IN THE COMMENTS: CEO-MMP said:
I only skimmed the article (cuz I detest Christie), but it sounded like he did it directly after he went on Letterman and did donut shots and said his weight was fine.He also did an interview with Barbara Walters in December which engaged with the issue whether a very fat person can be President. I think those 2 performances were done to test public opinion and the surgery is evidence of the results of that test. There was the idea that perhaps people would think that being fat was endearing, humanizing, and part of his overall delightful personality. He went on 2 prominent shows, reaching different demographics, and — in so many words — made the argument for fat acceptance.
Which suggests he might be less than honest. Of course, his conduct in the last year or so also suggests that.
I assume internal polling was done, and he was forced to see that the "fat man" image wasn't going to work. He took action. Note that in March, the month after the surgery, he rolled out the saying "Fix it!" At the time, I made fun of him for using that slogan when he's the walking embodiment of the inability to fix something. In fact, when he was emoting for the Barbara Walters demographic, she asked him why he's fat, and he said: "If I could figure it out, I'd fix it."
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No, because he's a Democrat, and they already have Hillary!
I'm beginning to think that after you get past the snarky comments, there ain't much there.
I voted for #1 (yes, because people will empathize and admire).
Not many votes yet, but it seems weird to me that a plurality has chosen the "use of surgery fails to demonstrate character" option.
So...obesity is still OK to laugh at and deride? and sheer will power is the only acceptable antidote? unlike with gayness, mental health, stupidity, and other things?
If Christie runs, will a big weight loss after surgery help him be successful?
If he promises to cut waste fraud and abuse... maybe.
This also has the benefit of bringing him to the attention of low-information voters who get their news from People and The Today Show.
Another little soap opera.
I'm beginning to think that after you get past the snarky comments, there ain't much there.
lol
I think Christie will be paid handsomely for helping Hillary!
According to photos of Christie, the surgery is not working.
Surgery only seems like the easy way. From the experiences of people I know who've had the surgery it's not as easy as you might think. And it's not foolproof.
"And it's not foolproof."
Didn't some semi-famous singer who had a talk show for a minute lose a lot of weight with the surgery and gain it back?
I have not voted but I would vote for an all of the above option.
Along with a nice fat hug and a chummy phone call.
What's holding him back is being in a party that can't possibly win.
The only people I know who have had the surgery ended up weighing more than they did before but with the addition of gastrointestinal problems. He'll still need to diet and exercise to take the weight off.
Pogo nails it. No more fucking squishy East Coast Republican nominees. No Christie the Obama lover. No illegal immigrant symp Republio.
Pogo said...
No, because he's a Democrat, and they already have Hillary
Win.
As a NJ resident, there's a lot less there than meets the eye (from a conservative standpoint).
Honestly, he's pretty pathetic looking.
What kind of man let's himself go like that? To me, that is very un-manly to be that fat and out of shape.
What's holding him back is gravity.
The surgery does not appear to have changed that significantly.
I don't think Christie is a bad guy. He's out for himself, but he is a vast improvement for the residents of NJ over that corrupt Bernie Madoff. oh, I mean Jon Corzine(D).
Isn't it odd that Jon Corzine(D) is not in jail?
I'm guessing the savings on groceries pays for the new suits.
NO -- because the last fat man in the White House made passage of the Sixteenth Amendment one his governing priorities.
So was the really fat Christie picture Drudge ran yesterday an old photo?
Christie will not survive the Republican primaries; not after his public embrace of Obama.
As with many people that have this surgery, they may lose some but stretch out the stapled portion of the stomach & gain back whatever they've lost
AprilApple, you meant Jim McGreevey.
Christie is not a good guy. He's a very good speaker, and he has learned how to appear conservative to conservatives, even though he's not conservative. But as you say, he's out for himself.
the Barbara Walters demographic
*cringe*
I had the surgery in 2005. Its easy to overeat and get back to big.
I have to be very careful and disciplined about what I eat and also working out, almost daily.
But people treat the 215 lb running and weight lifting guy that I am now very much differently than the 320+ lb guy I was in 2005.
I dunno. May it's as simple as Christie not wanting to die of a heart attack.
People can overthink things.
A man not comfortable in his own skin... integumentary and political.
Bob Ellison - Who was governor of NJ before Christie?
It was Jon Corzine.
Jon Corzine drove MF Global into the ground.
Democrats driving us into the ground isn't news, it's just a happy part of the production.
He wasn't just fat, he was really fat. People wouldn't hold being fat against him, but they would hold being really fat. I always thought he was the media's darling for 2016 because they knew they could knock him down on the fat issue when the time came. It will be interesting to see if he loses some of his shine. I don't care if he is fat, but I do hold against him the way he has sucked up to Obama and will never vote for him in a primary because of that.
He wasn't just fat, he was really fat. People wouldn't hold being fat against him, but they would hold being really fat. I always thought he was the media's darling for 2016 because they knew they could knock him down on the fat issue when the time came. It will be interesting to see if he loses some of his shine. I don't care if he is fat, but I do hold against him the way he has sucked up to Obama and will never vote for him in a primary because of that.
Morbid obesity is just another example in the long list of things undisciplined people engage in.
I remember growing up in the 70s and there were no fat kids. At best there was the one sorta fleshy guy who was best described as 'husky'. Now in the aughts we have an obesity epidemic.
Maybe all those taxpayer funded breakfasts and lunches for the children had an adverse effect.
Will Christie let the media manipulate him into helping their ultimate cause- pimping hillary! into the white house again? Stay tuned.
AprilApple, of course you are correct. I didn't mean to correct you; I meant to point out that the NJ problem is mostly a Democratic thing. Christie is a lousy Republican, and he's the best they have. People tend to forget about McGreevey, who was a complete disaster, a person who should never have been entrusted with such an office.
Good for him. The hard part is keeping the weight off.
I think he did it now, before ObamaCare kicks in, because it is cheaper now.
I absolutely think the media are portraying him as "look at the funny chubby guy" so the R's nominate him.
After than, obesity will be seen as a mortal danger and he will be portrayed as undisciplined and a weirdo.
Here's the thing: this morbidly obese, offensive, unloyal-to-party, anti-gun, pro-illegal immigrant, pro-60-billion-dollar post-Sandy graft-and-corruption bill jerk is some Republicans' idea of the best thing we've got to elect in 2016. That's just stupid. How's about we get someone who really believes in a few things and isn't an asshole? Maybe Ted Cruz or Rand Paul.
Lem said...
If Christie runs, will a big weight loss after surgery help him be successful?
If he promises to cut waste fraud and abuse... maybe.
Exactly, Lem. Christie is nominally a Republican, but hasn't gathered the kind of contrarian respect in that regard that even a Democratic Senator, Bill Proxmire could muster a generation or two so ago.
Bob E- Total agreement on McGreevy.
But that is the point. While we harp on Christie, he's the best thing for NJ.
I'm not noticing a reduction and I've seen people who had it done and you noticed lower fat really quickly.
I'm not noticing a reduction and I've seen people who had it done and you noticed lower fat really quickly.
How much, if any, weight has he lost since his surgery?
...she asked him why he's fat, and he said: "If I could figure it out, I'd fix it."
If stomach surgery is to remedy his weight problem, then he must have figured out that he was, in fact, overeating (no surprise).
I’m curious what was his average daily calorie intake.
Did he experience a ‘cringe’ factor when viewing his photos with Obama?
Had he tried Jenny Craig? If he loses in the political area, he’d make a good spokesperson
Jon Corzine drove MF Global into the ground.
Corzine......uuuugh.......
Corzine remedy
Yes, let's talk about fat! It's so much more important than political beliefs!
Have Michelle Obama work with him. He'll either lose weight, or quit politics.
I agree with Bob Ellison but prefer Cruz to Paul. Cruz is smarter and will probably do better with hispanic voters than Paul will.
I'm beginning to think that after you get past the snarky comments, there ain't much there.
To be sure, that was a comment about Mr. Christie, and was not meant to demean any of the comments that I have read here at Althouse.
I'd rather see Jeb run.
PS If he turns his coat, the Demos won't trust him for the same reason the Republicans won't.
And shouldn't.
A man who will turn his coat once will turn it again.
Haz, You're correct. That's why many people, including Annie, bet on Overanalyze in the derby. He's still running.
It took years to pack on that amount of weight. Give the guy a break, it will take at least a year to unpack it.
You can see Christy turn into a weasel right before our very eyes. It's been a transformation I regret watching, but it's there.
He'll leave the Republican Party which gets "more extreme" after Christie became NJ's governor, and will be a presidential candidate from the Democratic Party which reflects the "main stream" will of the people.
Scott Brown lost his seat for not switching to the dominant party in a blue state, Christie is not going to make the same mistake. Christie is a slimy politician after all. He'll be lauded by the Press for being a tough talking no nonsense leader as soon as the fat worm turns.
Never say never. The same Republicans who were stupid enough to nominate McCain and Romney could very well talk themselves into nominating Christie.
"What's holding him back is gravity."
LOL
agree he's got no future in the republican party, which somehow has transformed itself into a litmus test of guns abortion and aliens instead of a big tent party of small government.
He's gonna get eaten up by the palins of this world in the primary.
Don't think Christie will become a Dem cuz the public unions hate him. NJ gov will be his highest elected office, he will never be nominated for prez by either the dems or the gop.
Rubio had a great chance at winning the gop 2016 prez nomination but threw it away with his amnesty plan for illegal immigrants.
"...the republican party, which somehow has transformed itself into a litmus test of guns abortion and aliens instead of a big tent party of small government."
Agree that small fed government (focusing on restoration of the constitution as the controlling doc for our gov, especially focusing on federalism to increase the political power of states and reduce the power and cost of the fed gov) has to be the core uniting principle for the gop.
Having said that, I respect that foes of abortion feel they cannot compromise on murder, acknowledge that guns are a constitutional and liberty issue, and that making citizens of illegal aliens immediately turns the USA into a one party democracy (i.e. no democracy at all).
With all due respect to CEO-MMP, that Christie may be less than honest is amply suggested by the face that he holds political office.
meh. I live in New Jersey and frankly he should just switch parties and become the Democrat he is anyways.
Bet he gains it back.
I have enjoyed Christie, much like others enjoy Limbaugh, as a performer, but I don't see him as a Republican presidential candidate (and it's hard to imagine what Republican presidential candidate would pick him as VP). But I wish him well on the weight loss program. People I know who have done the lap band haven't been very successful, but perhaps Christie will succeed, and if his presidential ambitions add 10 years to his life, that would be good.
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