Chris Christie: Marco Rubio can’t ‘slime his way to the White House’ and ignores John Kasich attacks
The New Jersey governor is lashing out against a fellow GOP presidential candidate, this time at Florida Marco Rubio as Chris Christie said he can’t “slime his way to the White House.”
In an interview Tuesday with The Washington Post, Christie took aim against Rubio and shrugged off Ohio Gov. John Kasich, vowing that voters would coalesce around the Chris Christie candidacy in spite of his ideological liberalism because he projects strength.
“I just don’t think Marco Rubio’s going to be able to slime his way to the White House,” Christie said. “He wants to put out a whole bunch of negative ads? Go ahead. I hope that he will acknowledge at some point that I couldn’t care less.”
Chris Christie at 2011 event photo Bob Jagendorf
Christie mocked Rubio as naive in the arts of political street fighting — “He’s never been in a tough race in his life,” he said dismissively — and tore into Rubio’s work in the “Gang of Eight” on a 2013 immigration bill.
“The guy who advocated for amnesty and then ran away when the topic got too hot tells you two things: He’s not a reliable conservative, A, and, B, whenever it gets too hot, Marco turns tail and runs,” he said.
“I’m not the least bit concerned that Marco Rubio will hurt me with conservatives. Marco Rubio has work himself to do with conservatives.”
Rubio has clearly moved ahead of Jeb Bush as the establishment candidate, a position Christie appears to working towards. The Florida candidate has charged that Christie has been too closely aligned with President Obama on gun control, health care and Common Core education standards, echoing twin attack ads aired here by his allied super PAC.
Meanwhile, allies of Ohio Gov. John Kasich filled mailboxes in New Hampshire with a biting pamphlet that reads, “Chris Christie: Tough talk. Weak record.”
“He’s returning to form,” said Thomas H. Kean Sr., a former New Jersey governor and Christie mentor. “He’s a tough guy and he’s decided we’ve reached a stage in the campaign where people are looking for that, so he’s going to let that side of him show.”
Below are some photos of the Obama trip to Jersey:
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talk as they fly over the coast of New Jersey on Marine One, Oct. 31, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie look at storm damage along the coast of New Jersey on Marine One, Oct. 31, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talk with local residents at the Brigantine Beach Community Center in Brigantine, N.J., Oct. 31, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
