Christie: Obama Visit Shows Corzine's Vulnerability
PARAMUS, N.J. -- Though his once-formidable lead has slipped away, Chris Christie (R) called a visit today from President Obama on behalf of Gov. Jon Corzine (D) a sign that his campaign's message is getting through to voters.
"I'm convinced that the Democrats in this state thought I'd be dead and buried now. Instead, they're bringing in the President of the United States," the former U.S. Attorney said in a press availability here this afternoon. "In a state President Obama won by 15 points last year, and where there's 700,000 more Democrats than Republicans, and where he's outspent me over 3-to-1 now, how else would you explain that I'm still in the lead?"
Christie said he welcomed Obama to the state, and said he agrees with him on "a lot of things." But when Air Force One takes off today, "it's not coming back. And if they vote for Jon Corzine, they're stuck with him," he said.
In a deliberate contrast from the glitzy Obama/Corzine rally just a short drive away, Christie came to a voter's living room and chatted with a family about the state's high tax burden, saying he was the only candidate who would make the tough decisions to bring the state's spending under control.
Christie also acknowledged the challenge still ahead as a Republican in what has become a very blue state.
"This is going to be one of those times when your vote's going to really count," he said. "The last four times a Republican has won statewide in New Jersey in the last 28 years, three out of those four times the Republican won by 1 percent or less. ... It's going to be very close, I know it will be."
In the closing days, Christie is expected to get a visit by one of the few big-name Republicans who is popular in the Garden State: former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.