Elections

Christie: ‘Compromise Isn’t Capitulation, It’s Compromise’ [VIDEO]

Steve Guest Media Reporter
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New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie insisted that “compromise isn’t capitulation; it’s compromise,” in an interview with Trevor Noah Wednesday. (RELATED: Senate Votes To Hold Off Government Shutdown … For Now)

Christie, appearing on the third episode of “The Daily Show,” suggested that as a Republican, “you’ve got to work with [Democrats]. It’s not an option.”

“What’s happening in Washington now is that people think it’s an option,” the New Jersey governor explained. “It’s an option to close the government. It’s an option not to talk to the other side. That should not be an option. You get sent there to work, to govern. That’s what I’ve done in New Jersey. Doesn’t mean we always agree, but we find compromise.”

Noah: I heard you talking about, it was on Twitter actually, #DearDC and you were asking questions and one of the big things you seemed to be opposed to is the fact that you say the GOP leadership is not working and Congress — they’re not trying to move things forward. A big part of that is a lack of bipartisanship. But I don’t understand honestly how you can change it.

Christie: You’ve just got to work with people. I have a Democratic legislature in New Jersey. For every Minute I have been governor, I have had a Democratic legislature. That’s not an excuse for not doing your job. You have to get to know these folks and find compromise. Compromise isn’t capitulation, it’s compromise.

Noah: But the compromise is limited when sometimes the people you work with only look at the small things you can do when trying to compromise. I remember one time you touched President Obama.

Christie: Yes, I shook his hand.

Noah: You touched President Obama.

Christie: Like this. We touched each other.

Noah: And the point is, to this day, some people in your party haven’t let you live that down. Can you change that?

Christie Well, I touched him, so I can’t change that —

Noah: So you did touch him!

Christie: I admit it, I did. I admit it, I did. I work with Democrats in my state all the time because the people elected them. So you’ve got to work with them. It’s not an option. What’s happening in Washington now is that people think it’s an option. It’s an option to close the government. It’s an option not to talk to the other side. That should not be an option. You get sent there to work, to govern. That’s what I’ve done in New Jersey. Doesn’t mean we always agree, but we find compromise. And we have compromised on a bunch of stuff over time that’s made the state a better place. And that’s what you’ve got to do.

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