New Jersey Governor Chris Christie attacks Democrats at 2012 Republican National Convention
Chris Christie sucked all the warm, sentimental vibes out of the room at the Republican National Convention Tuesday following Ann Romney’s heartfelt speech. New Jersey’s Republican governor changed the mood inside the Tampa bay Times Forum with his bold challenging of America’s current Democratic leadership under Barack Obama.
Christie’s speech, meant to rile up party member support for Republican candidate Mitt Romney, played out like a high school homecoming pep rally. While Ann Romney delivered a portrait of her and Mitt as an everyday American couple, complete with their college days and early financial struggles, Christie used his stage time to criticize Democrats and paint a picture of a bleak American future under President Obama to rally support.
In his speech, Christie questioned Democrats’ abilities to face the nation’s problems upfront, painting them as timid and too concerned with their own political well-being to address issues directly and with efficiency.
“Whistle a happy tune while driving us off the fiscal cliff,” Christie said of Democrats, “as long as they are behind the wheel of power when we fall.”
This kind of rhetoric comes with zero surprise at a political rally. In order to garner support for one’s side, the other side has to be made undesirable or insufficient. Christie’s speech, however, came off to some as a bit too self-indulgent for the New Jersey governor who arguably made the speech more about himself than presidential candidate Romney.
Christie put on a tough guy façade, complete with a twisted scowl and aggressive demeanor for which to bash the Democratic. Christie, New Jersey’s first Republican governor in the last 12 years, would not let the audience forget his elected position in a blue state.
The New Jersey governor even divulged his own upbringing growing up in poverty with two immigrant parents. But Christie’s rags to riches recollections of his past were just simply not on the same caliber of the emotional appeal delivered by Mrs. Romney.
Ann Romney’s message was love, that love of country and family is what America holds dear. Christie’s message was more “look at me I came from nothing and now I’m something.”
Christie’s presentation of himself, though it represents an unwavering and fearless political stance, may only be paper thin and may only be a showy attempt at introducing candidate Romney on a nationally televised broadcast. We’ll just have to see how this tough guy façade holds up come November.
