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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie can kiss his White House hopes goodbye as questions mount about what he knew about the Bridgegate scandal — a development that has pushed the one-time Republican frontrunner aside while opening doors for other candidates in 2016, political experts said.
“His chances are gone in a New Jersey minute,” said Boston University Professor Thomas Whalen. “I just don’t see him recovering. … This is a huge challenger who is out of the way.”
New Jersey’s chief executive has been under fire after revelations his top aides orchestrated traffic gridlock on the George Washington Bridge as possible political payback to Fort Lee’s Democratic mayor. Christie has denied knowing of any plot and told the public he didn’t know about the traffic jam until it was over.
But a former loyalist who ordered the closures, and resigned amid the controversy, released a letter Friday saying evidence exists suggesting Christie knew about the closures as they happened in September. The letter from David Wildstein’s lawyer did not provide proof. Wildstein was Christie’s No. 2 man at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey before resigning.
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., said Christie has gone from the frontrunner who was out-polling Hillary Clinton, to just another “Republican want to be.”
“This situation, so far, has been nothing short of devastating to Christie’s presidential ambitions,” Farnsworth said.
A New Jersey newspaper, The Star Ledger, in an editorial Friday called for Christie to resign or be impeached if he lied.
Christie was pounded with boos during a Super Bowl ceremony yesterday in New York City, but he didn’t appear affected by the crowd’s reaction.
Christie’s political team went on the offensive yesterday, sending an email to donors, and columnists and pundits who might be in a position to defend the governor, bashing Wildstein and calling the report about the letter “sloppy reporting,” noting Wildstein did not present any proof to back up his claims.
But the political chaos seems to be too much for Christie’s presidential hopes. Even Republican pundits said his bid for the Oval Office is hanging by a thread.
“Chris Christie could get a second chance, but it could take a while,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, who is based in Washington, D.C.
National GOP strategist Ford O’Connell said Christie is “sinking faster than the Titanic.”
“The cards are stacked against him,” O’Connell said, adding that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will benefit from Christie’s political swan dive.
Whalen said a much more familiar candidate could emerge in the mix for 2016 — former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney.
“This might make viable a third run for Mitt,” he said. “You’ve got to wonder if the establishment will rally around him once again through the process of elimination."
Commentary
The establishment is the only thing that will back his sorry Fat ass
New Jersey’s chief executive has been under fire after revelations his top aides orchestrated traffic gridlock on the George Washington Bridge as possible political payback to Fort Lee’s Democratic mayor. Christie has denied knowing of any plot and told the public he didn’t know about the traffic jam until it was over.
But a former loyalist who ordered the closures, and resigned amid the controversy, released a letter Friday saying evidence exists suggesting Christie knew about the closures as they happened in September. The letter from David Wildstein’s lawyer did not provide proof. Wildstein was Christie’s No. 2 man at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey before resigning.
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., said Christie has gone from the frontrunner who was out-polling Hillary Clinton, to just another “Republican want to be.”
“This situation, so far, has been nothing short of devastating to Christie’s presidential ambitions,” Farnsworth said.
A New Jersey newspaper, The Star Ledger, in an editorial Friday called for Christie to resign or be impeached if he lied.
Christie was pounded with boos during a Super Bowl ceremony yesterday in New York City, but he didn’t appear affected by the crowd’s reaction.
Christie’s political team went on the offensive yesterday, sending an email to donors, and columnists and pundits who might be in a position to defend the governor, bashing Wildstein and calling the report about the letter “sloppy reporting,” noting Wildstein did not present any proof to back up his claims.
But the political chaos seems to be too much for Christie’s presidential hopes. Even Republican pundits said his bid for the Oval Office is hanging by a thread.
“Chris Christie could get a second chance, but it could take a while,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, who is based in Washington, D.C.
National GOP strategist Ford O’Connell said Christie is “sinking faster than the Titanic.”
“The cards are stacked against him,” O’Connell said, adding that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will benefit from Christie’s political swan dive.
Whalen said a much more familiar candidate could emerge in the mix for 2016 — former Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney.
“This might make viable a third run for Mitt,” he said. “You’ve got to wonder if the establishment will rally around him once again through the process of elimination."
Commentary
The establishment is the only thing that will back his sorry Fat ass
