Christie Team Assessing How Fast a 2012 Campaign Could Be Mounted

[scandal 951]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/us/politics/christie-team-assessing-how-fast-a-2012-campaign-could-be-mounted.html

Christie Team Assessing How Fast a 2012 Campaign Could Be Mounted

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR, DAVID M. HALBFINGER and JIM RUTENBERG

Published: October 1, 2011

WASHINGTON — Chris Christie’s political advisers are working to determine whether they could move fast enough to set up effective political operations in Iowa and New Hampshire in the wake of a relentless courtship aimed at persuading Mr. Christie, the governor of New Jersey, to plunge into the race for the Republican presidential nomination, according to operatives briefed on the preparations.

Mr. Christie has not yet decided whether to run and has not authorized the start of a full-fledged campaign operation. But with the governor now seriously considering getting in, his strategists — many of them veterans of Rudolph W. Giuliani’s 2008 campaign — are internally assessing the financial and logistical challenges of mounting a race with less than 100 days until voting is likely to begin.

Those challenges include not only raising money, but also spending it effectively in the crucial states with early primaries. That would mean meeting filing deadlines, hiring staff members, recruiting volunteers, putting together a travel schedule for Mr. Christie and his surrogates and devising a media campaign.

“They’re getting their arms around what’s going to be required,” said a political operative who has been briefed on the deliberations among Mr. Christie’s team. “What does an operation look like? What are the requirements in each of the states? What are the things that need to be done before we talk about people and résumés and office space?”

Mr. Christie’s advisers said on Saturday that no formal planning for a campaign would begin unless the governor made a decision to run. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, they said current efforts are nothing more than “due diligence” should Mr. Christie decide to make a bid. One senior adviser said no campaign is under way but expressed confidence that one could be started in 24 hours if needed.

The high-level advisers also said that the flurry of political activity around Mr. Christie includes unsolicited strategic advice and offers of help from potential donors and consultants who are eager to see him run but are not part of the governor’s inner circle. Friends say that only Mr. Christie can decide what is right for him.

“This is a very smart guy who can figure this out for himself, and I think that’s all that needs to be said,” said William Palatucci, a close confidant of Mr. Christie. He played down any immediate campaign planning, saying that his own weekend plans included “going to pick up my daughter from her sleepover.”

Those pushing Mr. Christie to run include the media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, Nancy Reagan and the conservative columnist William Kristol.

Mr. Christie has become particularly popular among those establishment Republicans and major party donors who are seeking a candidate who could be a more exciting alternative — and one with potentially broader appeal — than one of the perceived front-runners, former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

The push to recruit him intensified after Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, who had been seen as a promising alternative, received poor debate performance reviews two weeks ago.

If the odds of a campaign were very low just weeks ago, they are increasing. Others say that, in the end, they still believe he will take a pass.

A hastily put together campaign would upend what two of Mr. Christie’s advisers said was his original plan: to consider running for president in 2016. But with President Obama looking more vulnerable, and with dissatisfaction among some voters and influential party leaders with the current Republican field, Mr. Christie is said by those close to him to feel that his best opportunity to run might be now.

“They have to run a billion-dollar operation, which they weren’t prepared to do,” said a second political operative who was briefed on the deliberations among Mr. Christie’s team. “For the first time, they are actually considering it seriously.”

The pressure on Mr. Christie has come from just about every direction. It came at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California last week, where everyone from members of the audience to Mrs. Reagan urged him to reconsider his refusal to run.

Aides to Gov. Chris Christie are assessing a bid.

It came when Mr. Christie stopped by a breakfast of conservative columnists at the Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington. Mr. Kristol said he told Mr. Christie that day that he was “a big man for a big job.”

Mr. Kristol again urged Mr. Christie to run in a widely circulated Weekly Standard column last week. He has argued that Mr. Christie is perfectly engaged in the budget battles of the day and would bring an urgency to a campaign that other candidates lack.

At a fund-raising event in SoHo this year for New Jersey Republicans, with Mr. Christie as a host, Mr. Kissinger showed up. A person who was there quoted Mr. Kissinger as saying: “At my age, I have other things to do than to spend a Thursday night at a fund-raiser — but this guy is so important to the future of our country that I came here to tell you that you have to support him — and now I have to go.”

Mr. Kissinger was also among the guests at a meeting of dozens of top donors and other prominent Republicans convened by Ken Langone, the Home Depot founder. Mr. Kissinger surprised some of those there, according to a person briefed on the meeting, when he spoke up and urged Mr. Christie to run, saying that he would best represent United States interests abroad.

The pressure has also come in calls Mr. Christie has received or as he has bumped into influential Republican supporters, among them Mr. Murdoch, according to people close to both men who would discuss the subject only on the condition of anonymity.

In private conservations, several Republican governors have suggested that Mr. Christie consider running, as well.

One of them was Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio, who has publicly praised Mr. Christie, saying in a recent Bloomberg View forum that “he has a certain magic about him.”

Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin said he believed that Mr. Christie would bring “intelligent straight talk” to the race but conceded that he was mixed about whether he should jump in.

“Do I think Christie should run? My heart says without a doubt — with that passion and because of his excitement,” Mr. Walker said. “My head looks at it, though, and thinks anyone who is in their first term as governor needs to run for re-election first. It’s tough to be ready to be a candidate and to be well versed, particularly in foreign policy, and to have an organization.”

Mr. Christie’s team, led by Mike DuHaime, a veteran Republican strategist, is acutely aware of the difficulty of having a candidate with great press and a big bank account, but no ground game. Mr. DuHaime ran Mr. Giuliani’s 2008 campaign, with just that profile.

As recently as three months ago, Mr. Christie’s advisers had few doubts that Mr. Obama would be re-elected.

That changed with polls showing steep declines in the public’s assessment of Mr. Obama’s leadership and with a Republican upset in a special election for a House seat in the Democratic bastion of Queens.

“Sometimes the man can’t choose the moment,” one of the political operatives said. “That discussion has been part of the last 10 days.”

Those last 10 days have largely been spent assessing the practical questions of conducting a campaign in what one operative described as a “very low-key, very hush-hush” way.

“It’s not a lot of time,” the operative said. “It’s a fair thing to say that they’re aware of that. But it’s not impossible. And there’s lots of people, financial and otherwise, who are still on the sidelines. There’s going to be personnel there if he decides to go.”

[Sofiyya 1,687]

This is the only pol I still like, so, I'm just waiting for him to do something to screw that up for me.

[Pooky 3,828]

Christie vs Cuomo - 2016. That would be a race worth watching.

Andrew Cuomo is doing a rather nice job of sorting out New York State's financial mess, doing things no Democrat is usually reported as doing.

Edited October 2, 2011 by Pooky

[Danno 1,228]

All this Christy hype comes from the same well as the John McCain hype back when he was challenging Bush.

Or the Fed Thompson hype for that matter.

These "ideal candidates" have a way of deflating, once the talk is over and the stage is taken.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The pressure on Mr. Christie has come from just about every direction. It came at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California last week, where everyone from members of the audience to Mrs. Reagan urged him to reconsider his refusal to run.

Emphatically denied by Nancy Reagan, as related by George Will today on ABC News Sunday.

[Pooky 3,828]

I have a feeling, from what I have seen and heard of Chris Christie, that he has a good deal more substance than either John McCain, or Fred Thompson.

From the way he carries an argument, I dare say he is better informed and smarter than either, too.

However, 2012 is too early for him. He is getting results in New Jersey, at a bipartisan level, too. But he needs to give himself time to achieve sustainable progress for the state, over more than just a part of one term as governor, before he takes on the Washington electoral machine.

[mawilson 2,133]

These "ideal candidates" have a way of deflating, once the talk is over and the stage is taken.

Not Christie!

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I have a feeling, from what I have seen and heard of Chris Christie, that he has a good deal more substance than either John McCain, or Fred Thompson.

From the way he carries an argument, I dare say he is better informed and smarter than either, too.

However, 2012 is too early for him. He is getting results in New Jersey, at a bipartisan level, too. But he needs to give himself time to achieve sustainable progress for the state, over more than just a part of one term as governor, before he takes on the Washington electoral machine.

I agree he should wait. I don't want the crazies in this years's batch to taint him.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I agree he should wait. I don't want the crazies in this years's batch to taint him.

Folks tend to go into these elections with high expectations once they decide on a standard bearer. Getting to that point seems to be a constant race to least common denominator. For the Democrats, that has already been decided, so they have 13 months to build a some enthusiasm. And for the Republicans? Things really don't even get real until well into winter.

So, the Political junkies will have to settle for shade leaf until harvest time.

Edited October 2, 2011 by Crusty Old Perv

[scandal 951]

Christie is not running.

I liked this line:

"The waiting for 'Superman' is over," he said. "It won't change what we're doing. We've lived through President Palin, President Huckabee, President Trump and President Daniels.' We've survived 'em all."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/04/usa-campaign-christie-idUSN1E7930H120111004

Christie confirms he will not run in 2012

By Dave Warner

TRENTON, New Jersey, Oct 4 (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie dashed hopes on Tuesday that he might make a late leap into the 2012 Republican presidential race in a move that sets up a battle between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.

Christie's 45-minute news conference to say that "now is not my time" gave voters a taste of what they will miss in not having him on the campaign trail, a straight-talking politician so comfortable in his own skin he could laugh about news coverage of his ample waistline.

His exit will likely benefit former Massachusetts Governor Romney in the fight for moderate Republicans' support and leaves the Republican field largely set, as former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is showing no signs of diving in.

Romney, chased from the front-runner position by Texas Governor Perry weeks ago, has now regained the lead after Perry's poor debate performances, as Republicans consider who is the more electable candidate in the general election contest against Democratic President Barack Obama in November 2012.

The field includes players from across America's conservative political spectrum: Moderates Romney and former U.S. ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, and right-leaning Perry, Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul.

The fight will now intensify as Republicans look to the first U.S. nominating contest, the Iowa caucuses, coming up in a mere three months, quickly followed by the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries.

A senior Romney adviser said the Christie decision removed all doubt as to who will be in the field after a series of trial balloons from Christie, Mike Huckabee, Donald Trump and Mitch Daniels -- who all were seen as alternatives to Romney.

"The waiting for 'Superman' is over," he said. "It won't change what we're doing. We've lived through President Palin, President Huckabee, President Trump and President Daniels.' We've survived 'em all."

"The Republican field is now set," said Republican strategist Scott Reed.

Exiting stage right on Tuesday was Christie, 49, the no-nonsense governor who repeatedly said no to a run but felt compelled to reconsider based on a flood of entreaties from supporters from Nancy Reagan to a Nebraska farmer.

'YOU'RE STUCK WITH ME'

"I'm doing a job that I love in the state I grew up in," said Christie.

"In the end, what I always felt was the right decision remains the right decision today -- now is not my time."

"New Jersey, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me," he said, adding he has "unfinished business" as governor.

Christie left the door open to running in 2016 but shrugged off a question on whether he would consider being the 2012 vice presidential nominee, saying he did not believe "my personality is best suited to being number two."

Christie would have immediately energized a field that lacks firepower and that many party faithful are unenthusiastic about. Large undecided campaign donors may now be willing to back some of the established candidates.

Asked about the crop of candidates and which one he favors, Christie said, "I'm not prepared to make any endorsement today."

Huntsman attempted to cash in on Christie's departure, with campaign manager Matt David saying Republicans need "a standard bearer who is willing to tell the truth to the American people, offer serious solutions, and have a record to back it up."

"Governor Huntsman is the only candidate in the field who fits that description," he said.

Christie dismissed talk he was only courted because the Republican field was weak. "I don't think it says anything in particular about the field. I like to think it says something about me. It wasn't my charm and good looks -- I think it was the accomplishments that we have in New Jersey."

While not impossible, it would have been a difficult challenge for Christie to raise money, enlist activists and build a nationwide team with only 90 days until the voting begins.

Had Christie run and won the nomination, it would have set up a contest between him and Obama, both populists who cast themselves as honest brokers who can move toward the middle to get things done.

Christie, a large man who struggles with his weight and was briefly hospitalized this summer after having trouble breathing, was asked if jokes about his obesity from late-night comedians had upset him.

"It's not a news flash to me that I am overweight," Christie said. "It is not something that bothers me, I am not self-conscious about it, I am self-aware."

But, he said, talk by pundits that his obesity was a sign of his personal lack of discipline was "ignorant" and only advanced stereotypes.