William Palatucci, Gov. Chris Christie’s close personal and political confidante, told The Auditor that Republican leadership had inquired with the governor about rebutting President Obama’s big speech on Tuesday.
“They tried to see if there was some interest, and there wasn’t any,” Palatucci said.
He said Christie wants to stick to New Jersey.“The governor is in the midst of his legislative agenda,” Palatucci said. “There’s no reason to try to get involved in federal issues.”
Although Christie has not shied from the national spotlight, Palatucci said the governor does not want to become entangled in the federal debate. Responding to the president’s speech would do just that.
I don’t buy the bit about not wanting to get immersed in federal issues, because he’s shown he’ll pop off at the mouth whenever he wants. I do, however, think he was pretty smart to turn this down. No one looks good rebutting the SOTU. It’s so painful to watch that I can never figure out why the opposition even bothers.
Xboxershorts
Christie is also being pilloried in a major way by the “more” extreme right wing sites for appointing a “muslin terrust” to the state supreme court.
Low profile for Christie right now is the best thing he could do for his national office ambitions.
Maude
Christie would have trouble understanding the SOTU. He’s not the brightest light in the sky. He keeps screwing up and losing NJ big bucks.
Also, who would be there for him to shake his finger at as he tries and fails to make a point?
cleek
i’m sure Palin would be happy to give it a try. wonder how far down she is on the list of people to consider.
James Hare
Jim Webb bitchslapped George Bush something fierce when he delivered the SOTU response. I think that’s the only memorable one I’ve ever seen. Come to think of it, that was the last time I’ve heard much from Jim Webb. It was a damn fine speech.
It’s not too long, so if you haven’t seen or don’t remember it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVXMU43Qhow
JGabriel
John Cole:
And no one looks good giving a speech after Obama.
When I heard the GOP was tapping Paul Ryan for the “honor”, I wondered who he pissed off and why they wanted to make him eat Humble Pie.
.
Carol
Face it, it’s like going on after the headliner. The only people who watch are partisans-maybe. Everyone else has already gone to the pundits or blogs for discussion and analysis as to what the President has said or meant to, or changed the channel.
Perhaps the rebuttal could be a truly separate event the next morning when folks have digested the speech.
baldheadeddork
@James Hare: Webb’s rebuttal was my first thought, too. Thanks for the link.
Breezeblock
Governor Jumbotron is too fat to be President. End of discussion.
mistermix
Ryan is an idiot to do it, though the beltway crowd thinks he’s a genius because he doesn’t have anaphylaxis when confronted with a few numbers.
Southern Beale
I think Gov. Sandwiches is the perfect face of the GOP. Bloated, overstuffed, white guy. Surprised Haley Barbour didn’t take the gig.
joe from Lowell
A Republican with a modicum of self-awareness, an understanding of his strengths and weaknesses, and a degree of respect for Barack Obama’s abilities?
This is a troubling development. We’ve dealing with conceited jackoffs who just couldn’t wait until they got the chance to show him who’s boss at the House Republican retreat.
joe from Lowell
@cleek:
I’m sure Sarah Palin is 100% convinced she would dominate Barack Obama in back-to-back speeches.
Tom65
Two words: Bobby Jindal.
JR
The problem with the SOTU rebuttal is that the whole thematic breakdown puts the President at a clear advantage.
Point: “The state of our Union is strong, and these steps will make it stronger!”
Counter-Point: “Nope, we’re weak and sad and it’s all the fault of that guy everyone was just clapping for!”
Crappy gig. Great way to raise one’s profile, but a terrible way to do so positively.
dmsilev
Remember, this year there will be *two* rebuttals. Ryan is giving the official response, but Michelle Bachman will be giving a response in the name of the Crazy People’s Caucus. That one is sure to be good for some giggles.
dms
YellowDog
Here’s a drinking game for teetotalers–take a shot every time Bachmann blinks during her rebuttal.
rikyrah
I want to know why anyone should even give press to that crazy ass Bachmann’s ‘ response’ to the SOTU.
rikyrah
Bobby Jindal’s response is still one of the best LOL moments in the past couple of years.
TR
True.
Which was the worst, though? Bobby Jindal’s “Kenneth the Page” impersonation was a career killer, but Steve Largent’s “I married a cheerleader!” rebuttal to one of Clinton’s SOTU addresses was a close second.
David Fud
@James Hare: What happened to that guy? I liked him. He seemed like a Democrat. Seems like he’s been disappeared to Guantanamo or something.
He must have forgotten to consult our corporate overlords before he gave that speech.
Nicole
I went on Salon today and one of the front-page is a concern troll article about what the President MUST say to restore the country’s faith in him, blah blah blah.
Does anyone remember if there were articles like this when GW was President, or is this the sort of article only written about Presidents with Ds after their names? I honestly don’t remember. Were there ever any op-eds about what Bush needed to say?
Exurban Mom
@Tom65: Exactly. That was a train wreck of epic proportions.
If someone was smart, Boehner or Cantor would go on TV after the president and deliver a very short speech talking about bipartisanship and working together to solve the country’s problems. The End.
Otherwise, someone’s going to get Jindalized, and it won’t be pretty.
Joey Maloney
@mistermix:
He doesn’t have epistemosis*, either.
*Yeah, I’m showing off. “Comprehension” would work just fine, but I wanted to stay with Greek roots.
Jay C
@Xboxershorts:
Nahh, Gov. Christie’s nomination of Sohail Mohammed was a pretty smart move: it lets him look like a “moderate” – in the real world – and makes his attackers look even more like the unhinged shrill Muslim-bashers they are. C’mon: Pam Geller? Debbie Schlussel? Jokes in the blogosphere, unknown out of it…
@Carol:
wt u sed. The “Official Response”. i.e. rebuttal, really ought to be just a showcase for whatever Opposition figure the Party deems needs a little face-time on national TV: AND: they should keep it short and to-the-point. All too often, it merely embarrasses the speaker, i.e. Booby Jindal.
@rikyrah:
I may be mistaken, but I think Michele Bachmann’s
drivelling rant“rebuttal” had to be PAID for (by some well-heeled Teabagger front, IIRC) – the “Official Response” is, I think, public airtime in a sort zombie holdover from the Fairness Doctrine era.Jay C
Actually, in #24 I meant to put “Bobby” Jindal – I think I’ll leave it as is…
Redshift
@David Fud: Webb’s still around, and doing some good work. He’s taking on issues like prison reform, because he takes the job seriously and isn’t looking for things that will raise his profile. Basically, he’s a good legislator because, unlike nearly everyone else there, he doesn’t really want to be a politician.
(This is not to say I don’t have my differences with him on the issues sometimes, but I live in Virginia — if I only sometimes have differences with my senator, I’m doing really well.)
Redshift
@Nicole: Actually, I think there were, and they were even more delusional, because they had to pretend that Bush actually gave a damn about the country and not just about himself.
RalfW
The lack of an audience always seems so weird, so incredibly canned.
jayjaybear
@joe from Lowell: There are plenty of Teabaggers who literally fantasize about Palin dominating (and I’m not talking oratorically) Obama. There are probably homebrewed tapes of Sarah Palin and Barack Obama imitators recreating the “Toby” scene from Roots out there…
someguy
Hey, nice way to get the homosinuation in there with the “bear” descriptor. Oughtta stick with that, maybe it’ll work and take some of the gas out of his bag with his homophobic right wing supporters.
bemused
Michele Bachmann is probably adding to her already large PR staff because Christie sure is getting himself on the tv a lot more than she is lately.
Rick Taylor
It might be good for Christie to turn the “honor” down, but I doubt it will be good for the Republican party. I suspect Paul Ryan won’t make them look good.
lacp
@cleek: I’m not sure the networks would approve of somebody tweeting a SOTU rebuttal.
Cris
And just for clarity, I agree even — or especially — when it’s “my side” doing it. The Democratic responses to W’s SOTU speeches were predictably pathetic.
Cris
Furthermore, what the fuck anyway, Congress? He’s the President with a capital P. He’s laying out his agenda. He’s supposed to do this. The Constitution says so. It doesn’t call for a formal rebuttal.
For what it’s worth, both sides do it, but the Republicans started it.
catclub
@Breezeblock:
They probably said that about Grover Cleveland, too.
joe from Lowell
That was a damn good rebuttal by Jim Webb.
I literally cannot think of another one that was any good at all. It’s a pretty impressive accomplishment for Webb.
Dee Loralei
@dmsilev: And I heard that Marco Rubio would also be taping his personal SOTU response for his voters and fans. So we get three rebuts for the price of none!
Jacob Davies
I was just saying this this morning. I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would sign up to be “Some guy from the other party in a basement” right after the President of the United States has just addressed the United States Congress with the Constitutionally-mandated State of the Union address.
It’s like coming onstage after the Beatles to give your kazoo rendition of “Yesterday”.
It’s humiliating. And yes, I thought that with Bush, too.