Bob Schwartz

Chris Christie is never going to be president. Or the Republican nominee.

But he’s had his moments. Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spanning 1,150 miles. It devastated New Jersey, where Christie was then governor.

It was just a few weeks before the 2012 presidential election. Barack Obama, running for reelection, visited New Jersey as part of the federal response to the devastating damage. Christie greeted him on arrival and gave him a warm and appreciative welcome. Christie’s job was to take care of the people of New Jersey and Obama’s job was to help.

Republicans lost their minds, outraged that Christie would appear to do anything positive to help Obama. Even though Christie was just doing his job, regardless of partisan politics.

Christie is now running for the Republican nomination. He will not win that nomination, but he has an additional important role. Set apart from so many high-profile scared Republicans, he is out to destroy Trump as a suitable Republican nominee or president. Whether Christie is doing this to make room for himself or because he is one of the remaining decent Republicans who believes in the rule of law and the Constitution (Christie is a former U.S. Attorney), it doesn’t matter.

A hero, a minor one, but head and shoulders above the rest of his party.

© 2023 by Bob Schwartz