Chris Christie Endorsed Trump Twice. Now He Wants To Eliminate Him.

Honestly with Bari Weiss

The Free Press

News, Society & Culture

4.6 • 7.8K Ratings

🗓️ 29 June 2023

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2016, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was one of 17 Republicans in a crowded field trying to beat Donald Trump. We know how that movie ended. One of the hard won lessons of that primary, especially among Republicans, was that it was foolish not to unite right away behind the strongest candidate. If they had done that, perhaps Trump wouldn't have been the nominee and then the president. Yet here we are in 2023 and we seem to be watching the same movie play out in real time, with 13 Republican candidates trying, once again, to outperform Trump in a crowded field. One of those people, once again, is Chris Christie. But this time, he insists, he can write a new ending. Christie not only believes that he could win the nomination, but he believes he can win it by going toe to toe with Trump. Christie's brand is the brash, straight-talking Jersey guy, and he's more than living up to his reputation. He's been absolutely brutal in his attacks on the former president, calling Trump a “lonely, self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog,” a “petulant child,” a “bitter, angry man,” and “the cheapest S.O.B I’ve ever met.” This, as one would expect, has made him a liberal darling of sorts. At the same time, a lot of people think, too little, too late. For a long time, Christie was very much a Trump cheerleader. After Christie dropped out of the 2016 race, he was the first establishment Republican—and the first of any of the Republican governors or senators—to endorse Donald Trump, which a lot of people say helped launch Trump to the nomination. During Trump’s presidency, Christie said things about Trump like, “he’s not only a strong leader, but a caring, genuine and decent person” and “when he makes a promise, he keeps it.” On today's show, I ask Governor Christie to explain himself. I ask him why he supported Trump in 2016 and again in 2020 and what finally led him to break ranks. I also ask him about whether this kind of rejection of Trump can resonate with a Republican base who doesn't seem to have moved on from Trump or Trumpism. And last, I ask him why he wants to be president of the United States in the first place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Sign up to the economist for in-depth
0:03.0	expert analysis of world events
0:06.0	and topics ranging from business and culture
0:08.0	to science and technology.
0:10.0	You'll get the weekly digital edition, online only articles,
0:13.6	curated newsletters on politics, the markets, science, culture and China.
0:18.0	And full access to The Economist Podcast Plus.
0:21.0	The Economist is Independent Journalism for Independent Thinking.
0:25.9	Go to Economist.com and get your first month free.
0:30.3	I'm Barry Weiss and this is honestly.
0:34.0	In 2016, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was one of 17 Republicans in a crowded field trying to beat Donald Trump.
0:45.2	If you're listening to this, you're alive, which means you know exactly how that movie ended.
0:50.2	One of the hard-won lessons of that primary, especially among Republicans, was this.
0:55.2	It was foolish not to unite right away behind the strongest horse.
1:00.3	If they had done that, perhaps Trump wouldn't have been the nominee and then the president.
1:05.0	Yet here we are in 2023, and we seem to be watching the same story play out in real time,
1:12.0	with 13 Republican candidates trying once again to
1:15.6	outperform Trump. And that's why I came back to New Hampshire to tell all of you that
1:20.6	I intend to seek the Republican nomination for President of the United States in
1:24.6	2024 and I want your support.
1:28.2	And one of those people, once again, is Chris Christie. But this time he says, trust me, I can write a new ending.
1:37.0	Christie not only believes that he could win the nomination, But he believes he can win the nomination
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Free Press, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Free Press and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.