Chris Christie confidante says N.J. gov. mulling WH run

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has repeatedly said he is not running for president. But one of his predecessors who has known Christie for decades says he is now at least thinking about it.

Former governor Tom Kean told the National Review Online that the chatter around Christie's change of heart in recent days is "real."

"He's giving it a lot of thought," Kean said. "I think the odds are a lot better now than they were a couple weeks ago."

Christie is scheduled to speak later Tuesday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. in remarks titled "Real American Exceptionalism."

The news comes as front-runner Rick Perry continues to get poor reviews for his debate performances. The Texas governor himself jumped into the race after initially saying he was not interested.

The chatter of Christie run may be just that. Kean, who would like to see Christie run, may have an interest in stirring up talk of presidential campaign.

"He is the best speaker I may have ever heard in politics," Kean told the National Review, adding "a lot of people are not satisfied with the field."

Republicans are clamoring for a candidate who will be able to energize the base and beat President Obama in a general election. Erstwhile front-runner Mitt Romney is widely seen as one of the strongest Republican candidates in a general election, but the most conservative parts of the party are less than thrilled with a candidate who was once governor of left-leaning Massachusetts.

Christie, as governor of Democratic New Jersey, may run into the same problem with Republican primary voters, who tend to be have the most conservative views of the party.

In New Jersey, however, Christie's approval rating has risen sharply since he signed into a law a dramatic revamp of pension and health benefits for state workers in June.

About 54 percent of voters in his state now approve of his performance as governor, while 36 percent disapprove, according to a poll released Tuesday by Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind. That's a 10 point increase from the 44 percent approval in May, when about 44 percent also disapproved, and the highest approval rating for Christie since taking office after ousting former Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in 2009.

[magicwhiteman]

Christie needs to pick a Black VP Candidate to run on his ticket. If he gets in and wins the nomination I would like to see him ask Herman Cain to run as VP. The Bamster will surely be in full panic mode at that annoncement hahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahaaaaaaaaaa

[shirlyel]

people that run other people down have a mental problem .Ask your doctor .

[Unsilent_Majority]

Interesting factoid on Christie...as the U.S. Attorney for the district of NJ he prosecuted (on corruption charges)in excess of 130 state elected and appointed officials...FROM BOTH PARTIES...and won convictions on all. Not bad.

[bajajohn1]

So?

[noloyalisti]

I think people are sick and tired of these Republicons who 1) are pro-life but kill hundreds and thousand of human beings, most innocent, 2) talk about creating jobs but keep voting against them, 3) talk about the deficit and the debt but were the people that ran them up in the first place.

There is only so far that the lies and propaganda on Fake News can go

[bajajohn1]

What would anyone say if someone were to discover or allege subtlety, as a mean-spirited right-winger from Perry's or Bachmann's group, that there are mob connections in New Jersey to consider?

[Unsilent_Majority]

As someone from NJ I would say there are mob connections, but those connections are iron-clad with the unions and the democratic party. specifically the union workers at the port of newark which is one of the biggest container port facilities in the world and is inundated with mafia, union and democrat stink. Don't forget, NJ is a blue state not a red state and it is the dems that call the shots here...Cristie is a rare exception.

[hairynews]

Unsilent,

Since you know every politician, every crime and person who did it, we are so grateful that we did not make a rash judgement against Christie.

[bajajohn1]

Mulling: To run or not to run, to run or not to run, to run or not to run, to run or not to run, not to run wins!!

[Progress4USA]

He's just taking Romney's cue at never taking a stand on an issue. On ANY issue...

[Lindag10]

Meanwhile he's eating pizza to help him decide.

[Progress4USA]

by enriquieGonzales September 27, 2011 3:50 PM EDT
"Christie would be a huge immprovemnt..."
---

HAAAA...LOL...LMAO.... That's a good one enriqui..."a huge improvement"... Haaaaaaa....

[hairynews]

Perry the bible thumper who calls Soc-Sec a ponzi, has 80 million boomers on his case and is dropping in the polls like Perry's anti big Government stance, everytime he sucks at the government breast, when he takes 25 BILLION in stimulus money from that same Big Government. Or the 19 military bases in texas, or the biggest employer, the Johnson space center!

Christy? This is going to be funny. God is backing Cain, Bachmann, and Santorum according to THEM! Romney says he is unemployed while sitting on 250 million and expanding his mansion, INSULTING THE AMERICAN WORKER! IF GOP COULN RUN BIG OIL, THEY WOULD!!!!!!!!!!!!This GOP/Tea-Party congress, who by the way has only worked 125 days this year, THE LOWEST ON RECORD! And is on vacation AGAIN! America sees the GOP/Tea party DOING NOTHING FOR THEM.

GOP/Tea Party needs some class, how about Palin and the " I am Not a Witch, Christine O'Donnel " bimbo running to complete your circus?

[bajajohn1]

Bachmann's demise has not been exaggerated. She is in the dustbin of history for Presidential wanna-be[s].

[hairynews]

enriquie,

thanks for the donation everytime you fill yout tank

[noloyalisti]

Yet another arrogant fake Christian that hates American workers and the American middle class that was created and maintained by labor unions. Until the billionaires figured out how to appoint morons like Christie so they could run the government they hate for profit.

[bajajohn1]

Before Unions, Republican industrialists ran sweat-shops that included children, women and men seven days a week. The working conditions were unsafe, unsanitary and wages were as deplorable as China's are today.

[bajajohn1]

Didn't Christie play one of Tony's boys on The Sopranos?