Newspaper: 'We Blew It' With Christie Endorsement

Star-Ledger editor explains how tough endorsements can be
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 9, 2014 4:30 PM CST
Newspaper: 'We Blew It' With Christie Endorsement
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie addresses a gathering Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, in Keansburg, NJ.   (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

So endorsing Chris Christie for governor wasn't the best idea after all. "We blew this one," writes Tim Moran, editorial page editor at the New Jersey Star-Ledger. To be fair, the editorial board didn't think Christie's team "was crazy enough to put people’s lives at risk in Fort Lee" or that Christie "would use Hurricane Sandy aid as a political slush fund." Plus he'd done good things, like boosting education in struggling cities and reining in costs with pension and health reforms. Most importantly, the endorsement was a hard choice "between two flawed human beings."

Yes, Christie was a known bully, but even many Democrats didn't think Sen. Barbara Buono was up to the job. And the Star-Ledger felt compelled to choose one of them (rather than skip the endorsement like the New York Times did). Now Christie's poll numbers are plummeting and liberals are dancing. "But be careful," writes Moran, because female-libido-ranter Mike Huckabee is next in line for the GOP nomination. After him come Rand Paul and Ted Cruz. Between Paul and Christie, "I’d pick Christie. ... And if you think that makes some sense, then you understand how excruciating the endorsement process can be." Click for Moran's full piece, the original endorsement, or the Star-Ledger's call for Christie to resign. (More Chris Christie stories.)

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