Jersey Republicans are bereft of ideas to solve the significant challenges we face and move our state forward. This is not a new phenomenon. They are borrowing a page from the 1993 playbook. Like the Christie Whitman GOP of yesteryear, they will say anything to regain power, the long term consequences be damned. It's now no secret that Republicans do not want to talk specifics. It's our responsibility as progressives to make sure New Jerseyans do.

vincent solomeno :: NJ GOP Chair Says Christie Doesn't Need Specifics

Tags: Governor, 2009, NJ GOP, Jay Webber, Chris Christie, (All Tags)

Print Friendly View

Send As Email

NJ GOP Chair Says Christie Doesn't Need Specifics | 2 comments

The Hot Air Bubble Known As Chris Christie.... (3.00 / 1)

....is ripe/begging to be pricked.

As I've been saying here for months (and years) Christie is a hypocritical hack. He was a fraud as a US attorney who only went after low hanging fruit, assholes and whatever was served up to him on a silver platter

Christie is a hack who "made good". If he had any real integrity, he would have been fired by the Bush "justice" department along with all the others who had integrity....but Chritie was "their kind of guy".

He has the manner of a dominant bully and a modicum of smarts; but there is no in depth substance or guiding principle. That's what gave Lonegan fits......and, evidently, still does.

Chritie Chamelion (I like that spelling better ;-) will try to get away with pretending to be a liberal/moderate...and if we let him get away with that; shame on us.

Having said all of that, we can't expect Mr Hot Air Bubble to implode all by himself; it's going to take an ongoing and whithering attack from Jon Corzine himself and from the LG pick.

Given the poll numbers, long range strategic bombing via commercials isn't enough; there needs to be a ground invasion and hand to hand combat. Christie has to have his nose rubbed in his own "hypochistie".

Thanks to Vincent Solomeo for providing additional ammunition!!!!

by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jul 22, 2009 at 14:26:52 PM UTC