In an exclusive interview with newly announced Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie aired on Wednesday’s Today, co-host Matt Lauer used attacks from left-wing detractors to grill the New Jersey governor: “For all your talk about compromise, though, you have a mixed bag of reaction in this state. You know, I drove into your event today and I drove past a pretty hefty group of protesters. I think a lot of them were teachers, and they were holding up signs that said ‘Liar’ and ‘Bully.’”
Christie pushed back: “The fact is that we gotta make these hard decisions and I don’t shy away from them. So that means you’re going to have some people who protest and were angry.”
In a portion of the exchange aired on Tuesday’s NBC Nightly News, Lauer pressed Christie on whether he had “the temperament to be President of the United States.” Meanwhile, on CBS Evening News, correspondent Nancy Cordes proclaimed that the Bridgegate scandal had “fed his image as a bully.”
On Today, Lauer held up President Obama as the standard by which to judge the Republican contender:
When this country elected Barack Obama as president six years ago, history was made. He became the first African-American president in U.S. history. And yet, if you look at this country today, you could argue that it is as racially divided and racially tense as it has been in decades. So if Barack Obama couldn't help bridge the racial divide, how can President Chris Christie?
In a second question focused on Obama, Lauer wondered:
When President Obama came to office, there was all that talk about hope and change. And there was all that feeling of inspiration. You can decide how it worked out six years later. What could you do to inspire this country? A country that seems desperate for inspiration.
Not one question was asked about Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.
Here is an excerpt of the interview aired on July 1:
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7:16 AM ET
MATT LAUER: For all your talk about compromise, though, you have a mixed bag of reaction in this state. You know, I drove into your event today and I drove past a pretty hefty group of protesters. I think a lot of them were teachers, and they were holding up signs that said "Liar" and "Bully."
CHRIS CHRISTIE: The fact is that we gotta make these hard decisions and I don’t shy away from them. So that means you’re going to have some people who protest and were angry.
LAUER: When this country elected Barack Obama as president six years ago, history was made. He became the first African-American president in U.S. history. And yet, if you look at this country today, you could argue that it is as racially divided and racially tense as it has been in decades. So if Barack Obama couldn't help bridge the racial divide, how can President Chris Christie?
CHRISTIE: You know, I’ve learned here in my state, which is the most ethnically diverse state in the country, that the first way to do it is to show up in all those places and to listen. So for instance, when the tragedy happened in Charleston, African-American ministers in my state called and said they wanted to have a prayer service. And I went on Father's Day and sat with African-American ministers and members of the congregation and spoke very clearly about racism. That racism is the cause of what happened in Charleston.
LAUER: But so did the President. The President went down and eulogized Reverend Pinckney.
CHRISTIE: I don't think he’s really listening, Matt. I think he goes and he talks but he doesn’t listen. If you look at a place like Camden in our state, where the murder rate in the last two years is down 55%. You know who showed up a few weeks ago? The President, to say what a great job was going on in Camden.
LAUER: When President Obama came to office, there was all that talk about hope and change. And there was all that feeling of inspiration. You can decide how it worked out six years later. What could you do to inspire this country? A country that seems desperate for inspiration.
CHRISTIE: First off by telling them the truth. I think they think all too often politicians just tell them the version of the truth they think will sell that day. I’ve never been accused of that. So I’m going to tell the truth as I see it.
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