Chris Christie's Big Moment at CPAC

[Marcus Aurelius]

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/03/05/chris-christies-big-moment-at-cpac

No speech at the conservative confab is more highly anticipated than that of the New Jersey governor's.

Nine potential Republican presidential aspirants will grace the conservative movement’s biggest stage at the Conservative Political Action Conference over the next two days.

But no speech is more highly anticipated than that of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose relationship with the right wing of his party is chilly, complex, and at a critical inflection point.

But while conservatives have viewed Christie skeptically as an ideologically-mushy, President Barack Obama-hugging, self-absorbed figure, the CPAC stage provides him a timely venue to rally the troops to his side against Democratic adversaries seeking to destroy his political future.

“There’s nothing that fires up CPAC activists more than a substantive critique and systematic takedown of Obama’s policies and his approach to governing,” says Republican strategist Kevin Madden, who served as a senior aide to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. “For Christie to build up some credibility with these folks, showing that he can be a forceful counterpoint to all of the arguments being advanced by the progressive left will be an important step toward getting that credibility. He needs some of these activists to walk out of there saying, ‘That’s a guy I’d wade into the fight for.’”

Looking forward to this one.

 

[Marcus Aurelius]

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/ar...uts_pro-life_stance_to_cpac_crowd_121831.html

Reasserting himself as a strong Republican presidential prospect after suffering through two months of negative headlines, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie touted his opposition to abortion rights in a speech to conservative activists here on Thursday.

Christie also regaled the crowd with familiar stories about his efforts to fix entitlement programs in New Jersey and the fights with public unions he has embraced throughout his tenure.

In a nod to his 2016 ambitions, Christie struck a far more partisan tone that the one he typically used on the campaign trail during his re-election effort this fall.

He chastised President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, while criticizing the media in broad terms and extolling his fellow Republicans to offer a clearer alternative.

“The fact is, we’ve got to start talking about what we’re for, and not what we’re against,” Christie said. ”Our ideas are better than their ideas, and that’s what we need to stand up for.”

“We don’t get to govern if we don’t win,” he said. “Let’s come out of this conference resolved to win elections again.”

The large crowd rewarded Christie with enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation at the conclusion of his remarks.

 

[as seen on tv]

i'd rather see christie run than "jeb" bush. jeb would be DOA among undecideds/independents.