Chris Crucial: A rant on Chris Christie 😡

PLUS: Mitch McConnell handicaps the Senate map!

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1. Christie still doesn’t get it: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie did an interview with the Washington Post at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics on Tuesday.

The thrust of the conversation was, not surprisingly, the 2024 election.

First, the Post reporter asked Christie if his position on Donald Trump had changed at all since the end of the Republican presidential primary. It had not, Christie insisted.

“One thing I know for sure now is I’m not voting for Trump under any circumstances,” said Christie. “If he’s the only person on the ballot, I’m not voting for Trump, because I know him too well, and he is wholly unfit to be president of the United States in every way you think.”

Ok, so far, so good!

Christie was then asked whether he planned to vote for President Joe Biden instead. To which he responded this way:

“I don't think so. No.”

“President Biden, in my view, is past the sell-by date. Seriously, look at him.”

“If the American people are stupid enough to nominate these two guys, doesn’t mean I have to be stupid, too.”

Aaaaaaand the logic train just left the track.

Ok, so let’s just walk through Christie’s thinking:

a) Donald Trump is “wholly unfit” to be president

b) He won’t vote for Biden because the incumbent is “past the sell-by date.”

c)

Like, whaaaaaat?

This “logic” — and Christie is far from the only anti-Trumper to use it — makes zero sense.

And here’s why: This presidential election is a BINARY choice. There are only two people who have any serious chance of being the president of the United States in January 20, 2025: Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

So, if you believe one of those two people is “wholly unfit” for the office and “he will be on the vendetta tour against all enemies that he perceives” (another Christie quote from the WaPo interview) then, well, you HAVE to vote for the other guy.

Even if you think the other guy is too old to be president. Even if you disagree with the other guy on lots of issues. No matter what.

Because the reality is that not voting for the guy who is still fit to be president (again, even if you think he is too old or wrong on the issues) means that it makes it easier for the guy you DO think is wholly unfit to be president to, uh, be president.

As much as it might make Christie feel good to write in “George H.W. Bush” or “Mitt Romney” or whoever on his ballot, neither of them — or anyone else not named “Trump” or “Biden” — is going to win.

We don’t live in a make-believe world where anyone can be president in November. It’s these two guys. That’s it. Period.

So, excuse me if I don’t buy the speak-truth-to-power BS that Christie tries to sell in explaining his decision. “If the American people are stupid enough to nominate these two guys, doesn’t mean I have to be stupid, too.”

Sounds good! But makes no actual sense!

This isn’t about being smart or stupid. Elections are never about a choice between the best thing and the worst thing. It’s always somewhere in between. By choosing not to choose, Christie is showing he doesn’t actually believe all that smack he talks about Trump and the dangers he presents to the presidency and the country.

Spare me.

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