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Tell It Like It is

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I suppose everyone needs a campaign slogan, or song in this case, but I think the Fatman could have come up with something better than this.  If I was Aaron Neville, I would sue Christie not just for plagiarism but for slander.

As Simon Maloy notes in this article, Christie's campaign theme is a "massive joke," as it harks back to his early days as Governor of New Jersey when he came across as a no-nonsense leader promoting bi-partisan causes, which for a brief moment in time made him highly popular.  Then Hurricane Sandy hit and Christie was forced to coddle up to Obama, which may or may not have sunk Romney's campaign in 2012.  The hurricane diverted all attention to this national catastrophe at a time that Mitt seemed to be catching up to Barry in the polls.

The Fatman says this will be a campaign "without spin or pandering," yet here he is saying that one of the first things he would do as president is end the legalization of marijuana.  Like it matters any if states chose to decriminalize or legalize pot.  This is clearly an attempt to endear himself to the so-called "moral majority" of the Republican Party, who still live in a world of Reefer Madness.

Everything about Christie rings hollow.  Here is a man who has become incredibly unpopular in his home state, given the scandals, failed promised, and his appetite for ball park hot dogs.  His great charter school initiative in Newark has failed miserably, as has just about everything else he promoted over the last 6 years.  Yet, he seems to think he can project the image of his early successes onto the nation, like Young Bobby Jindal in Louisiana, who has similarly left a state in ruin to run for President.

Sadly, this seems to be the theme of the Republican Campaign Trail 2016, with no less than five governors announcing their candidacies for President with more to come.  What has Walker done for Wisconsin or Jeb for Florida or Huckabee for Arkansas or Kasich (a prospective candidate) for Ohio?  They all are trying to play on their executive roles, as this is what the GOP attacked Obama for in 2008 and 2012 and will no doubt go after Hillary on the same grounds.    It is truly a Trail of Tears.  Not a single one of these candidates is in step with the electorate of his state, much less the nation.

Last week was a clear indicator of this with Huckabee urging governors to defy the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, Jeb bellyaching about SCOTUS holding up "Obamacare," and the Fatman harping about conservative turncoat John Roberts.  It's pathetic beyond words.  If one of them could somehow get through the GOP primaries he wouldn't stand a chance in the general election, as they are all so far from mainstream opinion on these issues that they would go down in flames like Barry Goldwater did in 1964, hanging onto a handful of recalcitrant former Confederate states.

That's how it is, Chris!  In your effort to pander to the base of the GOP, you have completely lost sight of the national electorate, which at one time you actually tried to appeal to with your "no-nonsense" approach.  Now, you are just one more clown in the GOP clown car.

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