The New York Times reported Sunday that Nancy Reagan is "pushing" New Jersey governor Chris Christie to run for president.
George Will spoke to the former First Lady Saturday evening and told Christiane Amanpour on ABC's "This Week" that Mrs. Reagan "laughed merrily at that absurdity" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, HOST: So let's go straight now to the man on the fence so to speak, Chris Christie. Is he or isn't he?
GEORGE WILL: Well, the man on the fence has said, what do I have to do - commit suicide to get you people to stop talking about this? The New York Times this morning says, “Those pushing Mr. Christie to run include Nancy Reagan.” Well that's not true.
AMANPOUR: You spoke to her, right?
Yes, until he actually gets in - assuming that ends up being the case - at which point they will be telling everyone how unqualified he is.
Count on it.
But there's another factor in all the media's Christie watching: it allows them to cast the other Republican presidential candidates in a negative light.
Most of the reports on the New Jersey governor suggest the yearning for him is a function of how terrible those currently in the race are. By focusing on Christie, they get to belittle those that have already thrown their names into the ring.
This means if he doesn't enter, the Obama-loving media can spend the next thirteen months selling the other candidates as well as the eventual nominee short for not being Christie. If he does get in, they'll just tear him to shreds.
Judging from Sunday's 3000-word, racially charged front page hit piece in the Washington Post concerning Texas governor Rick Perry, it's a metaphysical certitude the press are already digging all over New Jersey for the dirt they'll need.
Makes you wonder if Obama is running for reelection or the news media that are supposedly covering the event are.
