WildGorillaMan wrote:Can one of you please link an explanatory article or summarize this whole traffic jam thing for us foreigners?
In case this is a serious question.
From CNN
It was September and Christie was full steam into his re-election bid -- which he won two months later. Wildstein, who Christie appointed to a high position at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ordered the closing of two of the three lanes of traffic leading to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee. It held up motorists trying to make it into Manhattan and caused days of massive traffic jams in Fort Lee, where the Democratic mayor Mark Sokolich had declined to endorse Christie for re-election.
Democrats speculated that the mayhem was political retaliation against Sokolich. Hearings ensued, and Wildstein resigned under pressure. Then came Wednesday's revelation that a top Christie aide, Bridget Anne Kelly had e-mailed Wildstein before the closures, telling him, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee." "Got it," Wildstein replied back. He e-mailed a comment that the parents of children stuck in school buses in the traffic jams were Democratic voters.
It was a serious question. Danke.
I'm going back to sleep now.
Apparently this is also one of the most highly trafficked bridges in the country. Kind of surprising to me, but I've heard it said two or three times on the news, so it has to be true.
"Gentle in what you do, Firm in how you do it"
- Buck Brannaman
This could be an opportunity to strike at corruption in Jersey politics, starting with his own machine. Could be good for Christie if he plays it right--he could look better than Hillary or Obama on similar issues.
"Liberalism is arbitrarily selective in its choice of whose dignity to champion." Adrian Vermeule
It's not about sex or guns so Americans won't pay attention to it beyond a few days and it will be long forgotten by the election. He's fat and unattractive so unlikely to play well in the general election.
Of course, Hillary is a girl and there is no way that the US is going to elect one of those so losing to a fat guy from Jersey would be far less of a stretch than losing to a black guy from Chicago. However, she will have more cash than everybody else combined and that usually trumps all.
Brian Schweitzer is more likely to get out of the Dem primaries than a moderate out of the GOP but nobody on the Democrat's side is going to come out of a one-on-one campaign with Hillary.
milosz wrote:Etiquette question: when you're in the midst of a strong jerk sesh, just stroking it hard while you mutter Benghazi to yourself - is it okay to bust on your poster of Ronald Reagan or do you have to aim for your own mouth?
WildGorillaMan wrote:Enthusiasm combined with no skill whatsoever can sometimes carry the day.
baffled wrote:Apparently this is also one of the most highly trafficked bridges in the country. Kind of surprising to me, but I've heard it said two or three times on the news, so it has to be true.
The George Washington bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the Holland tunnel are the main ways to get into Manhattan from the main land. The Port Authority is an oddball thing that administers the bridges, tunnels, and the airport.
Like everything in the NYC metro area, between the mob the unions and the local politics, which are increasingly interchangeable, everything is filthy dirty corrupt and everything that happens with the Port Authority is a shit show. Something like this doesn't even raise an eyebrow day to day.
But when I stand in front of the mirror and really look, I wonder: What the fuck happened here? Jesus Christ. What a beating!
milosz wrote:Etiquette question: when you're in the midst of a strong jerk sesh, just stroking it hard while you mutter Benghazi to yourself - is it okay to bust on your poster of Ronald Reagan or do you have to aim for your own mouth?
That is the funniest thing I've read in a long time. Bravo
The Ginger Beard Man wrote:Christie could probably beat Hillary in the dem primary. He doesn't stand a chance in a republican primary.
The Republicans had 3-4 people who could have done decently against Obama in the last election (as long as they raised enough cash) though couldn't get above single-digits in polling amongst GOP constituents.
Although it would initially mean ceding national elections to the Democrats, the Republicans would be strengthened on the national level by splitting their party in two.
WildGorillaMan wrote:Enthusiasm combined with no skill whatsoever can sometimes carry the day.
The Ginger Beard Man wrote:Christie could probably beat Hillary in the dem primary. He doesn't stand a chance in a republican primary.
The Republicans had 3-4 people who could have done decently against Obama in the last election (as long as they raised enough cash) though couldn't get above single-digits in polling amongst GOP constituents.
Although it would initially mean ceding national elections to the Democrats, the Republicans would be strengthened on the national level by splitting their party in two.
Who would these 3-4 people be?
Mao wrote:Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. Our principle is that the Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the Party
The Ginger Beard Man wrote:Christie could probably beat Hillary in the dem primary. He doesn't stand a chance in a republican primary.
The Republicans had 3-4 people who could have done decently against Obama in the last election (as long as they raised enough cash) though couldn't get above single-digits in polling amongst GOP constituents.
Although it would initially mean ceding national elections to the Democrats, the Republicans would be strengthened on the national level by splitting their party in two.
Who would these 3-4 people be?
I remember thinking that as long as they didn't nominate Romney, Bachman or Santorum that BHO was in trouble.
In a general election, assuming equal funding?
Gary Johnson was locked out of GOP debates and still received over a million votes as a third-party candidate. I have heard Huntsman speak a few times and he seemed like a guy who a lot of moderates would vote for. Herman Cain would have at least taken a bit of the black vote. Although neither could have won, Gingrich and Paul would have at least gone down swinging.
If Christine would have run, he would have done better than Romney did as well.
All my opinion and all assuming that there is nobody better (i.e. Montana's gov) waiting in the wings.
WildGorillaMan wrote:Enthusiasm combined with no skill whatsoever can sometimes carry the day.
