Governor Christie: Hero Or Sellout?

Governor Chris Christie has made his decision on replacing the position left vacant by deceased United States Senator, Frank Lautenberg. His choice was State Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa, appointed on an interim basis. Mr. Chiesa and the Governor made it perfectly clear it would definitely be a temporary appointment until the special election. The Attorney General stated he would not be throwing his hat into the political arena because he has absolutely no desire to be elected permanently into the position.

Was this a coward’s move or power play by the Governor? The Governor needed a plan, because Lautenberg by no accepted decision on his part actually left Christie between a rock and a hard place dilemma.

The Governor came up with a brilliant solution. It was positively an excellent strategic move by the Governor announcing a special Senate Primary and General Election, held August and October 2013, basically washing his hands of the whole situation by not offending anyone but the citizens of New Jersey. There was strong indication his re-election would be in jeopardy if the election was held in November the same time as his.

If the odds-on favorite Mayor Corey Booker of Newark was successful in his Democratic Primary bid then he would have held the top spot on the Democratic ticket. This would have been a hindrance to the Governor, if the election was kept in November. The Governor couldn’t take a chance because most of the electorate would recognize the popular name of the Mayor and working themselves down the ticket, with very few actually crossing over to the Republican Chris Christie. This would have, believe it or not, given Democratic hopeful for Governor Barbara Buono, who is a virtual unknown, a boost on the ballot.

The Governor actually made an intelligent move, in an attempt to rescue his questionable political career. I say questionable, because we really don’t know where he actually stands on anything.

When he was the Keynote Speaker at the Republican Convention he used that unique privilege and prime time to blow his own horn, and when President Obama came to New Jersey it was like seeing two long lost friends reunited.

This leaves a few questions left unanswered. Could “The Booker for Senate” maneuver been a well thought out agreement made by Obama and Christie in October 2012, to stop the Mayor from running for Governor against him? Even then Senator Lautenberg, who had every desire to run again, stated “no one told me I wasn’t running.”  Could that memorable hug, which might have cost Romney the election between the President and Governor during his visit to New Jersey, while viewing the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, cemented the deal? We may never know. You can’t make this stuff up.

When it is all said and done the citizens of New Jersey will be footing the bill on this special election. We the people of the State of New Jersey are actually contributing “whether we like it or not” to the re-election fund of Governor Chris Christie, with the final estimated sum of “forty million dollars,” with both elections combined. It could have easily been approved and scheduled for the normal November 2013 General Election without a Primary election, opening it up to anyone filing and obtaining enough petition signatures. What a disgrace, as if we in New Jersey can afford any additional wasted expenditure.

Also when you sleep with the devil some evil characteristics will be absorbed!

Politics is alive and well in New Jersey. When will we wake up and say enough is enough and we’re not going to take this anymore?