New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie enters the Borough Hall in Fort Lee to apologize to Mayor Mark Sokolich on January 9, 2014 in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
(Spencer Platt/Getty)
In the annals of Jersey political history, in the myths and stories explored so well by the likes of Tony Soprano and Nucky Thompson, how does the Chris Christie Administration compare?
"I am embarrassed and humiliated," Governor Christie told reporters on Thursday. The 108 minute press conference was just the start of the Governor's apology tour. The next stop was Fort Lee, New Jersey, where the Governor had promised to personally deliver an apology.
"Bridge Gate," as the scandal has been dubbed, all began in September, when Christie aides closed access lanes to the George Washington Bridge. Four months later, it's starting to look like that vindictive stunt could have real consequences for the Governor's career.
Congressman Rush Holt, a Democrat representing New Jersey's twelfth Congressional district, puts Christie's latest scandal into perspective.
See Also: Will Bridge Gate Hurt Christie in 2016?
"It was vintage Christie," Congressman Holt tells The Takeaway. "I think if nothing more comes out of this—if this is the end of the story—a lot of people will think he took care of it and that he handled it right."
What does this very long apology say about Governor Christie's crisis management style?
"If he didn't have direct participation in this really petty, vindictive action, he at least allowed it to happen in his office," says Rep. Holt. "That doesn't speak well for his management as an executive. He seemed to be more sorry that he was betrayed than he was sorry about the effect on the people of New Jersey."
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Comments [5]
Nothing but the cliched, yet very real New Joisey tough guys acting up.
The female aide looked like any NJ mob wife...and behaved like one. Right out of reality TV.
Christie is NOT a shoe-in for the GOP nomination, as he and his "aides" have plenty more time to screw it up...and trust me they will. His biggest asset is his biggest flaw and will be his undoing - being a Bully!
Americans want a strong leader, but not a bully, most especially in this age of trying to eradicate the school-yard bullies among the young. The analogy will be easy to play on and Christie et al will provide ample amounts of soundbites and video to feed the image of his over-wrought Ego and sense of privilege and always being right!
The Take Away's reporting on this story is offensively biased. Hockenberry should know better. The Sopranos? Come on. Politician - democratic, independent, republican, libertarian, tea party... are all petty and vindictive - you knew that already. If it was a democrat favorite NPR would vilify the right for a witch hunt. At the end of the day tt was a traffic jam. Because of Christie's henchmen it took nearly two hours to get over the GWB, as opposed to the normal crossing time of 1:50. Get-atta-heeeeya.
Like Miley Cyrus and Duck Dynasty, the negative publicity can be spun easily in today's world. He's almost a shoo in to win the Presidency.
I could run his campaign and I am a Democrat.
I would certainly agree with the observation of, Mark from Brooklyn, but having never heard the Soprano's theme song - I'd have missed it without host cluing us in. Part of the problem is to often in America the tendency is to dwell on the negative personalities, and elevate them. We are all human, but the media seems to exploit that part of our human nature that fears, and fascinated by wrong doers, and bullies. We'd like to know what makes them tick. Christie has no insight into the part he's played.
Christie is a bully; most certainly he controls others with his size and force of personality. He's egotistical to a fault and now he's faced with results from just those faults. He hired other bullies, because that behavior is OK with him, and then he's "feeling sad" because they are bullies, and made him look really bad. The buck stops ~ where?
It would have been nice to hear Christie express some sadness for the kids stuck on the bus, especially since one of his appointees, painfully didn't care, and for those who's lives were put to risk due to holdup. Feeling sorry for him-self, just has the self-centered ring of the bully he's putting in front of us to see. ~~~We'll have to wait to see how it all shakes out.
I think that The Takeaway showed bad taste today in using the Soprano's theme song "Woke Up This Morning" as background music for discussion of Gov. Christie's apology for the traffic tie up at the George Washington Bridge. There is no evidence that the governor, the Port Authority, or the mayor of Ft. Lee is any way connected to the mob.
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