“What’s worked for [Christie] has been to make sure that nobody talks about the issues, that people just get consumed with his personality-driven late-show entertainment,” O’Comartun said. “People will see past the bluster and the vaudeville routine that is the Chris Christie show. They’ll focus in on the issues.”Of course they will. That's just how you've been training them, Mr. O'Carmatun!
On the issues, the best thing that probably can be said about Christie is that he'd be a sight better than Hillary Clinton. The man has fallen for global warming, for pete's sake. But on style, bluster, and vaudeville--oh, my! Clinton will wish she had a sliver of what he's got.
I'm waiting for the bumper stickers: "Putting government on a diet."
Christie is recognized as Obama's understudy.
ReplyDeleteThat has so many dimensions to it....
Eric Hines
I bet the most liberal Dem in Wyoming is about as conservative as Christie. It's all where the base point is on the graph.
ReplyDeleteI do have a litmus test and am not ashamed of it in the least. If a politician does not trust me with a weapon, I do not trust them with power.
Machiavelli had some solid advice on this point, about Princes losing the trust of the people when they attempted to dis-arm them.
Machiavelli, albeit writing in an era of mercenary armies, also had some sound words concerning the strength of a nation's army lying in its own people less than in its aristocrats as leaders.
ReplyDeleteConservative vs liberal also varies over time as well as geography. Compare modern Progressivism, especially as espoused by Clinton and Obama, with the 18th century conservatism of monarchists.
Eric Hines
Christie's broad success comes from the same place Reagan's and Obama's came from- people believed (rightly or wrongly) that they believed in something, and would lead based on those beliefs- it doesn't seem to matter to a large swath of the people what those beliefs are- just that they are. I don't know yet if Christie is more like Reagan (loyal to his proclaimed beliefs) or Obama (loyal only to himself and will tell you whatever it takes to make it happen for him).
ReplyDeletedouglas, I think that is an important observation. Votes on either side of the divide are not all of a piece, and many who do not operate from conscious principles do indeed respond to the perceived leadership qualities of someone who does.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly works that way with me. I know that I'm going to disagree vehemently with Christie on many issues, but he still radiates a quality of leadership that I respond to. My strong impression is that he does have principles, though I may not like all of them.
ReplyDeleteOf course he may be a fabulous con man, but until I have real evidence of that, I prefer him to many who've made crystal clear that they have no principles of any kind. For one thing, I am so sick of conservatives who can't answer questions under a bright light about why they believe what they believe, and fold in confusion under the first hostile question. Because they can assume that all questions will be hostile.
...many who've made crystal clear that they have no principles of any kind. For one thing, I am so sick of conservatives who can't answer questions under a bright light about why they believe what they believe, and fold in confusion under the first hostile question.
ReplyDeleteThat may or may not be a lack of principles, though. It could be that they've grown up with a belief set that they've never had to think overtly about but which they really do believe, or in the latter case, simple cowardice.
The former can be cured easily through that thinking in an argumentative environment. The latter might be curable, if it stems from lack of practice and not any inherent moral flaw. Neither of these, though, recommend the politician wannabe before he's had that practice and training.
Eric Hines