Is Chris Christie playing CYA in his speech on CNN?

[CoffeeCat]

What is he doing?

He's saying that mayors in NJ (not sure where) told people to stay put. Christie is reminding the world that he told people to leave. He's publicly wrist-slapping a mayor. Gee, wanna bet this is a Democratic mayor?

What the hell is he doing?

Sounds like he's politicizing this disaster and scaring people--and playing a little CYA--in the event that there are fatalities. This would be horrible, and I hope there aren't any, but I don't like Christie's baloney.

Is it possible for our nation to EVER come together? Isn't a national disaster enough to get us to put down the political posturing for one fricking second?

[KatyAnn]

1. This is

classic Christie.

I agree with him that people should have left and if they did not have sense enough to, they should not expect others to risk their lives on their behalf.

[MadrasT]

2. Atlantic City.

Christie said he told AC residents to evacuate, and "for some reason" the mayor of AC told them to shelter in AC.

Now there are people stuck in Atlantic City and Christie said too bad, so sad, we aren't coming in for you until morning.

[OldDem2012]

4. That's standard operating procedure for hurricanes. Rescue personnel and police cannot be asked....

...to risk their lives in situations where people have been told to evacuate and have failed to do so.

[MadrasT]

8. I know. I don't blame him. It is what it is. n/t

[Whisp]

3. that's a lot of acreage to cover. n/t

[Blue Owl]

5. He'd make a useful sandbag

n/t

[CTyankee]

9. I didn't want to say that but...

come to think about it, he kind of would...

[OldDem2012]

6. Since you didn't mention it, Christie was VERY complimentary of the President's speedy response....

....and leadership during crisis. He said the President told him if there was any delay in supplies or other needed help to call him directly at the White House.

That totally undermines the any attempt by the GOP to blame the President for the way he's handling this natural disaster.

[CoffeeCat]

7. Thank you for your post...

That gives me some relief.

I certainly am not comfortable thinking that Christie (or any leader for that matter) would grab a microphone during a natural disaster to start the finger pointing before the brunt of and start finger pointing before the brunt of the storm hits.

I understand that Christie wanted people to leave. That's optimal. However, it's not always possible. People don't always have somewhere else to go. And it's always the poor, the disabled and the vulnerable who get stuck.

We should be galvanizing as a nation right now--as we're on the cusp of this storm throwing its worst winds and storm surges at the East Coast.

It is good news to hear that Christie praised Obama, and it's also good to hear that Obama is making sure that Governors and other city officials have what they need.

Thank you again for posting.