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Combative Hissy Fits

by: huntsu

Wed Jun 20, 2007 at 06:46:45 PM EDT

Tom Moran has a strange way of looking at the world, well evidenced by his column today on the Gill/Christie/Rabner/Corzine kerfluffle from the past week.

Moran announced today that Gill's part in this was a "hissy fit." Gill kept to herself, was quiet and didn't run to the press. She threatened to throw the media out of her committee room if they didn't shut up about the issue. And after meeting in private with Rabner about the issue dropped her block on his nomination and again didn't comment on it to the media. I didn't know that "hissy" meant quietly standing your ground.

Christie whined to the media that the very people who appointed and supported Rabner for the highest judgeship in the land weren't being nice enough while doing it. He demanded that the people of New Jersey rise up against the "corrupt" people who appointed and backed Rabner because Rabner's appointment might be delayed a few days while the issues were worked out. This Moran glowingly referred to as "combativeness."

You want a hissy fit? Here's how Moran described Christie's part in all this:

For the first time, Christie took off the restraints and went after the Democrats in Trenton with real gusto.
He called their behavior "petty," "cowardly" and "appalling." He described the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. John Adler, as a "third-rate bureaucrat."
And he went directly at Corzine, saying the governor gave us silence when we needed leadership.
"I was angry," Christie said yesterday. "And when I have something to say, I will say it."

According to Moran this "combative" hero called people names because he was angry. Christie, in his own words, doesn't have the impulse control to shut up when he's angry -- even hours later.

And Moran laments that Governor Jon Corzine -- this is the guy who successfully nominated Rabner for Attorney General and then worked to clear the way for his appointment to Chief Justice -- doesn't have Chris Christie's sort of combativeness.

But here's how Moran described the Governor's part in this:

The governor later noted he had defended Rabner that same day, praising his character and intellect.
True enough. But by then, the governor's office knew Christie was busy loading his guns. And while Corzine praised Rabner, he didn't take the next step of criticizing Gill's behavior or the abuse of senatorial courtesy.
The governor's staff was worried that making a fuss over Gill's behavior might harden her resistance. And they note that the governor got the job done in the end -- he nominated a great candidate, and he's almost certain to win confirmation. The kinder and gentler approach worked.
True enough. But wouldn't it be great if Corzine had at least some of Christie's combativeness?

Let's leave out the fact that Corzine was combative enough to shut down the entire state government last year rather than compromise his budget program. Or that he stared down the unions this year and got concessions from them for the first time in years.

Or leave out that Corzine got what he wanted -- Stu Rabner as Chief Justice of the NJ State Supreme Court for up to three decades.

No, what Corzine should have done was whined and called people names. That is what passes for good government these days. Not getting the job done, or balancing budgets, or winning appointments, or accomplishing your goals. All that is a waste of time, I guess.

No, what we need -- according to the pundit class -- is more politicians willing to step up to the microphones and complain, whine and wheedle when things don't go their way.

Coincidentally, that's what makes for easy column writing and sells newspapers.

huntsu :: Combative Hissy Fits

Tags: Tom Moran, Chris Christie, Jon Corzine, (All Tags)

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Combative Hissy Fits | 19 comments

Still waiting for Christie's comments (0.00 / 0)

I'm still waiting for Christie's comments how he bought the U.S. Attorney's position from the Bushies. Wasn't Christie & his wheeling bro in the Pioneer's Club?? Also, has Christie made comments about how corrupt his own boss Gonzo is??? Also, how come the US Attorney's office never investigated Tom DeLay? He should start right there or shut up.

by: FlamingModerate @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 00:59:49 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Moran is right. (1.00 / 5)

I love lopsided, liberal analysis!

Tom Moran has some wharped view of the world because:

* He thinks one senator, especially a mediocre one like Nia Gill using race as a weapon to obstruct a qualified nominee without a shred of doubt or reasonable cause.

* He thinks the US Attorney shouldn't have the right to have an opinion on the status of an AG nomination in a state where corruption is rampant and cooperation with the AG'soffice is essential for securing indictments.

* He questions Corzine's ability to really govern even while he has yet to have a single legislative accomplishment of any significance, most importantly being property tax relief.

Yes, we should criticize Mr.Christie for having an opinion and once again give JC a pass as he enables senatorial courtesy in between writing six-figure checks to his ex-gal pal who happens to be one of the biggest political insiders in the state.

What to choose.....Hmmmm, criticize Christie for having an opinion or staying silent on Corzine tacit support of senatorial courtesy....

What real reformers we truly are...

by: BigDaddyDem @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 01:01:34 AM UTC

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"lopsided, liberal analysis" (0.00 / 0)

I am gonna have to ponder these words at length. They are, in the context of this site, mildly confusing.

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 01:09:01 AM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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I gave you a 2 score so people could see your comment (4.00 / 1)

The problem here is that you are missing the point, again.

For the points about Chris Christie, the problem is not that he has an opinion or even expresses it. The problem is that he throws the power of the office of the US Attorney behind those opinions and they have nothing to do with the office.

The US Attorney's office has no authority over state government except when federal laws are broken. There is no corruption in Senatorial Courtesy, just a tradition whose time may be over.

If Chris Christie the man wants to have opinions and express them then he should go ahead and do it. But that's not what he is doing. He is using his federally funded press office to drum up the speech, and using his federally funded position to lend authority to his opinions.

Forget the quality of his opinions. The issue is that Christie is using the power of his office to express and enhance his personal opinions in ways that will benefit him in the future.

That is, very simply, the definition of public corruption and unethical behavior. If you are so hot on ending it, here's a good place to start.

As for the Moran points, a woman uses an established Senatorial tool that has been used at least four times in the past six months and it is called a "hissy fit." A man gets enraged by his friend not getting enough respect and six hours later holds a press conference where he calls people names and whines and it is called "combativeness."

That's just outright sexism. Women who wield power are hissy, men who wield power are tough. That's a warped world view.

Further, Moran didn't argue whether Corzine was a success or not, he simply said that Corzine should be combative like Christie. We can argue the relative success of the first 18 months of Corzine's term in office, but you cannot argue over his combativeness after he shut down the government to get his way on the budget.

In 2006 Roberts reached too far and failed, then to save face gave Corzine what he wanted in order to keep the government open. Corzine decided he was pissed at Roberts for overreaching and demanded more -- and got it.

Combative has a place, and that's when being combative will accomplish something. Corzine has done that when he had to.

Christie was combative over an issue that was going to resolve itself. Rabner was going to get his hearing and going to be the Chief Justice whether Christie joined the fray or not. There was no purpose to it other than to vent Christie's spleen and get in the papers.

That kind of self-serving combativeness is exactly what we don't need in government. We need success, not useless fights. If fighting breeds success, great. But if all it breeds is press then there's really no point to it.

by: huntsu @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 11:05:57 AM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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Agreed. (0.00 / 0)

Attacking Chris Christie on his opinion about Rabner is a "useless fight."

I could not have said it better myself.

Stop being fearful of Christie.

by: BigDaddyDem @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 17:10:03 PM UTC

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Do you even read? (0.00 / 0)

I did not attack Christie for his opinion on Rabner. I agree with him on his opinion that Rabner deserves a rapid, fair hearing and hope Rabner becomes the Chief Justice of the NJ State Supreme Court.

I am calling Christie out, and I'll say this again, for using the power of his office -- power granted and paid for by the American people -- for things that have no part of that office. The office is for catching criminals, not for spreading your personal political opinions.

You don't see me going after Michael Patrick Carrol for his speaking out, just for his poorly thought out opinion. Carroll is a politician, and they get to spout off all they want. but US Attorney's don't get that right.

If Christie wants to be a political pundit, that's fine. If he wants to be a candidate for office, that's fine. If he wants to be a private citizen, that's fine.

But if he wants to be US Attorney these actions are improper and unethical.

by: huntsu @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 17:57:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sexist (4.00 / 3)

A woman quietly uses her power and she's throwing a "hissy fit."

A man whines and calls names and he's "combative" - something to emulate.

by: Lacey Davenport @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 01:20:06 AM UTC

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If it makes you feel any better, (0.00 / 0)

I've seen men throw 'hissy fits' too.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 12:32:15 PM UTC

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by: you @ soon

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Maybe The Star-Ledger is trying to (0.00 / 0)

recover some of its lost circulation by appealing to crackpot Republican wingnuts. Note to the Star-Ledger: They like the NY Post because of the pictures and reich wing propaganda. As the Ledger leans farther to the right circulation will shrink. CNN tried to emulate Pox (deliberate typo) News and lost reasonable viewers. Any news outlet that tries to grow by reaching for the wingnut faction will lose. The wingers already have their propaganda sources. Anyone who believes there is a a liberal slant to the news should embrace the Fairness Doctrine.

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

by: The Wizard @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 11:58:10 AM UTC

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Red light for corpulent Chris (0.00 / 0)

Chris Christie is supposed to be an impartial US Attorney. This speech, the first of his obvious gubernatorial campaign, exceeded his authority and will now cast all his actions in the red light of a partisan political hack.
I am not surprised that Bush/Gonzalez did not want to fire this pr-savvy politico.Guns, gangs and drugs do not excite this guy but a camera turned on turns him on.

by: sosonj @ Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 20:55:58 PM UTC

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Combative Hissy Fits | 19 comments