Gov. Christie Formally Presents His Case for Becoming President

By Anthony Birritteri, Editor-in-Chief On Jun 30, 2015

Late this morning, Governor Chris Christie formally announced his campaign for U.S. president – becoming the 15th Republican Party candidate to do so – in the gym of Livingston High School, his alma mater. In a speech that lasted approximately 28 minutes, Christie kept emphasizing telling the truth, which is the current theme of his campaign slogan: “Telling it like it is.”  He also touched upon his desire to return the country to a place where parents could not only realize the American dream, but could be certain that their children would be able to realize the dream as well.

Citing his parents who often told him … “As hard as you work is as hard as you rise,” the governor acknowledged that this isn’t true anymore for young people, especially college graduates. The country needs to provide economic opportunities for its children, Christie said.

Christie said he would like to see the economy growing at 4 percent or greater per year. He also touched upon fixing the broken entitlement system that is bankrupting the country, creating a simplified tax system, getting government off the backs of overregulated businesses and getting businesses to invest in America again, not oversees. Overall, he said, “We must tell the truth and make the hard decisions that lead to growth and opportunities for every American in this country.”

As proof he can handle the economy on a national basis, the governor pointed to achievements obtained in the Garden State, such as delivering six balanced budgets in a row, refusing tax increases, and delivering teacher tenure, pension and health benefits reform (the work continues on the latter two items, he said).

He said Americans are filled with anxiety because Congress and President Obama are ignoring each other. “Both parties in Washington have failed us … everyone wants to get their own way. This country was built on compromise, but that’s a dirty word [in Washington]. This lack of leadership has led to a weak economy. Only strong leadership can wipe away our anxiety.”

Commenting on the global terrorism threat, he said there is “only one indispensable force for good in the world, that is a strong unequivocal America that will lead the world and not be afraid to tell our friends that we will be with you no matter what, and tell our adversaries there are limits to your conduct and America will enforce the limits to that conduct.”

He promises to deliver a campaign “without spin, without pandering, without focus group-tested answers … a campaign that when I am asked a question, I will give the answer to the question that is asked, not the answer that my political consultants told me to give backstage … a campaign that,  every day, will not worry about what is popular, but what is right because what is right will fix America … a campaign that believes in an America that is as great as the hopes and dreams that we want every one of our children to have … a campaign that rebuilds America to the place where you and I grew up.”

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