Giving 'politics at water's edge' new meaning
By Steve Benen
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Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:35 AM EDT
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) spoke to NBC's Matt Lauer this morning about the response effort to Hurricane Sandy, and towards the end of the interview, he offered some noteworthy praise for the federal response to the crisis.
[watch the video......Christie's remarks are surprising]
Christie offered a fairly detailed assessment of conditions in the Garden State, including the fact that there have been three reported fatalities thus far. But when Lauer asked about the efficacy of the federal response, the governor said it's been "great," noting that he spoke directly to President Obama at midnight and FEMA again this morning. Christie said Obama "has been outstanding."
The governor made similar remarks on CBS, saying, "Cooperation from the president of the United States has been outstanding. He deserves great credit."
What's more, Christie told reporters yesterday that he'd spoken to Obama, "and he told me that if, at any point over the next 48 hours, I was not getting something from the federal government that I should call him directly at the White House and that he was going to be there. And I should just not worry about dealing with anybody else, call him. So I appreciate that call from the president. It was very proactive. And I appreciate that type of leadership."
I think it's fair to say Christie is not a fan of Obama's when it comes to politics and ideology. It's what makes this praise, a week before the election, that much more striking. |
