LOS ANGELES: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a rising Republican star, appeared Tuesday to put down fevered speculation that he will enter the 2012 presidential race -- but then left some wiggle room.
Growing numbers of Republicans have identified Christie, a political newcomer who won plaudits for tough leadership in his deficit-ridden, traditionally Democratic state, as an exciting alternative to the current field of candidates seeking the nomination to take on President Barack Obama.
In a closely watched speech at the Reagan Library in California, Christie all but seemed to anoint himself as the new embodiment of Ronald Reagan, a revered figure among Republicans as they seek to make Obama a one-term president.
Launching a bitter attack on what he said was Obama's failure to lead, Christie said his own record in his first year as governor of New Jersey showed how Washington could be run.
"The executive branch has not stood by and waited for others to go first," he thundered, branding Obama "a bystander in the Oval Office" and "a president who once talked about the courage of his convictions but still has not found the courage to lead."
Sounding more than a little presidential, Christie also envisioned how the United States could "sustain the leadership role of the world" and ensure "a second American century."
But then he yet again seemed to nix the idea of entering the 2012 race, despite entreaties from Republicans unhappy with the existing crop of candidates and in particular the Texan Governor Rick Perry.
Asked about his intentions by a member of the audience, Christie suggested looking at the website politico.com.
"I saw something really great today on the Politico website," he said. "It's right on the front page. Those are the answers."
He was referring to a video clip put together on the influential website that compiles his many, varied and sometimes colorful versions of declining the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring.
"What do I have to do short of suicide to convince people I'm not running?" he quips in one part of the video compilation.
That answer in California would appear categorical, especially as it came on a big stage and directly followed a powerful speech.
Yet the fact that Christie referred the audience to a website, rather than give a direct response to such a plain question still left some doubt over his final plan.
As it happened, on the same Politico home page was a news story quoting an unnamed source that despite all the indications to the contrary, "the New Jersey governor is still considering entering the presidential campaign."
Earlier, Fox News had reported that Christie was definitely out of the running, while the Newark Star-Ledger newspaper quoted his brother, Todd Christie, saying the same thing.
Christie's appeal in the Republican camp has grown especially in response to recent signs of trouble in the campaign of Perry, whose own late entry into the race had excited core Republican members and Tea Party activists.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.