In an interview published Monday Gov. Chris Christie recounts the time Donald Trump once choose his meal for him, how he plans to be the “No.1 governor,” and how his conversion to a pro-life stance isn’t something to be ashamed of.
Christie first met Trump in a 2002 dinner at one of the mogul’s New York hotels. The New Jersey governor told the Washington Examiner:
The chef came out, who’s the owner of the restaurant, and [Trump] said to him, ‘Jean Georges, remember the appetizer you made for me last week when I was here? We’ll take two of those. And remember that main course you made, the special thing you made for me? We’ll take two of those, too.’ And he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll love it.'”
The dinner happened after Trump’s older sister U.S Third Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Maryanne Trump Barry asked a favor of Christie saying her little brother “really wants to meet you.” Since then Christie, Trump and their wives have had dinner a few times a year and have been friends since.
Gov. Christie also discussed the undesirable fate of state governors in the GOP primary. “My goal here all along was to be the No. 1 governor,” Christie told to the Examiner. Adding, “If I could come out of Iowa as the No. 1 governor, wherever that places me — first, second, third, fourth — wherever that is, then I will think I’ve done well here. And then go to New Hampshire and do better.”
He believes that poor campaigning as opposed to a strong disdain for Washington is the main reason for the faltering campaigns of other governors, it is for this same reason that he believes Trump is in the lead. Saying, “I think he’s done the best job of going out there and connecting with the things that people are really concerned about. Whether that will continue or not, who knows?”
Christie has been in the spotlight recently due to attacks from fellow Republican Sen. [crscore]Marco Rubio[/crscore], who in Thursday’s debate hit Christie over his support for Common Core, Planned Parenthood, and Sonia Sotomayor. (RELATED: Rubio Attacks Christie: ‘Our Next President…Cannot Be Someone Who Agrees With Obama’s Agenda)
While the reporter who wrote that Christie donated to Planned Parenthood currently works for his campaign, he maintains that he was misquoted. The governor said, “It’s 1994. I was arguing against giving county money to Planned Parenthood. And the point I was making was that these kind of organizations should be supported with private donations like I make myself — not to that organization, but to other organizations. Somehow the reporter, who now works for me … got the quote wrong.”
Gov. Christie was pro-choice in 1994, and remained so until his wife’s second pregnancy, it was upon hearing his unborn daughter’s heartbeat that Christie changed his view on the abortion issue. For him, changing his mind 21 years ago should not be a minus as the Republican Party should be embracing so-called “converts.”
“The fact is, those of us who are pro-life, if we want to expand the movement, you better accept people like me. Because that’s what we’re trying to do: We’re trying to bring converts to the cause. And it wasn’t like this was a conversion when I was contemplating running for president of the United States. This was a conversion that happened 21 years ago,” said Christie.
Despite releasing a statement in 2009 saying that, “I support [Sotomayor’s] appointment to the Supreme Court and urge the Senate to keep politics out of the process and confirm her nomination.” Christie argues this was taken out of context, saying that due to Obama being elected her nomination should be supported regardless of political views, “Elections have consequences, and it’s time for those presidents to get the judges they want to get.”