Christie: "I have had no contact with David Wildstein"

[kpete]

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2014/01/14/christie-official-who-arranged-bridge-closures-together-during-fiasco/

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

1. OPPS

from the article (emphasis mine:

“I have had no contact with David Wildstein in a long time, a long time, well before the election,” which was held Nov. 5, Mr. Christie said last week. “You know, I could probably count on one hand the number of conversations I’ve had with David since he worked at the Port Authority. I did not interact with David.”

[Rilgin]

2. This is out of context and potentially valueless

I believe as should be obvious that CC is the typical NJ republican, corrupt up to his eye balls. I also believe he is lying about his connections with bridge gate.

One picture from the 9 11 ceremony showing Christie with Wildstein is actually meaningless. This is probably from a news photographer shooting thousands of pictures on that day. One picture with them together rather than multiple pictures over time, is not too meaningful. Multiple pictures would show actual contact over time. As it is, this one picture is kind of meaningless and we really should not put much value on it in proving what CC knew about bridgegate or discussed with Wildstein. It does not prove they walked around with each other for a while or sat with each other or came with each other.

What seems more probative is some reports of meetings between them that week if true.

[Bjorn Against]

3. When he says they had no contact and the picture shows contact

That is proof that Christie lied in his press conference, that is not meaningless.

[Rilgin]

5. Do not play "gotcha" with trivialities

There is a picture of me and my wife's grandfather from my graduation party even though we have never said a word to each other. CC probably shook 1,000 hands that day. What is probative is they had meetings or spent a lot of time together that day, not that they shook hands at a major public event like the 9 11 ceremony.

Similarly, the word "contact" is a somewhat flexible word. I have gone to parties with people and still might say "i have not been in contact" with them if I had not talked to them even if a picture might find us at the punch bowl at the same time.


Like I said, if this was multiple pictures it would show actual time spent with each other. One picture actually argues against real contact. If they had walked around together or spent time together that day there would be more pictures since it was a heavily photographed day.

Playing "gotcha" with CC in saying a single picture showing them standing next to each other or walking by each other or shaking hands or not shaking hands is not something we should do. Christie will be hung by the real facts not "gotcha" using a single picture.

[geek tragedy]

6. Yeah, that high school buddy of his who he appointed to the Port Authority and is shown

yucking it up with him two feet away from him totally wouldn't have been talking to him on that or any other day.

Puh-leaze.

[Rilgin]

7. Guess people here react rather than read

Them meeting would be very probative and would show they were meeting. Them in a single picture at a public event surrounded by many other people really doesnt say much.

Obviously CC is lying about his knowledge and the facts. He went to school with this guy and appointed him to the PA. The fact that a single picture caught him at the same major public event on 9 11 is meaningless. I do not think they were discussing the bridge and FT lee surrounded by all those people when this picture was taken. It is not clear from this Single Picture if they even shook hands or were laughing with each other.

Focusing on one potentially ambigous statement about a somewhat broad word "contact" and a single photo from a public event does not go to the heart of the scandal. It is playing gotcha politics. Lets leave that to Rove and the republicans.

Instead focus on the emails and real meetings in private that occurred within the CC inner circle and between that circle and the Port Authority officials most notably Wildstein.

[geek tragedy]

11. Do you think Chris Christie's entourage is an easy place to find oneself

on 9/11?

It strains credibility that this guy was with four feet of Christie on that day--along with the other guys Christie appointed to the Port Authority, that's Baroni and Samson (and bridgeT also?) in that photo--and that they never talked shop.

But, in case you want another photo.

Here's another picture of Christie meeting with his capos from June:



There's that guy he never talks to, talking to him while literally rubbing shoulders.

Christie is a liar, and this is photographic proof he's a liar.

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. liar pants on fire definitely

[jsr]

9. Did you not see the other WSJ photo showing Christie and Wildstein walking and talking

like old friends?

It's in the WSJ article.

[kpete]

8. Rilgin

thanks for the laughs!

and peace, kp

[jsr]

10. He's trying to get a job as Christie's defense attorney

[Rilgin]

12. snark

No, I am not trying to defend CC. Guess you want to attack people rather than discuss or read.

I am glad someone posted more photos which is what I said would be more convincing than one picture out of context. However, it does not really change my major point. If you read my post, what I am urging democrats to do is act like adults, do not play gotcha with meaningless stuff.

Meetings and communications between Christie and Christies people and the PA are meaningful. Pictures of public officials at big public events are kind of meaningless. Christie's lies are NOT that he didn't have contact with Wildstein. His lies are that he was not involved in this and did not know what his staff was doing. Clearly CC is minimizing his contacts with Wildstein. I am much more interested in private meetings between these scum where they conspired than them meeting at a public 9 11 ceremony where they probably didnt conspire which he later didnt mention as contact in the context of the bridge scandal.

Does that really sound like I am defending someone. With regard to your snark and the other snark from people in this thread. Don't you feel proud of yourselves.

[tridim]

4. Kennyboy who?

Fucking liar.