Chris Christie, the wildly popular northeastern governor -- at least in GOP circles -- spoke in soaring terms on the subject of American exceptionalism Tuesday evening at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Foundation in Simi Valley.
The theme of the official speech was American exceptionalism -- delivered to an audience that included Nancy Reagan, former California Gov. Pete Wilson and conservative activist Andrew Breitbart.
But the theme of the Q&A that followed was about whether the New Jersey governor would jump into the 2012 Republican presidential race.
(Ciick here and here for a two-part video; and here for the full text, courtesy of The Weekly Standard.)
But first, he was asked about a subject that caused some trouble for a declared....
...candidate, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, in the last GOP debate down in Florida. Defending his decision with the Texas Legislature to grant discounted in-state tuition rates to children of illegal aliens, Perry had said: "If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart."But the theme of the Q&A that followed was about whether the New Jersey governor would jump into the 2012 Republican presidential race.
(Ciick here and here for a two-part video; and here for the full text, courtesy of The Weekly Standard.)
But first, he was asked about a subject that caused some trouble for a declared....
Christie took exception to that:
As for the education expense, I've dealt with this problem in New Jersey, and I need to be crystal clear about it. I want every child to be educated, but I do not believe that, for the people who came here illegally, that we should be subsidizing, with taxpayer money, through in-state tuition, their education.The next questioner addressed the presidential campaign: "Gov. Christie, you're known as a straight-shooter, not one given to playing games. Can you tell us what's going on here? Are you reconsidering or are you standing firm?"
Let me be very clear, from my perspective, that is not a heartless position. That is a common-sense position.
"Listen," said Christie, "I have to tell you the truth -- you folks are an incredible disappointment as an audience." That got big laughs. "The fact that it took to the second question shows you people are off your game. That is not American exceptionalism."
That got bigger laughs.
But then the governor referred his listeners to Politico.com, which today posted a video compilation of Christie's denials that he's running