Last week, out of nowhere, Chris Christie railed against the strict-constructionist instincts held by several of his Republican colleagues. His primary target was the "dangerous" Rand Paul, who the New Jersey Governor claimed exemplifies a disturbing "Libertarian strain" within the GOP.
“This strain of libertarianism that’s going through parties right now and making big headlines I think is a very dangerous thought,” Christie said. Then he tore into Rand Paul saying that “You can name any number of people, and he’s one of them. These esoteric, intellectual debates - I want them to come to New Jersey and sit across from the widows and the orphans and have that conversation. And they won’t because that’s a much tougher conversation to have.”
Christie was relying on the false choice between safety and civil liberties that's become the hallmark of the neocon, big-government, RINO wing of the Republican Party. Rand Paul started firing back, and the pair ended up in an escalating war of words that's continued ever since.
Yesterday, however, Paul decided to extend an olive branch.
Senator Paul said that while he "didn’t pick this recent fight," he admits that "the party does better if we have less infighting, so I would suggest if he wants to ratchet it down, I’m more than happy to.”
“I think with Gov. Christie it’s gotten a little too personal, so we’re ready to kiss and make-up," Paul told Fox News. “I’m inviting him for a beer anytime he would like to come down and sit down at the pub right around the corner from the Senate.”
Sadly, the Governor has no interest in a Paul/Christie beer summit. “I’m running for re-election in New Jersey," He said. "I don’t really have time for that at the moment.”
“I don’t know why Senator Paul is so out of whack about this," Christie continued. "At the end of the day I never called him any names, yet he called me names. I didn’t use any childish type phrases like gimme, gimme, gimme, he did."
Really, Governor Christie? You can't imagine why Senator Paul is "out of whack" about being labeled a dangerous, destructive force within the GOP? Hmmmm....
"I just have to assume from that that he’s just trying to get attention," Christie surmised. "That's fine. He’s not the first politician who’s used me to try to get attention in the national media and I’m sure he won’t be the last.”
In this, Christie is absolutely correct. Paul is not the first politician who's used the Governor to get attention in the national press. That person would be a campaigning Barack Obama, with whom Christie was more than willing to cozy up if there was even a slight chance of mutually beneficial media exposure.
Christie has concluded that a meeting with Rand Paul is simply not in the cards - unless they happen to be in DC at the same time. However, he thinks that's unlikely.
“If I find myself in Washington," Christie said, "I’ll certainly look him up. ...but I don’t suspect I’ll be there anytime soon.”
Here's hoping that Christie right. He should stick to his instincts, and stay as far away from the White House as possible. The last thing America needs is the New Jersey Governor moving to D.C.
