Politics

Chris Christie on 2012 presidential run: ‘In my heart I know I’m not’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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Although some prognosticators are trying to envision a scenario where New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie might seek higher office, specifically the presidency of the United States, Christie himself isn’t ready to embrace those scenarios.

Christie appeared on CNBC’s “The Kudlow Report” Wednesday and was asked by host Larry Kudlow why, despite all his fiscal successes, he thought he wasn’t ready to run for President of the United States.

“Because in my heart I know I’m not,” Christie said. “I mean, you know, Larry, you’ve been around people who have run for high national office in your career. If you don’t believe in your heart that you’re ready, you have no business running. And just because you see political opportunity, that’s not an excuse to run. I have to believe in my heart that I’m ready. I have a job to do in New Jersey. I love being the governor. I’ve only been doing it for a year. I have big things to accomplish here. And that does not include leaving and running for national office. And again, when I walked into the governor’s office in January of 2010, I felt completely confident that I was ready for the job. Not that there wouldn’t–weren’t going to be difficult days, because there are difficult days. But I never feel like I’m over my head. I do not want to go for national office unless and until I believe that I’m completely prepared in my heart and in my mind. And if I don’t believe that, then I have no business running.”

And even when he has more experience under his belt a year from now, Christie said he still didn’t see a presidential run happening.

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Kudlow asked that since Christie had apparently ruled out a run in 2012, if he had thought about who he might support in that race. Kudlow alluded to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who was a supporter of Christie’s in his 2009 campaign. But Christie wasn’t ready to announce his support for any candidate.

“We’re far away from making any kind of decisions about, you know, who we might support for president or what we might do on the national level in 2012 in that regard,” Christie said. “But you know, I consider Gov. Romney a friend and so we had a nice meal together. We had a good conversation.”

Christie also said he had interactions with other potential 2012 GOP hopefuls including Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. And he added he didn’t think Obama was invulnerable to being beaten in his upcoming reelection bid.

“Well, listen, anybody can be beaten and I don’t think anybody is immune from being beaten,” Christie said. “And listen, the president’s first two years were not necessarily of my liking in a lot of areas, you know – higher taxes, Obamacare, more spending than our country has ever seen.  I think that has  gotten us in the position we’re in.  So yeah, listen I’m a Republican and we’re going to be able to nominate someone who’s going to be able to firmly and strongly make that case that having Republican leadership in the White House is better for America’s future.”