(REUTERS/Mike Segar)
Chris Christie, the New Jersey Republican governor that many felt should have been the party’s nominee for President this year, sent a chill through political partisans Tuesday when he praised President Barack Obama for his response to the Superstorm Sandy disaster.
“The President has been outstanding in this,” Christie said.
Christie’s comments show some hope for a political system currently mired in partisan sell-destruction. It demonstrates that — in times of extreme crisis — that America can put aside its differences and pull together when the nation is hurting.
The mounting death toll and incredible destruction from the Superstorm has shocked American and brought an outpouring of support for those affected. Donations are pouring in to relief agencies.
When asked about a report that GOP Presidential nominee Mitt Romney — the candidate that Christie has campaign for actively this year — is planning a trip to New Jersey, Christie shrugged it off.
I have a job in New Jersey that is much bigger than presidential politics. I couldn’t care less about that.
Christie says Obama has called him three times to check on the damage and to offer help and he will accompany the President Wednesday on a tour of the damage and to meet some of the victims.
Added the governor in an interview on CNN:
He(Obama) has been incredibly supportive and helpful to our state and not once did he bring up the election, If he’s not bringing it up, you can be sure that people in New Jersey are not worried about that, primarily if one of the guys running isn’t.
We saw some of the same non-partisan cooperation in the aftermath of 9/11. People came together, put their differences aside and starting thinking as Americans, not a Republicans or Democrats or whatever.
Sadly, it didn’t last.
It won’t last long in this case either.
Too bad.
Emails calling Christie a “traitor” are already flowing into Capitol Hill Blue. Once again, the petty partisans just can’t put their country above a political party. It makes us sad to see such lockstep adherence to party dogma.
The problems that America faces will still be around when memories of Sandy fade.
We could learn a lesson from Chris Christie.
It’s amazing what government can accomplish when partisanship is replaced by partnership. Too bad such behavior is an exception instead of standard operating procedure.
Related articles
10 thoughts on “When partnership replaces partisanship, good things can happen”
Sandy, I am an independent in every sense of the word. I would be interested in what Christie has to say. I know very little about him except he seems to be very involved with the devastation in his state. George Bush made a great speech post 9/11, but then it all pretty much went downhill after that. I don’t blame Falwell and Robertson for that. Those guys like to make headlines. They don’t represent my politics nor my beliefs.
We need balance. The Atheists are suing for the removal of a cross in Maryland which has stood for fifty years to honor WW 2 vets. It is insulting and then the nuts on both sides show up.
There are nuts in both parties. I was a democrat, a republican. Now I pretty much detest them both.
Absolutely! I’ve been a member of the Red Cross for 28 years and have worked many quakes, floods and fires. I was saddened to listen to several tv channels who had far too many callers and emails trying to put the blame on someone when it comes the poor infrastructures found on both coasts of America.
I suggested here (Reader Rant) that possibly the very wealthy Trump and Romney might put together a plan in evaluating exactly what is needed to improve the safety of our coastal residents. We have a very active Red Cross on the California coast and we have done some research especially around our Diabo and San Onofre Nuke plants. We realized it take a lot of money to put a study out on what are the threats. I mentioned that Romney is waiting to see if he wins the gold ring and while he is waiting a study of New York and New Jersey shore line would show that he actually gives a damn about the American people. His pal Trump would know all about the rules and regulations for re-building in these areas would catch the attention of the voters. I think even the Democrats might get over the terrible lies and insults that Trump has spread about our President.
Romney and I share the same great grandfather so I am familiar with the knowledge that he spends money only for the Church. Now if the LDS wanted to build a temple on the Jersey Shore, I can guarantee it would ready within a year for construction.
The truth is, America may be divided politically, but I would say very few people care whether those affected by the Hurricane Sandy are democrats or republicans.
Most of us just want to do whatever we can do to facilitate the restoring of their homes and lives.
Sherry, would you be interested in the possibility of Gov. Christie running for President in 2016? We have a thread on Reader Rant on this subject. He is the one Republican who could get my attention for a place on the next Presidential election. Are you registered on Reader Rant? Come over and read in.
Thanks, Doug, maybe there’s a faint ray of light at the end of the tunnel?….We sure could use this type of cooperation to animate the “frozen chosen” in Congress….Plus, it might have fewer side effects that administering L-DOPA to the Congresspersons and Senators.
Jim, I had a thought in the same line of your post. What if Romney wins the White House and the Congress is increased to put the Democrats in the majority.. Would they pull a similar trick as the GOP did with Obama? I can’t say I would blame them but we’ve had enough children playing in the House. I know of many who are trying to downsize the GOP in the House and Senate. My senators have been Democrats for years and this year I did vote for them. I finally had to leave the GOP. I’ve voted GOP since 1953 when Ike ran and I was 21. I even stayed with Ron Paul the last elections but they played too many dirty games for me. I want my party back but there is no sign of leadership to make this happen.
Romney is my cousin, and just when I have a relative running, I can’t vote for him. Mother was George’s first cousin and I have no idea what Mitt is to me. He does not stand for my America so my hands are tied. Being Mormons, there are probably thousands of cousins running around.
Is it EVEN POSSIBLE for Sandy to say something about the GOP without dissing Christianity? Today is Saints Day Sandy.
Get some therapy. Find something productive to do with all that hate of yours.
Sherry, can you explain to me why Christians need the federal government to keep them in line? For many years the separation of church and state worked beautifully until Pat Robertson got together with George W. Bush and they worked out a series of prohibitions that would make a list of sins against the law. I did a ton of research on the nations of Spain, France and Italy and saw what happened with the Pope began to send out prohibitions. I have many friends who are 7th Day Adventists and my kids went to a Christian Science school. We had a neighborhood of Quakers who taught their children at home. Not a single one of these folks wanted the federal government to issue prohibitions. I was very curious about this and many were offended when the churches wanted government laws to reflect any religion.
Are you telling me that I in any way am keeping you from celebrating All Saint’s Day? How is this possible? Because you are a Christian does it mean that we all should be Christians too?
I have an enormous respect for the U.S. Constitution and anyone who wants to change it should be questioned.
In 1998, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell formed a political group to bring Christian laws into the federal government. It is certainly possible for anyone to live by Christian laws without asking others to do so. I learned at that time that the Air Force Academy was teaching the St. James bible as part of their curriculum and it made many of the students uncomfortable.
Not all Americans are Christians and the other religions are not pushing their laws on us. One of my best friends is a Jehovah’s Witness and he has made it clear that he has no interest in bringing that religion into the world of others. He heads up his church and would never try to keep others from having blood transfusions.
The glory of America is the diversity of the people. This means that we all have the choice of believing in some god or no God. My grandparents were Mormons and kept their religion to themselves. It is not a mental illness to believe in God nor it is a mental illness not to believe in God. There is no need for name calling here.
The change within the Republican Party is a result of the religious right trying to control the party. It brought anger, name calling and insults that come directly from the religious right. They don’t even deny this. It is their tool to gather more members. Sadly they losing members who will never return to the GOP. I made my first Democratic vote this week for Obama. The GOP lost my entire family with their hateful agenda. It saddens me more than I can express.
Well said, Doug, well said.
I think we all will learn something from this hurricane disaster and it should point out the hatred between the parties that has been allowed to develop.
My own opinion tends to blame the religious right for taking over the Republican Party and setting new rules for the entire party. These new rules were clearly defined in 1999 when Pat Robertson, Alan Keyes and Jerry Falwell gathered up a group of Republican candidates to rewrite the platform around a Christian base. The prohibitions to be added to the Bill of Rights removed gay marriages, abortions for any reason, a stop to death with dignity and many other sins added. It caught on and allowed Gov. Bush of Texas to run and win in 2000. His first action was promising federal grants to the churches which erased the separation of church and state.
It divided the GOP and the war between the parties was off and running. It was no secret that had Gov. Christie run for President, this time he might have unseated President Obama but Christie had no interest in the Prohibitions. Christie is a fiscal conservative believing that social issues are not federal issues. Christie is my kind of Republican. The Conservatives have labeled him the enemy of the GOP and the poor man will never win another election.
The GOP has managed to destroy what it once proudly stood for. Will America ever be able to return to an ethical election?
There must be a way out of this mess and hopefully a new Party based on the separation of church and state can develop and bring us all back together again. It won’t happen in my time.
Comments are closed.