Chris Christie has fallen out of favor with the archies–the arch conservatives of the Republican Party. His punishment is not being invited to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference that will meet in Washington in the next couple of weeks, according to someone not authorized to speak to the press.
The snubbing of Christie comes along at a time when lots of losers are being sought–Mitt ‘47%’ Romney, Mr. Herman ‘9-9-9’ Cain, Sarah ‘Wink Wink’ Palin, Paul ‘Not this go-Round’ Ryan, Rick ‘College is for Elites’ Santorum, and Sen. Ted “Obnoxious and Rude” Cruz, to name a few. Other candidates who aren’t losers are also included, to be fair. According to the Washingtonpost.com:
Christie’s apparent snub comes as most other big-name potential 2016 GOP presidential candidates have been invited and accepted the invitations, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), former Florida governor Jeb Bush (R), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (R), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and former senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.).
While broadly popular in his home state, Christie has irritated some conservatives in recent weeks and months, first by praising President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy efforts in the final week of the 2012 campaign (some Republicans even blame this for the GOP’s loss) and then by taking on his party’s failure to pass a Sandy bill. He also offered some tough criticism of the National Rifle Association after the group ran an ad using President Obama’s daughters to make a point.
It wouldn’t be the first CPAC has left out someone who has departed from its principles. The gay Republican group GOProud has also been excluded.
Christie has strong conservative credentials. He is a Republican governor in a blue state. He also had a 74% approval rating. He appeals to many people across many political He has taken on teachers’ unions, is seriously anti-abortion, he has cut taxes and peeled back budgets. That just isn’t enough to some uber conservatives who want candidates run on purity rather than being able to win elections. Candidates who are “pure” enhance conservative talk show hosts and sell books but they can’t win elections. The numbers just don’t add up.
Why can’t uber-conservatives understand that idealistically pure candidates that seem to be the darlings of the party purists simply cannot win in general elections? Most Americans don’t want these anti-intellectual, anti-government, often anti-women rubes in office. They will vote them down each and every time. It is simple 7th grade math. They don’t have the numbers.
Ken Cuccinelli is another example. He is so radical that many long time conservatives are distancing themselves from the Cooches of the world. Cuccinelli’s last example of extremism can be seen with his statement about not getting his last born child a social security number because ‘that is how they track you down.’ Now THAT is paranoia.
The radial conservatives will continue their talk radio mentality, scream into an echo chamber and stir up resentment and hate with their base. Winning just isn’t on their horizon.
Christie is still clearly a winner. Too bad the the anti-science crowd tosses aside winners so they can strut those who simply don’t appeal to mainstream America.
Chris Christie does the unthinkable – he governs.
yes, he does. He is also very protective of his state. I think his secret is that he sees himself as governor of all the people of New Jersey, not just his base.
Yep… as opposed to Obama.
But, also, he’s not a conservative…so why would he WANT to go to CPAC. Romney is invited due to his previous candidacy.
He’s not a conservative? Do you realize how incredibly radical that sounds? You are beginning to sound like some wing nut job who ought to be out living in Idaho or someplace. Of course he is a conservative. That is just stupid talk.
He thanked the president for helping his state in a horrible disaster. That’s what we call good manners and playing it smart. Why would you say he isn’t a conservative?
I am glad that Christie is not going to participate at CPAC. When CPAC allows people like Rush, Beck and LaPierre to be the voice of the Conservatives – it only proves that it is all about the ratings.
@pat–I am glad also. Christie is better than that. Not saying I would ever vote for him but I do respect him and a lot that he does.
Never say never……
I would vote for Christie – he says what he thinks. I might disagree with him, but he is not towing the party line, and appears to be not bought by special interests and lobbyists. His state needs the money to rebuild after sandy – and he is crucified for asking – but when Palin was attacked for the bridge to no where money, the same people defended her – she was only doing what was best for her state. They think we all have short memories. Some of us do.
Looks like the CPAC freak show is coming to town. What a bunch of losers! Maybe they think Christie will eat all the pastries, haha!
Christie may just end up on the Republican ticket…bring back Huntsman.
According to Politico –
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will become the latest GOP governor to accept Medicaid expansion under Obamacare, reversing his earlier opposition to a key element of the health care law, according to POLITICO sources.
Christie, a potential presidential candidate in 2016, is the eighth GOP governor to embrace the federally financed expansion that begins in 2014, and his expected announcement in his annual budget address Tuesday follows high-profile reversals of conservative Govs. John Kasich of Ohio and Rick Scott of Florida, both of whom agreed to expansion recently.
Conservatives choose Sarah Palin over Chris Christie?
Yes, choose the person that lacks any substance, good going, way to destroy your party.
Christie is a real person who can speak in complete sentences and make sense. He governs. He doesn’t quit in the middle because he got a bigger and better deal.
I really think CPAC appeals to those who allow ideology to trump reality.
Some common denominators I see with many radial conservatives–they always want to engage in a political fight and will turn a simple comment into political subtrafuge. They always seem to want to bemoan how crappy the world is and act like the other guy is getting something they feel entitled to. Prove me wrong…PLEASE
CPAC sort of enjoys the loser image, and doesn’t want to lose touch with the Santorum/Palin types, who remind us how much fun it can be to be foolish in public.
By the way, Moon, don’t worry that Cuccinelli believes things like the SSN bit mentioned in the post. He is not stupid. He knows that is nonsense, but has built a political career on appealing to the yob element in the Virginia right wing. That will work as far as the nominating convention. But then he will jettison all that stuff, tack hard to the middle and count on the yokels he has been conning for the past few years not being alert enough to notice. I have no doubt that the man is a complete opportunist and I respect him much more than I would if I thought he actually believes half the things he says.
@Scout
I predict that Cuccinelli won’t tack back to the middle. He’s unopposed in the primary. I think this IS his middle.
Christie not invited to CPAC because he spoke his mind, his feelings, and did not tow the party line – http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/al-cardenas-defends-chris-christie-cpac-snub-88162.html – so much for independent thinkers. I am really glad that he is not attending – gives him more credibility.
Indeed it does give him more credibility. @ Pat
Meh..he acted as a liberal. He even broke his own promised cap on spending. He sucked up to Obama who, of course, let his state down. He’s anti-gun.
The only thing going for him was that the cut spending and taxes. And now… not so much.
Now..if its a choice between him and say….. hillary….. actually I don’t know…not much difference there.