While the media were quick to point out how Garden State Republicans were quick to criticize the House Republican leadership for not calling a vote on Sandy relief before the expiration of the 112th Congress, you probably haven't heard about how a potential Democratic challenger to Chris Christie has gotten into hot water for saying the Republican governor "prayed a lot" for the devastating natural disaster to boost his popularity.
That comment came a few days ago from New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D), in what seems to be another attempt by some Democrats in exploiting tragedy. While local New Jersey news outlets and some national publications have reported the story, it seems that thus far ABC, CBS, and NBC have ignored this in their evening new coverage last night:
Sweeney: We gave the governor a jobs package. We gave him one. He vetoed it. And his job package is a hurricane. I guess he prayed a lot and got lucky a storm came. I shouldn’t say that...I apologize for saying it.
The media have loved to hype Christie when he's attacking fellow Republicans and conservatives for allegedly short-changing the Garden State, which makes it curious as to why they won't highlight when a liberal Democrat steps over the line and says Christie prayed for a deadly hurricane.
Then again, perhaps not. The media love love to boost the popular Christie as a sensible moderate rebuking a wayward, conservative Congress. Highlighting a liberal Democrat's attacks on the governor, by contrast, could tar Democrats as being overly-partisan and cynically exploitative of tragedy.
From the Office of The Governor of New Jersey:
