Chris Christie introduced himself to the nation Tuesday night, delivering a Republican National Convention speech that went light on references to Mitt Romney and instead focused on the New Jersey governor’s tenure in office, governing philosophy and his belief in the importance of being respected instead of loved.
Indeed, the much-anticipated speech had a different message than the one that was given just before it by Ann Romney, who focused on love and their marriage as she talked about her husband.
Instead, Christie talked about lessons he learned from his mother about the need for respect.
“The greatest lesson Mom ever taught me, though, was this one: she told me there would be times in your life when you have to choose between being loved and being respected,” he said. “She said to always pick being respected, that love without respect was always fleeting — but that respect could grow into real, lasting love. Now, of course, she was talking about women.”
“But I have learned over time that it applies just as much to leadership. In fact, I think that advice applies to America today more than ever. I believe we have become paralyzed by our desire to be loved. Our Founding Fathers had the wisdom to know that social acceptance and popularity is fleeting and that this country’s principles needed to be rooted in strengths greater than the passions and emotions of the times.”
It was a different address than many had been expecting. Christie spent less time selling Romney as a candidate and a potential president, and more time defining the way he sees the party’s future — in strokes related to fiscal conservatism. He mentioned Romney several times in the latter part of the speech, but not for the first 15 minutes or so.
A number of Republicans praised the speech in private conversations, saying it presents a roadmap for the party. Christie’s aim, others insisted, was to use his state as a model for how Romney and others can wage tough fights.
It was a reminder that Christie, who many Republicans had hoped would run this time and is a much-discussed candidate for 2016, is still seen as one of the future leaders of a party that believes this is a winnable election, but has hoped for Romney to wage a different, more aggressive campaign.
There were other fine points in Christie’s keynote address. He made reference to his famous fights with the teachers’ unions, saying that unlike Democrats, his party instead “loves teachers.” He was not an attack dog, but he was aggressive in his tone and in his volume. He had the crowd the most engaged they were all night, and GOP delegates rose to their feet.
“Now we must lead the way our citizens live. To lead as my mother insisted I live, not by avoiding truths, especially the hard ones, but by facing up to them and being the better for it,” he said.
“I know because this was the challenge in New Jersey,” he said. “When I came into office, I could continue on the same path that led to wealth, jobs and people leaving the state or I could do the job the people elected me to do — to do the big things. There were those who said it couldn’t be done. The problems were too big, too politically charged, too broken to fix. But we were on a path we could no longer afford to follow.”
He added, “The disciples of yesterday’s politics underestimated the will of the people. They assumed our people were selfish; that when told of the difficult problems, tough choices and complicated solutions, they would simply turn their backs, that they would decide it was every man for himself. Instead, the people of New Jersey stepped up and shared in the sacrifice.”
“They rewarded politicians who led instead of politicians who pandered. We shouldn’t be surprised.”
via BCN
