Governor Chris Christie delivered his state of the state address Tuesday, with reporters analyzing the speech for signs that the New Jersey governor would be running for president in 2016. With Christie doing his best to contrast progress in his state with dysfunction and anxiety in Washington, the answer seems to be yes.
I'm sitting in the nj statehouse but could be in iowa nh or s carolina listening to @GovChristie talk about America woes and how to fix…
— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) January 13, 2015
https://twitter.com/jdawsey1/status/555088531362951168
.@GovChristie recycles story about 82-year-old woman on rope line in Florida who asked him: "What's happened to our country?" #StateofState
— Matt Katz (@mattkatz00) January 13, 2015
"We are a nation beset by anxiety. And it's understandable" washington stokes "culture of divisiveness and distrust" – @GovChristie
— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) January 13, 2015
.@govchristie: "America's leadership in the world is called into question because of a pattern of indecision and inconsistency."
— Shushannah Walshe (@shushwalshe) January 13, 2015
Christie national ambition word cloud from speech: "bloated", "indecision", "inconsistency", "suffocate" and "drift"
— Michael Barbaro (@mikiebarb) January 13, 2015
https://twitter.com/NancyCooperNYC/status/555091147279056897
Lots of Jersey stuff in Christie State of the State, but, boy, lots of lines in speech (highlighted in excerpts) that could be from a SOTU
— Mark Halperin (@MarkHalperin) January 13, 2015
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Christie "We need an American renewal and we need a Jersey renewal. "
— Michael Barbaro (@mikiebarb) January 13, 2015
Christie is trying to hold up NJ as a model of conservative governance vs. "the Washington way."
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) January 13, 2015
More Christie on balanced budget in NJ: "We didn’t do it the Washington way, by raising taxes."
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) January 13, 2015
Christie on balanced budget: "We did it by cutting spending, shrinking government, and fundamentally reforming the way government operates"
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) January 13, 2015
Christie calls New Jersey pension system an "insatiable beast" adds that it's not that different from "Washington’s entitlement problem"
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) January 13, 2015
As far as a contrast with Washington, D.C., Christie chose the city of Camden as an example of what the state has been able to achieve by putting aside partisan politics.
#Christie: There is no better example of what we can achieve if we put aside party and pettiness than the results we are seeing in Camden.
— NJ.com Politics (@NJ_Politics) January 13, 2015
Chris Christie very openly trying to stake out position as national leader on urban renewal, choosing Camden as case in point.
— NYDN Politics (@NYDNPolitics) January 13, 2015
The idea that cleaning up some city in NJ is good training for cleaning up DC sounds strange, until you think: It's NJ. #Christie
— David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) January 13, 2015
https://twitter.com/jdawsey1/status/555094304700780544
References to Camden in Christie's speech so far, but nothing yet about Atlantic City or Newark #muniland
— MARIA AMANTE (@MariaAmante) January 13, 2015
Christie talking about Camden and touts Dem mayor and Dem county government. #NJSOTS2015
— John Celock (@JohnCelock) January 13, 2015
Christie touts work w/ Camden mayor. If Dems are "willing to put down the sword of partisan politics, I will extend my hand in partnership"
— Maddie Hanna (@maddiehanna) January 13, 2015
Christie says he redid Camden police, more cops, less $ spent, and crime down. #NJSOTS2015
— John Celock (@JohnCelock) January 13, 2015
#Christie on Camden: "400 (police) officers for the same price we were paying for 260. The results? Murder down 51%. #NJSOTS
— NJ.com Politics (@NJ_Politics) January 13, 2015
Camden crime reduction numbers cited in Christie's SOS are truly impressive but what's been happening in the rest of the state?
— Bob Hennelly (@stucknation) January 13, 2015
Christie revels Camden where "Hope and optimism are up — fear of failure is down."
— laparker (@laparker6) January 13, 2015
Christie says #Camden children now have hope
— Melissa Hayes (@MelissaMHayes) January 13, 2015
So, did Christie come across as a viable candidate for president?
somehow Christie gave a whole speech without referencing the Cowboys, orange sweaters, or even hugs, per @shushwalshe @DanKloefflerABC
— Rick Klein (@rickklein) January 13, 2015
@MarkHalperin @GovChristie @bpolitics He can hold a room better than any other potential candidate, and you can't teach that.
— David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) January 13, 2015
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