In convention speech, a test for Chris Christie

A game-changer for Christie?

Christie probably doesn't need to be told that he needs to deliver on Tuesday: A strong speech on his part will help gin up excitement for the Romney-Ryan ticket, but it could also be a huge boon for his political future.

"You don't need any more evidence than Barack Obama to indicate how career-changing a speech like this could be," said the Democratic strategist. "Most people probably don't know much about Chris Christie. This is really his first opportunity to really gain a national office and to speak more broadly to the national Republican Party."

In order to achieve that level of success, the Democratic strategist said, he needs to "check every box that the nominee's campaign needs to have checked."

Clark Judge, a former speechwriter for President Reagan and founder and managing director of the White House Writers Group, points out that Christie has a powerful incentive for doing just that.

"The up-and-coming candidate won't make a name for himself unless he does a good job in promoting the candidate," he said. "If you handed this to me today, I could write that speech and so could about 200 other people. There is a broadly shared consensus about what the problems are and what direction to go in. The question here is, can Governor Christie deliver that message? And there is every reason to think that he can."

Barring a disastrous, off-script gaffe, it's unlikely Christie can do much harm on the podium -- even if his speech doesn't get rave reviews. 

"It's hard to imagine serious damage," said Demarest. Pointing to Bill Clinton's 1988 convention speech, in which the then-Arkansas governor delivered a 33-minute address that, according to Time magazine "seemed about five times as long," a lackluster speech is more likely to slip under the radar than not. 

 "People wrote then that that would be the end of Bill Clinton's career," Demarest said. "He obviously proved them quite wrong."  

Christie doesn't seem too concerned. At a press conference earlier this week, he emphasized that nerves are not a problem: "I'm not nervous. Nah. I'm excited. It's a great opportunity for me personally, it's a great opportunity for our state."

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[erin_yu]

Chris Christie will just typically blow a lot of hot air, without acknowledging that his policies have been a monumental failure in his home state of New Jersey.

[hankfromthebank]

Wow...Christie shows us that liberals are the real haters...no wonder they turn most of America off..

[RollotheNorman]

Hey if the banks fail again, stand by for some real hatred, like bankers being hung from the lamp polls.

[RushBabe1]

I love Chris Christy, maybe not quite as conservative as me, but I love his charisma. He is a GOP super star.

ROMNEY/RYAN... JOBS JOBS JOBS

[Burizone]

who the heck is he?

[Guvhog]

He's the Current Governor of New Jersey.

[tvwatcher5345]

unfortunately christie is an example to what is big problem in the US, by the size of him i wonder if he has another year left in him

[TimeIsNowfor99]

This Christie guy is nothing more than a loud mouth bully ignoramus. I am shocked that they let this fool speak. He sends the wrong image of conservatism every time he opens his mouth.

[88Ronin]

A Jersey thug, teamed with 2 cultists: not a good combination.

WHAT A MOB OF RADICALS!

REPUBLICANS ARE SO RADICAL, they want to elect two EXTREME cultists to the highest offices in the land.

Mormons declared war on The United States just after massacring 127 men women and children at Mountain Meadows, Utah. The Mormon cult has never rescinded that declaration.

The Catholic Cult is the largest pedophilia ring on the planet and corrupt to its core.

Here's another recent example of RADICAL REPUBLICANISM.
Do you think the judge, in the following, should be arrested for inciting the overthrow of our elected government?

Texas Judge Preparing For 'Civil War' If Obama Re-Elected
August 22, 2012 12:15 PM

LUBBOCK (CBSDFW.COM) - Reactions continue after a Texas leader issued a public warning for what he calls a 'civil war' and possible invasion of United Nations troops if President Barrack Obama is re-elected.

Excerpted from:
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/08/22/texas-judge-preparing-for-civil-war-if-obama-re-elected/

[RollotheNorman]

Hey 88Ronin, don't worry about that Lubbock fruitloop, we got a lot o' them nutcases, they're just hot air mainly. Why even out goofy Gov talked about seceding. A lot of folks in Texas believe the 1848 Treaty of Annexation allows Texas to leave the Union at will. It did allow Texas to split into 5 states, but since Texas seceded during the Civil War and had to reannexed by force of arms, my guess is the 1848 treaty became null and void in 1865. Still you have a lot of people believing Rick that Texas can just decide to leave the Union.

[RollotheNorman]

Sure to be a hum-dinger. Remember Pat Buchanan's in 92? Sarah Palin in '08? Yeah they sure picked the right guy to key-note: "If you don't agree with and vote for us RepubliCONs, we'll put a hit on ya America."

[Molly-Pchr]

So many of you are so immature. I had a friend who was overweight, and some dork called her FATSO. She said to him, "In six months I'll be thin and gorgeous, and you will still be ugly." Well, she is and he still is. Apparently you are all very angry and certainly no judges of character, lacking any yourselves.

[Molly-Pchr]

Oh, how wrong you are in your assumptions...just like so many others here. Only time I spent in the hospital was as a scrub nurse in the OR for five years. But whatever floats your boat.

[DavidInMaine]

I hope the stage is well reinforced.

[unclebernies]

The hippocrite will give a a divisive speech and the sheeple will cheer like a group of clapping seals. No suprises here.