Politics

News Flash! Chris Christie’s got junk in the trunk

Laura Donovan Contributor
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Yes, he’s overweight.

In 2009, leading up to his election as New Jersey’s next governor, Republican Chris Christie dealt with numerous comments about his weight. With his national profile rapidly rising and speculation swirling about a possible presidential run (even though he has said repeatedly that he has no interest in a 2012 run), Christie’s body is again in the national spotlight.

On Monday, Columbia University Professor and TV commentator Marc LaMont Hill told viewers of Fox 29 Philadelphia that Christie is too fat to be President of the United States.

“He can’t win, let’s be honest” said Hill. “I’m going to say this and its going to make people mad – he’s fat.”

Commenting on voter affinity to attractive candidates, Hill went on to say  that Christie is playing the political circuit “perfectly, now if he could just run the circuit a little bit and trim some of that off, he’ll be just fine.”

The debate over Christie’s physique started last year when former Democratic New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine aired a political ad during his race against Christie which included a voice-over stating that Christie “threw his weight around as U.S. attorney and got off easy.”

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said the ad depicted Christie “walking out of the car clearly a few pounds overweight.” Christie was unfazed by the ad and responded on The Situation Room by saying, “I’ll let all your audience in on a little secret, Wolf. I’m overweight, and I’ve struggled with my weight for the last 30 years on and off.” Although Corzine denied he meant to attack Christie’s size, when asked directly if Christie was fat, Corzine responded, “Am I bald?” Christie won the governor election with 49 percent of the vote.

Christie currently holds a 51 percent approval rate and 52 percent of people believe his first year has been successful, according to a November 9 Quinnipiac poll.

In light of Hill’s recent contribution to the Christie weight dialogue, TheDC has gathered several of the meatiest (pun intended) videos of news commentators and politicians poking fun at Christie’s size.

WATCH: CHRIS CHRISTIE THROWING HIS WEIGHT AROUND

Jessica Puente contributed to this report.