Is It Fair To Discuss Governor Christie's Weight?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

[msongs]

1. its a visual reminder of how he values himself - is that he will value others? nt

[treestar]

28. that's the harshest judgment on fat people I've heard to date

Saying they don't value other people?

Pretty judgmental.

[CakeGrrl]

60. What, so all overweight people suffer from self-hate and feel the same about others?

I'm not down with that theory.

-1 to that comment.

[yeswecanandwedid]

73. If he can't conquer his obesity, how can he conquer...

Other bigger issues.

It may not be right, but it's what I thought when I seen the guy.

Look, I was overweight my entire life, since a child. Only until I got near my 30's did I really start to pay attention and work towards losing weight. I used to be 315, now I'm 250. It's hard work but it's worth it. I didn't use fad diets, or surgery, or pills, I did what we all know we have to do, eat better and exercise. What's his excuse?

[HockeyMom]

2. No, because his POLITICS trump his weight

for me. End of story.

[FSogol]

3. Yes, but I would recommend not doing it.

1. We should stay classier than the freeps and repubs.
2. Obesity is an epidemic in this country. Maybe people can/will sympathize with Christie's weigh struggles. An attack on an obese Christie will appear as an attack on all overweight people.
3. There are dozens of better reasons why he should never be President.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. The Presidency Is A Physically Demanding Job

I wonder if folks realize that.

[FSogol]

8. It can be. I'm sure Christie could survive it using a Reagan or W model on # of vacations.

:shrug:

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Reagan Was In Great Physical Shape For A Man His Age

It's not taking a lot of vacation it's the day to day rigor of the job.

If you think about it most presidents after LBJ were in good physical shape.

[Ter]

50. So were both Bush's

Obama too is in wonderful shape. Clinton during his presidency, not so much.

[treestar]

29. JFK was supposedly in terrible health

So was FDR. Taft was fat.

Mentally demanding, which heavy people can be up to.

[Little Star]

68. FDR managed.

[treestar]

27. Exactly. You said it well.

[jenmito]

5. Yes. Martin Bashir of MSNBC just gave a strong defense of questioning his fitness for office.

His physical fitness...

[DesertRat]

22. That's a good point, but

expect some on the right to make the same argument regarding President Obama's smoking.

[jenmito]

30. They DID. He quit. n/t

[Beacool]

6. No.

It seems that discrimination on the basis of weight is the last acceptable form of exclusion in this country and it's reprehensible.

Condemn his policies, not his physical appearance.

:-(

[PragmaticLiberal]

11. Exactly.

[Cali_Democrat]

20. You missed the point. It's not about physical appearance

That fact is that POTUS is a very stressful and demanding job and the health of a potential president is important. What if he nominated Michele Bachman as VP if he wins the Republican nomination? We could be one heart attack away from President Bachman. Does that sit well with you?

Not only is Christie obese, dude is morbidly obese and morbidly obese people tend to have a large range of health issues/concerns. Electing a president only to see him die a short time later is a national security concern.

Bottom line is that the health of the President is important and it should be discussed.

[Beacool]

37. I certainly don't want Christie as president,

but I don't think that his weight should be a major issue in his eligibility. I understand a concern over his health, but we can't just make a blanket statement that all heavy people are ill. I know nothing about his health history, weight aside, he could be pretty healthy. To assuage concerns he could submit to a thorough physical and release the results.

[Auntie Bush]

43. Then he'd have his weight publicized and he woudn't like that.

He'd have to do a lot of traveling as President and a lot of stairs to climb on Fir force 1...and on camera too! They'd have to get him one of those stair elevators. I think his weight is one thing that deters him from seeking the presidency. He'll probably get a stomach reduction operation and get physically fit before he runs in 2016.

I'm sorry but he is not physically appealing with all that girth! If he were a woman...you can bet it would make a difference. A fat women wouldn't even be considered...not fair... but the truth.

[golfguru]

54. President's job is not necessarily physically stressful

It is certainly mentally stressful. The president has a exquisitely luxurious house to live in, several cooks to prepare any meal he desires, reinforced limo's to get around, a dedicated Air Force 1 plane to fly to anywhere he needs to go, a person physicians at his beck and call, a private gym in the White House.

I bet that is less stressful than being governor of NJ. Only his doctor is qualified to determine if a fat man can execute duties of a president.

[elleng]

7. 'Fair?' Silly question. WTH is 'fair?'

'Reasonable?' Yes.

[murielm99]

10. Why is he overweight?

Some people have medical issues, or take medications that cause them to gain weight.

I would vote yes, because if he has medical issues, that could affect a potential Presidency. If he has a tendency to gain weight, and has no medical issues, he could and should be on a diet and exercise regimen, to set an example for other obese people.

I voted yes, but maybe we need to know more.

[Beacool]

19. He has a tendency to gain weight.

He has lost some of it and he's still working on losing the rest of his excess weight (like most of the nation). He said that he wanted to see his kids grow up. If Huckabee was able to lose 100 lbs. and keep it off, I guess that Christie can too.

I object to his policies (he's my governor), but his weight is a non factor for me as far as eligibility goes.

[murielm99]

24. I never had to watch my weight until my thyroid became

overactive. I had to have it destroyed with radioactivity. I have had to watch myself ever since.

I am not obese. I work out faithfully, and watch every calorie. I could still lose about twenty pounds. But compared to every second or third woman I see on the street, I am slender. It is ridiculous that we are in this shape as a nation.

[Beacool]

36. Yeah, I don't remember seeing so many obese children in my childhood.

I see little kids that look like miniature sumo wrestlers. They are so heavy that they waddle, it's sad to see. If you want to feel good about your weight go to any Wal-Mart. There are more morbidly obese people in the average Wal-Mart than at any other store that I have observed. We are literally eating ourselves to death.

:(

[golfguru]

71. I agree, too many fat people!!

Every time I go in a restaurant or food store, I see more overweight people than underweight people. Too much weight is bad for your heart, kidneys, pancreas, knee joints, hip joints, lower back & spine, blood pressure, stroke prevention, and your love life!

[golfguru]

55. Please read post #54

[tammywammy]

66. In his own words, "I weigh too much because I eat too much"

"I weigh too much because I eat too much," he said. "And I eat some bad things too."

Christie, one of the hottest voices in the national Republican Party, said he’s generally healthy but will continue pushing to lose weight.

"I don't want to press my luck," he said.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/chris_christie_weight_issue.html

[karynnj]

12. It is stupid - fair has nothing to do with it

It backfired on Corzine when he approved an ad speaking of Christie "throwing his weight around".

My guess is that, if left alone, his weight likely costs him votes - even though it shouldn't. We do not need to give the Republicans ammunition that makes people sympathize with the governor.

He may not easily be able to control his weight, but the more important thing is that he seems unable to control his tendency to be a bully - THAT is an important character trait - and it means to many he is unlikable.

[FrenchieCat]

13. I don't know, but I know that Pres. Obama's race is constantly discussed and referred to.....

and unlike weight, it is nothing that Pres. Obama can change.

So why have a double standard? Is it because we may offend the obese,
which isn't ok....but offending Black folks is well, part of doing the
business of politics? :shrug:

[Telly Savalas]

46. So because our opponents act like dumbasses, we should too?

If political discourse focuses on the petty, stupid, and irrelevant, it establishes a playing field that allows petty, stupid people to win elections. Doing things like making a point out of a candidate's weight is bad strategy in the long run. If we're going to elect statesmen and not reality show stars, we need a process in place where qualified people win on the merits of their ideas and skills, not because they're more adept at navigating a sea of bullshit. This isn't going to happen if the central criticism of a guy like Christie is his weight.

[FrenchieCat]

48. Hell, the media talked about his race the entire time he was running!

You don't remember "Will regular hard working White voters" vote for him?
"What about the Bradley Effect?"......
and the best one, when each primary was broken down on racial lines.

The media does exactly that what you said; focuses on the petty, stupid, and irrelevant,
and has been doing so for years now.

Look, the media is who controls things, not you nor I....so just like some say,
why be nice to Republicans? I ask you, why be nice to Mr. Christie? Perhaps the issue
speaks for itself...but again, it is the media who will drive the conversation no matter who runs....
not you nor I.

[golfguru]

56. Race and United States have a long history together

so why are you surprised? Americans are the most race conscience
people of any major nation, except perhaps the snotty British.

[lunatica]

14. Only if he shows signs that it's adversely affecting his health

[abq e streeter]

15. Only in relation to his overall health...Otherwise ,IMO, we are lowering ourselves

to cheap shots that should be the sole province of the right wing.

[golfguru]

16. In war, love & elections everything is fair & allowed! n/m

[DesertRat]

17. They were discussing this on the View today

Joy Behar said, "Christie's motto could be: No more Vetoes, only Cheetos!"

[Cali_Democrat]

18. As I said on another thread, POTUS is a VERY stressful job

Health should be an issue and morbidly obese people tend to have more health issues/concerns.

Yes.

[DesertRat]

21. I think if he's going to run, he might start dieting

Time will tell. He could lose a lot of weight by election day.

OR, since many (most?) Americans are overweight/obese, it might be in his favor. Low information voters might like the candidate who is looks like a "regular" guy. :shrug:

[Inuca]

23. Corzine alluded to it in the governor race

and the accepted wisdom is that it hurt him (Corzine).

[Ter]

51. What did he say?

Or a link, I never heard that.

[Inuca]

67. From what I remember

he had an ad referring to Christie "throwing his weight around" or something like that. Followed of course by abundant speculation in the media on whether "weight" was a metaphor or a not so subtle reference to Christie's silhouette.

[Whisp]

25. this is what a hear a lot on the news and on forums... black man, black man, black man, black pres,

black black black
never heard white white white when Bush or Clinton were in office. or white man white man white man when Boehner or McConnel are reported on....

so fat man fat man fat man just doesn't make it on my worry list at all.

[treestar]

26. No, it doesn't mean the person is necessarily going to drop dead

I have relatives who've been fat for years. In spite of all the hoopla, it doesn't necessarily mean bad health.

I just don't think it's the end of the world. As a practical matter, though, I just can't see the guy getting nomination. Well, talk about a guy you'd like to have a beer with. Could be that with the obesity rates we have today, too many will identify with him and there would be backlash to talking negatively about it.

[jenmito]

31. He already was hospitalized due to an inability to breathe a couple weeks ago. n/t

[treestar]

45. But that could happen to a thinner person

So in Christie's case, it'd be because of not being able to breathe as opposed to being fat per se. A thin person hospitalized for that would be worse than a fat person who never had been and didn't have any health conditions.

[jenmito]

70. According to this article, his weight can hurt re: asthma:

Recent medical studies and some doctors said obesity can exacerbate asthma.

For example, excess weight can hinder the movement of the body’s diaphragm, a sheet of muscle that extends across the midsection of the chest, said Robert Guardabasco, manager of respiratory care at Newton Medical Center. The diaphragm is a major muscle for breathing.

"If you're overweight, it can't drop well because the stomach's in the way," Guardabasco said.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/chris_christie_weight_issue.html

[Mimosa]

32. Not really.

There have been a fat presidents, mayors, and governors in the past.

But Christie isn't going to run, is he?

[victoryparty]

33. yes, just as it was/is fair...

...to discuss Obama's cigarette smoking, or Ron Paul's age, etc.

[Vicar In A Tutu]

35. With respect, being that fat will usually kill you a lot faster than smoking

It's a much bigger issue. The man can barely move a few feet without sweating and looking like he's going to get a bit wheezy.

[Tx4obama]

34. Yes, as in respect to how his weight affects his health. n/t

[BlueStater]

38. As a health concern, it's every bit as fair as discussing John McCain's age. N/T

[Douglas Carpenter]

39. if every fat independent and Democrat is turned off by such a campaign we will lose

[rug]

40. I hesitate to weigh in on this poll.

On the one hand, Christie deserves his just desserts. On the other hand, the poll question serves as an entree to all sorts of unappetizing remarks.

:dilemma:

[sadbear]

41. We don't have to discuss it.

The MSM will be more than happy to discuss it for us.

[benld74]

42. He's NOT fat! He's big boned!

[FrenchieCat]

44. Heavy boned!

:rofl:

[Telly Savalas]

47. Don't bring a knife to a gunfight

If your opponent is proposing dangerous ideas on how to run the nation, and your key rebuttal is to call him fat, you're going to get your fucking ass handed to you every time.

[Divine Discontent]

49. if in reference to his health, then yes. but that's not what most people use his weight for, it's

used to degrade. This is no different than to mock, say, a poor person running for office who happens to have bad teeth, or a lady who is going bald, or whatever, in a manner to make jokes.

If done to reference his overall health and fitness for a stressful job, then yes, it of course can be discussed.

But, the taunting of him as a donut brand is beneath us. If I ever have said it, I regret it.


http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128002960205017719

[LittleBlue]

52. NO

For God's sake, why lower ourselves into the gutter? Everyone can see he's overweight, there is no point discussing it.

[Honeycombe8]

59. He's not overweight. He's morbidly obese. It's important, from a health perspective, IMO.

Just as any other medical condition would be. Doesn't mean that's a reason someone shouldn't vote for him. But it's valid to consider it.

It is a medical condition. He's not just overweight. And he was hospitalized recently.

There's a reason you don't see many (any?) elderly morbidly obese people.

But Christie's still young, I think.

[cherokeeprogressive]

53. It is if you're a supporter of Barack Obama, it ISN'T if you're not.

Think about it.

[Honeycombe8]

58. I heard a Republican on TV recently expressing concern about it.

He mentioned Christie's recent hospitalization. And I checked out freerepublic.com, where they were foaming at the mouth angry at the thought of Christie jumping in. They hate him. He's a muslim-lovin' RINO, don't you know? Anyway, there was discussion about his weight, from a health perspective, by those who didn't seem to hate him.

[Honeycombe8]

57. Absolutely. It's a health issue. He was recently hospitalized for breathing problems...

the report was it was asthma or something. But breathing problems are also a sign of heart trouble.

Fact is...if someone is morbidly obese, which is what he is, that brings with it a whole slew of health problems. It has a name. It's called metabolic syndrome, I think. It causes a high risk of diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Being President is very hard physically and mentally on a person. We can see how Obama, fairly young and very physically fit, has aged in the past three years.

Even if Christie is healthy at the beginning, his weight makes it more likely he'll have health trouble as his term progresses. It's a real concern. And makes his choice of Vice President even more important.

But then, look at Cheney. He made it through as Vice President(or shadow President), and he's still ticking. And of course, the rednecks do LOVE their men in power to be ample, like they are, but their women Playboy material. It's the way they are, and one of the reasons Limpballs is so popular.

[quiller4]

64. He has adult asthma. His breathing problems were not addressed

by his rescue inhaler and he required extended treatment at hospital and several days of steroid treatment (prednisone) before his breathing was controlled. Asthma that is not well controlled is a serious health problem on its own.

If Christie decides to enter the race, he should be pressured to make public his complete health history.

He wouldn't be the first obese candidate for the presidency but he would be the first since the dawn of the television age. I suspect his advisors have already conducted focus groups to measure how much influence his excessive weight would have on potential voters.

[CakeGrrl]

61. President Obama submitted the results of his physical during the 2008 Primaries

to assert his physical fitness to meet the demands of the office.

The media reported that Jon Huntsman had some breathing/room ventilation issues during the rollout of his campaign.

Michelle Bachmann supposedly suffers from occasional migraines.

Health issues matter to some degree.

Those who are aware of the rigor of President Obama's schedule know he has set a pretty high bar for someone who works more than he vacations.

[quiller4]

62. He isn't just overweight. He is medically obese. It is reasonable

to question if he has the physical stamina to perform at the level the presidency requires.

[snort]

63. I don't think we'll see him run.

Bwah hahahaha!

[Blasphemer]

65. I guess all is fair in politics

Bill Clinton's eating habits made the news on a regular basis throughout his Presidency so it's certainly not new territory. However, the assumption that one's health and fitness can be judged solely based on one factor (weight) is false. Reagan seemed to be in good shape but, as we now know, he was suffering from a debilitating health condition that most assuredly affected his ability to serve as POTUS. I'm far more concerned about the serious conditions that are hidden from the public than about presumptions made based on a candidate's weight.

[mtnsnake]

69. Not sure if it is fair, but I do know something about Chris Christie. When he was a baby

his belly was so big his arms and legs couldn't reach the floor to crawl. I guess that had some lasting psychological effects on him.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

72. No

a lot of Americans are overweight/obese and, frankly, making his weight an issue is in poor taste IMHO. There are plenty of substantive issues to attack him on if he runs.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

74. Absolutely.

The Presidency is an extremely stressful job, and someone who is morbidly obese like him will feel the effects more than someone who is in much better shape.

[Jennicut]

75. In terms of health, yes. To make fun of him, no way. What is wrong with some of us

here? Are we not Dems/liberals. Making fun of people's weight is so Republican.