It’s always interesting what seemingly minor event turns into a scandal that could derail a political career. A four-day traffic jam near the George Washington Bridge in New York was threatening the presumed campaign of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for the Presidency. E-mails made public yesterday revealed that top Christie aides planned the traffic jams by closing lanes of traffic as political retribution against the Democratic Mayor of Fort Lee who refused to endorse Republican Christie’s reelection campaign last year. Christie, aside from twice being elected in a “blue” state, has achieved fame for his bluster and confrontational approach to dissenters. He also has earned the likely permanent disapprobation of Tea Partiers and other Republicans for literally hugging Barack Obama during the 2012 presidential campaign when the President visited storm-ravaged New Jersey.
Christie just completed a press conference lasting almost two hours at which he made a brief statement denying any knowledge of the planned traffic disruptions, expressing “embarrassment and humiliation,” and accepting responsibility as the state’s Governor. He also announced the termination of two officials who wrote the e-mails. And, he stood there for a remarkably long period of time answering the reporters’ questions. It was a unique performance in that he was neither evasive nor carefully parsing answers. He came across as both credible and – in stark contrast to prior Republican presidential candidates – articulate and knowledgeable. While the news media will undoubtedly flog this story endlessly until the next “red meat” event comes along, Christie’s performance was remarkable and convincing. If it turns out he was lying, my embarrassment will be exceeded considerably by his.
Tom Noonan 
Really? You found that kabuki theater convincing? I don’t understand how any astute observer could considering the typical crummy job done by those reporters in attendence. I must have missed it, but where was the question and answer about how a deputy chief of staff comes to be cloaked in such power that she can fire off a terse, vague email like: “Time for traffic problems in Fort Lee,” and be so easily understood and obeyed? ” That would then lead to the following questions: “At the very least, what does that say about the culture your administration has created? Such shorthand requires a certain understandings does it not? How has this come to be that these kinds of dirty tricks acceptable? Where is Kevin O’Dowd in this? The wording of Kelly’s email seems to indicate some sort of decision, one that she seems to be passing along? Do you think that’s a reasonable reading, Governor? If she is passing it along, where but from you or Kevin O’Dowd could the decision have originated?” I used to like Christy, and as far as scandals go this is on the petty side. But it’s petty in a Nixonian way. And in spite of his answering questions for 90 minutes, we didn’t get the truth. He’ll survive as Governor – after all he’s still a huge ethical step up from Jon Corzine – but he’s done on the national stage.