Asked about his "confrontational tone" by a liberal columnist for the website NJ.com, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) went on a rant about the need for political disagreement and insisted he was hardly being confrontational. "You should really see me when I'm pissed!" he said. "This is who I am, like it or not. And this is who the people elected."
The columnist, Tom Moran, addressed the response in his subsequent column:
The political mating ritual usually requires that both sides make nice noises about each other, and describe their differences as manageable. It's all part of making a deal, getting stuff done.
On Monday, we saw Gov. Chris Christie joyfully defy that convention, too. He mocked Democrats in a press conference for a half-hour, as if the only deal he would ever accept with such clowns is their unconditional surrender.
He called their ideas "ridiculous" and "cute" and said they couldn't do math. He accused them of pandering. He said they are faking when they complain that he doesn't consult them. At every turn, he painted them as demons who are determined to drive the state into the ditch, not as partners with legitimate differences. [...]
It's an odd tactic, given that Christie needs the Democrats to achieve his core goals. Does he think slapping them around will win them over?
Watch the video:
HT: Political Wire