Chris Christie might have landed the knockout blow to Marco Rubio’s presidential aspirations. But he will not have his hand raised in victory.
After a sixth place finish in New Hampshire behind Rubio and no spot on the debate stage on Saturday in South Carolina, Christie has cancelled all scheduled campaign events in the Palmetto state and has returned to New Jersey where he is widely expected to formally end his presidential campaign today.
Christie sealed his fate with Republicans the moment he embraced President Obama during Hurricane Sandy. His attacks on Obama during the debate made Republican voters doubt he was so blunt with the President in the days leading up the 2012 election.
I don’t think Bridgegate was as much of a factor. There is no evidence to suggest that Christie had any involvement there. But he did hire the staff people involved and that does reflect on his judgment thereby giving Republican voters at least a reasonable doubt.
Christie famously declined to run in 2012 because he said he wasn’t ready to be President. I raised my doubts about his readiness when he launched his campaign last June. What had he done between 2012 and 2015 that now made him ready to be President? Over the past seven months or so he neither said nor did anything to assuage those doubts. Despite two terms as Governor of New Jersey, he has not demonstrated his suitability for that position as President Obama has not shown suitably for his position despite two terms in office. Needless to say, Chris Christie simply isn’t fit to be President.
