Fox News Turns On Chris Christie And Guts His Presidential Campaign

A Fox News Sunday interview turned into a complete disaster for Chris Christie as Fox gutted the New Jersey governor’s presidential bid by highlighting the fact that he is never in New Jersey.

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Transcript via Fox News Sunday:

WALLACE: Now, New Jersey reporters have researched this. They say you’ve been away from New Jersey for all or part of 72 percent of the time since you announced you were running for president. When you look at the total, over 200 days in 2015, which raises the question — who are you to criticize?

CHRISTIE: I’m on the job every day, Chris. And what — that’s the difference between being a governor and being a senator. You know, I’m on the job every day. Senator Rubio just hasn’t shown up to vote.

And, listen, I understand he can’t be there for every day, he’s running for president. I get that. But, you know, there was a $1.15 trillion spending bill which he said he was absolutely opposed to. I would think he would take one day off of fund-raising to cast his no vote and speak on the floor to try to persuade had is colleagues.

But anybody who has been a governor, and anyone who hasn’t been I understand don’t understand this, I am on the job every day no matter where I am. There’s never a day off and I’m always working to help the people of New Jersey to do my job.

WALLACE: You say you’re on the job every day, but I’ve got to tell you, and it’s something you know, you’re getting hammered in New Jersey for being away so much. The Asbury Park Press issued this report card on New Year’s Day. They gave you a “D” overall, a “D” on the economy and jobs, and a D-minus on leadership, complained about your being away so much. And in the latest poll, your approval numbers are the worse since you became governor, 33 percent approve, 62 percent disapprove.

Governor, these are the people of New Jersey who know you best.

CHRISTIE: Well, listen, I’m not shocked that a liberal newspaper gives mess those grades, but let’s talk about the facts. They gave me that grade on jobs, yet New Jersey in 2015, without the December numbers, Chris, already has had the best job growth year in the private sector it’s had in 15 years, the best year since 2000.

Christie trotted out the same old line of BS that he has been using to defend his poor poll numbers in New Jersey for years. Christie went on to say that his approval ratings are so low because New Jersey voters are mad at him for running for president. Christie blamed the liberal media for the fact that few people like him in his home state, and eventually revived the claim that Obama is a king who wants to be a dictator.

Chris Christie approval ratings plunged after Bridgegate and never came back. The fact that Christie is running for president has nothing to do with why New Jersey turned on him.

What was most telling was the way that Fox News Sunday defended Marco Rubio. It is no secret that Fox News boss Roger Ailes wants to get one more Republican president elected before he retires, and it appears that Fox is doing their part to help clear the lower-tier establishment candidate clutter by defending Rubio from Christie’s attacks.

It looks like Fox News has settled on Marco Rubio as the establishment candidate that they are going to push, and the “fair and balanced” network had no qualms about getting Chris Christie out of the way.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association