June 5, 2013

I said it first: Chris Christie may run for President in 2016 as a Democrat.

Here's my post from June 3rd:
I assume Christie wants to run for President in 2016. If so, he can't reinforce the suspicion that he's really a Democrat (unless he wants to do that Lincoln Chafee thing and become a Democrat).
Here's Rush Limbaugh on his show today:
I will not be surprised... I'm not predicting it officially here, but I will not be surprised, if when 2016 rolls around and Governor Christie is seeking the presidency, I won't surprised if he seeks the Democrat Party nomination...

92 comments:

Patrick said...

Not my favorite, but we could do a hell of a lot worse.

edutcher said...

I've been saying it since October.

In fact, it's the only way he could run.

And Lord knows, he beats all their current choices - including Moochelle fresh off her Sister Souljah moment.

But only if you like peole who turn their coats.

SteveR said...

As long as its not Hillary, I'll take it.

Carl said...

That's completely nuts. Christie is except on a handful of issues seriously conservative. Furthermore, the Democrats who sought crossover appeal went out with the Clintons, for better or worse. That is not the Obama party. Christie's chance of winning the Democratic nomination are far less than winning the Republican, and those aren't good.

Rush, at least, may know better and simply be speaking hyperbolically.

Methadras said...

So all Christie would be doing is reinforcing the rat bastard image.

SMSgt Mac said...

In fairness to Rush, he was off mike and Mark Steyn was guest hosting. He probably said it before you did, you just didn't KNOW he said it.

SMSgt Mac said...

In fairness to Rush, he was off mike and Mark Steyn was guest hosting. He probably said it before you did, you just didn't KNOW he said it.

Diamondhead said...

The last two Republican primary seasons have shown that's not really necessary. Christie knows he still has a better chance running as a Republican than as a Democrat (his conversion on abortion would have to have occurred already). If he runs, he will be deemed the reasonable choice, the only Republican chance for victory, the candidate trying to hold back the seething right-wing Republican mob from pulling the party over the cliff. Then of course, the media will discover his racis- er, sexism.

bagoh20 said...

There is no way he can beat Hillary even if his boobs are bigger.

cubanbob said...

As another commenter here said in a different thread Christie just blew his chances as a Republican. He didn't have to push for a special election. He could have left the seat vacant until the 2014 election thus depriving the Democrats of one vote in the Senate.

sakredkow said...

Go, Christie, go!

edutcher said...

Carl said...

That's completely nuts. Christie is except on a handful of issues seriously conservative.

Christie is seriously conservative only on a handful of issues.

FIFY

You've been reading Ann Coulter again and there's something about him that sets off her inner chubby chaser.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hillary is already hitting the botox bovine juice. That's why she looks refreshed and puffy.

campy said...

Running as a repub is a waste of time and money. For anyone.

edutcher said...

Carl said...

That's completely nuts. Christie is except on a handful of issues seriously conservative.

Christie is seriously conservative only on a handful of issues.

FIFY

You've been reading Ann Coulter again and there's something about him that sets off her inner chubby chaser.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Whatever it takes to spare the nation Hillary! and that tired old mess - I'll take it.

test said...

Zero chance of winning. For all they love him when he's calling Republicans extremists 90% of Democrats fall between two preference points: vastly more government spending and all spending by government. There's no constituency for reasonable fiscal policy.

KCFleming said...

Man, what we really need now is a pragmatic big government socialist.

Hey, when Christie sits around the White House, he sits aroooouund the White House.

Tim said...

Dead-Presidential Candidate Walking.

Why?

No one trusts him.

Not the Republicans.

Not the Democrats.

Most especially the most conservative wing of the Republican Party, and most especially the most parasitic wing of the Democrat Party, the public employee unions.

Christie has maneuvered himself, inartfully so, into a cul-de-sac.

He may run, but he will lose.

Anonymous said...

If he runs he'll have a heart attack.

bagoh20 said...

Maybe he'll find a way to staple shut the gut of the federal budget. I'd vote for that.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

eh. He just wants to get re-elected in blue Bon jovi.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I mean Bon Jersey
I mean New Jovi

Anonymous said...

If he ran as a Republican, journolistas would be very concerned about his ability to fulfill four years of the presidency given his huge girth which heightens the likelihood of a cardiac event.

If he ran as a Democrat, jounolistas would be very concerned how anti-fat people Republicans were.

He may run as a Democrat, but I doubt he'll get the nomination without unions' support.

Frankly, what has he accomplished in the last few years, except being abrasive to the teachers union in the beginning? Financially, NJ is still in horrible shape, unfunded pension, one of the highest unemployment rate, huge deficits.

sakredkow said...

You mean Bruce Springsteen

Skeptical Voter said...

Fat Boy is dead to me. He sleeps with the fishes as a candidate. He could run in a progressive tu tu and I wouldn't vote for him.

He could run under false colors as the reincarnation of Howard Taft---and I wouldn't vote for him.

He could run as the Tooth Fairy--and I wouldn't vote for him.

Intelligent folks can detect a pattern here. Fat Boy is dead as far as my vote is concerned.

glenn said...

JAPBBS. And fat besides. If you can't control your appetite for food, graft, corruption, and power won't be far behind. Oh, JAPBBS, ask me.

Unknown said...

He actually has all three routes available. R,D,I. He loses as an independent, though he could act very effectively as a spoiler and put Hillary or another democrat into office.

I think the conservative republican primary electorate will coalesce very quickly around an anti-moderate candidate, and will be happy with Walker or Paul, or even with Cruz or Jindal.

Point is, they will choose quickly this time, and the moderate wing will be split between Rubio (now a moderate, of course), Christie, Bush, and others.

So dem it is for Christie, and if he gets the nomination, he'll likely win. He'll have to bend his Catholic knee on abortion, though.




Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

If it's Christie(R) V. Hillary!(!) - Christie is there on purpose as a foil to hoist Hillary into power. *shiver*

The deal.

Freeman Hunt said...

The Dems are going to run a union fighter? I think not.

Sorun said...

I'd dig into the Althouse archives and use Garage's old Christie fat jokes, but they weren't very funny.

dcm said...

Are you all smoking crack? Do you think the democrats would take him? Or is Rush compromising one he finds too liberal? Seems pretty obvious to me.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Tim said:

"Christie has maneuvered himself, inartfully so, into a cul-de-sac. "

Must be a huge cul-de-sac!

Bob_R said...

“Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said. 'One can't believe impossible things.' I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

Althouse is practicing believing (or at least predicting) impossible things before Rush.

You can't get there from here. If Christie had lived in a more conservative state like Virginia he would have been a Democrat and been a formidable national candidate. He is in New Jersey. Anyone who is not a collectivist is a Repub. You can't change that. He could leave NJ, quit the GOP and try to run as a donk. Chances of success are zero - or less. He may be fat, but he's smart. He knows this. The only real possibility of the Alhouse/Rush fantasy is a donk (Hillary? Please send me some of what you are smoking!) tagging him as VP on a "unity ticket."

Please. Spare me.

Methadras said...

I'm tired of seeing NE'ners pass themselves off as conservatives. What a farce.

rcocean said...

Rush, what a joker.

IMO, Christie has the Republican nomination sown up, if he can get the establishment behind him. Between reaching across the aisle, supporting open borders, and "appealing to moderates", he looks unbeatable.

Any party that would nominate McCain - will forgive any stab in the back.

Methadras said...

AJ Lynch said...

Tim said:

"Christie has maneuvered himself, inartfully so, into a cul-de-sac. "

Must be a huge cul-de-sac!


Or a shoehorn.

Astro said...

I said that in a comment here back in April. I beat you by nearly 2 months.

Bob_R said...

On the other hand, that might be the best path for him. His dream of getting into the evolutionary psychology program in New Mexico has been shattered.

JAL said...

No. You didn't.

I told my brother-in-law that last month when we were talking politics. It was a conclusion I reached many moons ago.

BIL likes him. I said: He's a Democrat masquerading as a Republican.

I like his chutzpah in most cases, but he is not conservative by a loooog shot.

And I would not vote for him.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The unions are increasingly seen as poison by the general population.

Anonymous said...

Ha! I love it.

Henry said...

Finally, the Dems get their own Howard Taft.

If we're all lucky, he turns out to be Grover Cleveland. I'd vote for Grover Cleveland.

pm317 said...

The more important question is if that NYU professor who tweeted about not having fat PhD students will vote for a fat Dem presidential candidate.. you know will power and all.

Henry said...

It might be worth remembering that William Weld couldn't even get confirmed as ambassador to Mexico.

Anonymous said...

Christie's recent weight loss surgery may prove to be a test of his moral character as much as a medical procedure. A disturbingly high percentage of WLS patients lose very little weight or even gain weight, by finding ways to gorge themselves even though the surgery reduces their stomach capacities. Many eat small amounts at very frequent intervals and/or eat and drink the highest-calorie foods they can find. If Christie fails to lose weight, it will be a sign that he deliberately circumvented the surgery's effects, and as such would indicate low moral character.

Peter

Bayoneteer said...

After 2016, or 2020 at the latest, when Texas finally flips blue, the GOP will be finished as a national party. So Christie's just trying to reposition himself early. The GOP is done, over as pretty much everyone with a brain can see, and kissing up to those schmucks in the GOP base clearly disgusts the Governor.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I abstained from voting once before in 1996 and may do so again in 2016 if there is no conservative on the ballot. Christie is too arrogant for me- he thinks he is as wise as Solomon.

The Godfather said...

There's no place in the Democratic Party (at the national level) for a moderate, which is what Christie would be. Remember what happened to Joe Lieberman when he was Al Gore's VP candidate? He was forced to eschew all the independent positions that made him interesting and appealing. It's (remotely) possible that the Dems could run Christie as a VP candidate in the same way as Joe, but it would be just as meaningless.

I'm a Republican, and I like Christie. I'd love to vote for him for President. I would also love to have voted for Giuliani for President. "America's Mayor." I lived in Florida when Jeb Bush was Governor, and I'd love to vote for him for President. But I've learned the hard lesson, that I hope the Republican Party has finally learned. Moderate Republicans don't win the Presidency when the going is tough.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

You're into corrupt one-party totalitarian dictatorships, aren't you Ken K?

Humperdink said...

K.K. said: After 2016, or 2020 at the latest, when Texas finally flips blue, the GOP will be finished as a national party.

If that happens, the US is finished, period.

sakredkow said...

If that happens, the US is finished, period.

That's why the Dems may do a strategic retreat on some vital issue to the GOP, such as abortion. In spite of GOP efforts to suicide themselves out of contention, it can't be allowed to happen.

edutcher said...

Humperdink said...

After 2016, or 2020 at the latest, when Texas finally flips blue, the GOP will be finished as a national party.

If that happens, the US is finished, period.


Demographics say otherwise (Roe Effect and net negative migration) and it's looking more and more as if AmnestyCare won't make it.

Most of the TX going blue stuff is wishful thinking.

Things are getting better down Mexico way and once ObamaTax hits, a lot of Mexicans are going to make a run for the border.

There's also the fact that, if something replaces the Republican Party (yes, it may well go the way of the Whigs, for many of the same reasons), it's going to have a lot more dynamism behind it and the Demos will have lost the luster of the New Deal and the Great Society in the mess they've created in the last 5 years.

tom faranda said...

He certainly won't run as a democrat. He's anti-abortion and opposes fecal marriage.

Humperdink said...

If Texas goes blue, the printing presses in the Treasury will need to run at warp speed. And the US economy will make Greece look like Singapore.

gadfly said...

Sorry Ann . . . your writing is always clear and unambiguous . . . and you know that in this case, you did not say that Christie would run for President as a Democrat.

But since Rush gets much of his show prep from the internet, your article may have popped the Christie-Democrat idea into his head. Then again, he has been on vacation, so his show prep today was most likely staff-generated.

gadfly said...

Regarding Governor Donut's stomach banding, the 30 or so pounds he has lost so far is really small when you consider that most surgeons will not do any of the three stomach altering procedures unless the patient has demonstrated a desire to lose weight. This usually involves a regimen of special diet in advance of surgery resulting in substantial weight loss in the 20-30 pound range.

Charlie Bixby said...

Chris Christie is just a CostCo sized John McCain. He sucks up attention for the press for being bi-partisan and centrist because he's willing to spit on his teammates, but if he gets the nomination they'll just kick him to the curb.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Its so sad to belong to someone else when the right one comes along

Steve Koch said...

The dems will never nominate Christie cuz they will nominate one of their own. They don't even pretend to campaign from the middle and our indy voters let them get away with it.

The gop won't nominate Christie cuz conservatives are appalled by him, Christie is obnoxious and unappealing, there is no reason to believe that he is particularly tied to the gop, and he is not likely to win anyway.

Christie might run as an indy; it would be interesting to analyze how that would affect the result.

Probably the gop nominates a hispanic, Cruz or Rubio (I prefer Cruz).

Chip S. said...

His natural running mate would be Charlie Crist.

Steve Koch said...

Chip S. said...
""His natural running mate would be Charlie Crist."

Hilarious.

From the Duke:

"Do nothing till you hear from me,
Pay no attention to what's said.
Why people tear the seams of anyone's dreams
Is over my head.

Do nothing till you hear from me,
At least consider our romance.
If you should take the words of others you've heard,
I haven't a chance.

True, I've been seen with someone new,
But does that mean that I've been untrue?
When we're apart,
The words in my heart
Reveal how I feel about you.

Some kiss may cloud my memories,
And other arms may hold a thrill,
But please, do nothing till you hear it from me--
And you never will."


Unknown said...

He would have to be delusional to think that the Dems would nominate him over Hillary. Let's see, do they go with the fat white guy who's anti-"abortion rights", anti-teacher unions, and fiscally conservative....or with the historic opportunity of first female president who also happens to be part of a dynasty with enormous funding capabilities.

Yeah, that would be a tough one for the Dem establishment.

If the tide doesn't change in the GOP, his only option might be to run as an indy, but then I don't know where he'd get his funding since he's not independently wealthy.

Mark said...

And he would lose. Who would be welcoming him into the Dem party?

Not the teachers, not the choice people, not the gay marriage advocates. Party turncoats are not what most people want to hitch their hopes to.

I Callahan said...

No way in hell. Neither side fully trusts him now.

I Callahan said...

Christie has the Republican nomination sown up, if he can get the establishment behind him. Between reaching across the aisle, supporting open borders, and "appealing to moderates", he looks unbeatable.

This is supposed to be funny, right? I mean, I can't stop laughing!!!

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Not the remotest chance. If anything, this is just Rush marginalizing Christie within the REpublican Party.

dreams said...

If he hadn't already decided to run as Democrat, then there wasn't a good reason for him to overly suck up to Obama after the hurricane which he had to know would piss off Republicans and hurt Romney.

dreams said...

I don't think Christie can get elected as a Republican or as a Dem. though I think he has he has been good for New Jersey.

Don’t Buy It said...

The furor over Christie from the Right is absurd, as is this prediction. Christie's positions are largely indistinguishable from Romney's. If you want to critique him, fine. But don't turn a couple of weak photo-ops for the President after a natural disaster into anything more than that. As governor, Christie's job is to help the state recover; to the extent which that involves the Feds, Obama will be involved. It serves no purpose for Christie to put his politics ahead of his governorship.

victoria said...

Welcome to the good side, Chris. We've been waiting for you.


Vicki from pasadena

victoria said...

People still listen to Rush? Talk about marginalized. He has marginalized himself.

Vicki from Pasadena

dreams said...

"The furor over Christie from the Right is absurd, as is this prediction. Christie's positions are largely indistinguishable from Romney's. If you want to critique him, fine. But don't turn a couple of weak photo-ops for the President after a natural disaster into anything more than that. As governor, Christie's job is to help the state recover; to the extent which that involves the Feds, Obama will be involved. It serves no purpose for Christie to put his politics ahead of his governorship."

Bullshit! It wasn't necessary for Christie to suck up to Obama. You're apparently a liberal given your desire to tell people what to do, I guess because you think you know best. You're no different than a liberal elitist.

30yearProf said...

He can't get nominated or elected as a Republican. So he's gonna try to dominate Hillary. I don't think he's a big enough man. ;-)

Don’t Buy It said...

dreams, you're an ignorant ass. You have no evidence of my political affiliations, and calling me a "liberal elitist" made me laugh so hard I nearly dropped the gun I was cleaning. You're attacking a figment of your imagination, which is unsurprising, since you and the rest of your ilk fail to legitimately criticize Christie on issues where he is weak (civil liberties, gun rights, etc.) and instead get so angry at a few pictures on Drudge that you almost - almost - left your parents' basements to protest. Enjoy your private flamewar.

Willys said...

Clinton/Christie vs some NON libertarian leaning Republicon who will lose big.

I Callahan said...

People still listen to Rush?

More than any other talk show in the U.S. Come out of your echo chamber every once in a while and learn something.

Mike Tanis said...

Like many other commentators here I think Christie would be even more reviled by the base of the Democratic Party than he is by the base of the Republican Party. Neither of which bode well for his ability to make it through a partisan primary season.

Mike Tanis said...

Like many other commentators here I think Christie would be even more reviled by the base of the Democratic Party than he is by the base of the Republican Party. Neither of which bode well for his ability to make it through a partisan primary season.

dreams said...

"dreams, you're an ignorant ass. You have no evidence of my political affiliations, and calling me a "liberal elitist" made me laugh so hard I nearly dropped the gun I was cleaning. You're attacking a figment of your imagination, which is unsurprising, since you and the rest of your ilk fail to legitimately criticize Christie on issues where he is weak (civil liberties, gun rights, etc.) and instead get so angry at a few pictures on Drudge that you almost - almost - left your parents' basements to protest. Enjoy your private flamewar."

I reserve the right to decide who I vote for based on what I think is important. As far as I'm concerned you can continue trying to tell Republicans what they should think if that is your desire.

I Callahan said...

In fairness, Jim, even if we ignore the photo-ops, what about the senate vacancy thing? He screwed over both parties (including his own) by making the decision he did.

Unions would NEVER vote for him, and because of the above, neither the establishment nor the conservative base will endorse him. The guy is fine in New Jersey, but outside it, he wouldn't win.

SH said...

Carl said...
"That's completely nuts. Christie is except on a handful of issues seriously conservative."

Well; it not a put down from my POV to think he might run as a dem.

If the democrats want to run a moderate conservative... great. Its a win either way then.

sakredkow said...

In fairness, Jim, even if we ignore the photo-ops, what about the senate vacancy thing? He screwed over both parties (including his own) by making the decision he did.

Good faith argument here I Callahan:

Don't the people have a right to be appointed a representative in a timely manner? Shouldn't that be the FIRST consideration, rather than the political games?

I Callahan said...

phx,

Your questions are always in good faith, as far as you and I are concerned.

To answer:

No offense, but it's naive to believe that that was Christie's intention. He knew that if he appointed a Republican to that seat, he'd raise the ire of some of the Dems who voted for him last time. And if he appointed a Dem, he'd be the scourge of the part he belongs to (in NJ, he needs the votes of the 30% or so who call themselves Republicans).

Chris Christie is all about Chris Christie getting re-elected in a deep blue state. The excuse he used (timely appointment, etc.), was the political thing.

captmike said...

Just wait until Christie signs into law some of the strictest gun laws in the nation that are waiting on his desk. Conservatives will really love him then. I can't stand him, never have, and only now are other conservatives recognizing that Christie has zero party loyalty.

Recovering Lutheran said...

Christie may try to run for President as a Democrat, but he will never win. The record of Republicans switching to the Democrat Party and winning is poor. Specter switched, and got dumped in the Democrat primary. Chafee will have a hard time winning the RI Democrat party, and no one wants to see Charlie Crist as FL governor again.

leslyn said...

No he won't.

Crunchy Frog said...

In fairness, Jim, even if we ignore the photo-ops, what about the senate vacancy thing? He screwed over both parties (including his own) by making the decision he did.

The Senate vacancy thing was all about eliminating Cory Booker from the 2016 Gubernatorial election. Instead of doing what he should have done - appoint the Republican with the best chance of holding onto the seat in 2014 - he effectively hands it to Booker, who had been making noises in that direction anyhow.

SukieTawdry said...

If he wants the Dem nod, he'll have to evolve. He'll have to go back to being pro-choice, embrace same sex marriage, snuggle up to teachers unions and recognize that we have a revenue, not a spending problem. He's probably okay on gun control and "green" energy.

sakredkow said...

Thanks, I Callahan.

SDN said...

"For all they love him when he's calling Republicans extremists"

See McCain, John.

Unknown said...

Christie has even less chance to get nominated as a dem than he does as a repub. He is fiscally responsible, wants to cut taxes and spending, and picked a fight with the corrupt public employee unions. Todays dem party would never nominate a candidate with those views. The interesting thing is whatever party did nominate him would probably win, because he has crossover appeal in both parties, but he has also offended the bases in both parties.