to be perfectly honest - Christie performed well and will PROBABLY live to fight another day

[Douglas Carpenter]

When President Obama blew it during the first debate - I upset some people by admitting that - even though nothing would have made me happier than if that had not been the case. Given that Governor Christie could be a viable Republican nominee for President in 2016 who would have a fair chance of winning - nothing would make me happier than seeing him going down in flames now. But as of now - after this press conference - he is not looking that bad. And I suspect a lot of the mainstream media will give him the benefit of the doubt. Now this could all come undone if some members of his staff feel betrayed and are not willing to fall on their swords and/or some material evidence does emerge that clearly and concretely proves Gov. Christie was personally involved in this affair,

[DURHAM D]

1. Just get the emails un-redacted and he is toast.

[bigdarryl]

2. Clinton performed well to when he said I did not have sex with that woman

Not making fun of Big Dog but there politicians and any politician can look good even when he or she is a liar.He wants to run for President what else would you expect that he was going to faint during the conference.

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. The Rev. Wright matter could have sunk the Obama campaign. "How can Americans elect a President who

attends a church where the pastor proclaims, "God damn America!!?" - as I heard one pundit ask. But then Sen. Obama was able to not only survive but present himself as a healer of racial tensions. The question on the Christie matter is will some really strong evidence or testimony come forward directly and unambiguously implicating him? I think Americans in recent years have taken on more of a European attitude about things - where they no longer look at politicians as moral leaders - there is more an attitude of "Yes, he is a crook and a liar - but we need him." - Besides everyone does it.

[ProSense]

13. That's really a stretch of a false equivalency, and

"The question on the Christie matter is will some really strong evidence or testimony come forward directly and unambiguously implicating him? I think Americans in recent years have taken on more of a European attitude about things - where they no longer look at politicians as moral leaders - there is more an attitude of "Yes, he is a crook and a liar - but we need him." - Besides everyone does it. "

...with that, you're basically saying he's going to survive even if implicated as a "crook and a liar." If Christie is directly involved, he would likely be forced to resign. What comes next depends on the evidence.

TPM headlines expose Christie's lame BS and lies
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024304443

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. If he is directly and unambiguously personally involved - I would agree that will probably sink him

. It was an amazing political maneuver that enabled then Sen. Obama to change the discussion when the Rev. Wright story broke. If handled any less delicately or during an earlier time and place - it could have sunk his campaign. The two matters are not moral equivalency - but they both had the potential to sink presidential ambitions.

[treestar]

25. Still that was something Rev. Wright did

And Obama was criticized for being in the congregation, but this would be something Christie did himself while in office.

More equivalent to Monica-gate, yet worse, since that was at least Bill's personal life and not an abuse of the powers of the office itself.

[Douglas Carpenter]

34. I agree. I was thinking in matters of media controversy - not moral equivalency

[randome]

3. Sounds like it to me, too.

But I do think Christie's political ambitions are over. He isn't liked by the GOP and they can use this against him in a primary.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Body language has been amazing. Not blinking the way

Liars usually do. So either he is very practiced, or people did go behind his back. Mind you this speaks to a toxic culture, but.

[bettyellen]

6. often when lying is a way of life, you don't see the usual tells. he knew.

[LynneSin]

9. When a liar tells the same lie over and over again they can repeat it back like it's the truth

This story has been in the news for almost a week now and he's had plenty of time to practice repeating the lie like a truth. And I'm sure he had handlers present when he practiced the news conference commenting on body language to ensure he pulls it off.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. He is doing something else

Hand going down to tie and checking his suit. So handlers replaced one known tick for a lot less one.

Whenever you watch a pol in trouble, body language is critical.

[athena]

11. The raised eyebrows are a little out of place.

His nods don't seem timed correctly.

And he doesn't speak at a constant pace. His speech slows down whenever he's saying something important.

I'm not an expert of body language, but I think he's lying. (Moreover, it's hard to imagine how this could have happened without his approval.)

ETA: Have you seen this video about body language? It's good.
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/secrets-of-body-language/

[Beringia]

19. Will check out the documentary, thanks

[avebury]

5. Any clips of the news conference yet? I missed it. nt

[csziggy]

8. It's not over yet. nt

[LynneSin]

7. I have to agree - if this was 2015 then his campaign would be close to ending

But he's got plenty of time to recovery.

Which is why I think it's important that NJians start the recall against Christie now!

[nolabear]

12. I don't agree. He will be perceived as either guilty or a very poor leader.

And, as I posted elsewhere, campaigning and trying to point out any opponent's foibles is going to only call attention to his own. How can you say "Benghazi was a botched operation, you should have known..." without the immediate response being "...and you can't even keep your staff from cheap retribution over a political slight?"

[treestar]

26. Yes. It takes the wind out of his sails.

And of course it will be brought up. Even if he recovers, once you run for President, your whole life is up for grabs.

[bettyellen]

14. it's not over yet. at best he is abdicating all responsibility for his staff's work…. and he admits

to being a huge delegator. He keeps saying he has "No idea". Not good for him.

[HappyMe]

16. Yeah, I think you're right.

This is a tangled, fucked up mess. It's only going to get weirder.

[otohara]

17. If "I don't know", "mistakes" and all this denial is a good performance

then I guess you're right.

Frankly he sounds incompetent, clueless and not very sincere.

[Kingofalldems]

18. He wants us to believe that Kelly and Wildstein cooked this up

without his knowledge. Pre-planned too: 'Time for a traffic jam...' 'Got it'

[Blue Idaho]

20. A 90 year old woman died during this little stunt...

Cut that into a thirty second ad and run it until hell freezes over. At that point, does it really matter if Christie ordered this political retribution or if he has absolutely no control over his staff?

[octoberlib]

21. I think he sounds completely insincere. Not buying it at all.

The average uninformed voter probably has a different take than I do.

[ChiciB1]

23. And We Can ALWAYS Count On "Chuckie" To Kiss Ass

as he's wont to do! Was still doing his defense of Christie dance yesterday!

[otohara]

24. He's Disgusting

Still joking about traffic studies -

You're sounding defensive Mr. Soprano.

[snot]

27. After all the crimes Repub careers have survived during the last 20 years,

I'm kind of shocked at some DU'ers' confidence that this incident will end Christie's.

[riverwalker]

28. 1000 more documents

are available. As much as he is blabbering today and incriminating himself. he is hanging himself with his words....keep talking...

[Gothmog]

29. Christie is doing a decent job

He may be telling lies but he is not too obvious about it. The press is not asking the tough questions about other incidents of bullying

[napkinz]

30. You don't think this statement is DAMAGING????

"I wouldn't have made a joke about the bridge closing IF I THOUGHT ANY MEMBER OF MY STAFF WAS INVOLVED."

see http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024304327



edit:

That statement is SOOOO revealing!!!

So if his staff hadn't been responsible, the SUFFERING of the people of Fort Lee WOULD have still been FUNNY to him!

[Douglas Carpenter]

31. how the mainstream media reacts will have a lot to do with how well he weathers this storm

they seem to kind of like him and appear willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I would not expect most of the mainstream media or the general public to closely examine his words. If some of his closest staff feel betrayed and unwilling to fall on the sword or if concrete and unambiguous proof emerges that directly implicate him - that could sink his presidential ambition.

[truebluegreen]

32. The problem for Christie is that this doesn't end it.

Some things are just getting started, like an investigation by the US Attorney.

There are still apparently well over a thousand pages of emails out there, and that's only from the first two guys who resigned. What is redacted and what else will turn up as the investigation broadens?

Seems to me Christie's best hope was to nip the scandal in the bud before it got off the ground, but it is well-launched now.

[renate]

33. in the clips I saw yesterday he didn't deny it

That "joke" about how he was actually out there moving the cones himself was not funny. I don't mean "not funny" in the way the traffic jam wasn't funny, I mean it was a lousy joke. Why tell it? And then he just said "You cannot be serious, asking that question." I didn't hear him say "No, I wasn't involved."

Maybe he did flat-out deny it back in December, but I'd have thought they'd have played a clip of that if he ever did.

[leftynyc]

35. I would agree IF

the rabid right didn't hate him so much. If the entire right circled their wagons, he'd survive, but the teabag brigade is also after him and looking for any reason to knock him of the "frontrunner for 2016" pedestal.

[Douglas Carpenter]

36. I have to agree there is that aspect. But the Republicans simply do not have many viable candidates

at the national level. The professional Carl Rove types and the financial industry wing of the party know that and so far they have managed to nominate their candidates in the last several elections cycles even with all the might of the Tea Party and social conservatives.
I would have to add on second thought - that if the professional operative class/financial industry wing of the party decides to walk away from Christie because they view him as having too much baggage - that will end his presidential ambitions.

[leftynyc]

37. Excellent point about Wall Street

That would certainly put a kibosh on his bid immediately. I would imagine that Jeb Bush is watching this smiling. Scott Walker also.