Though he is sticking by Donald Trump, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said he was “really disturbed and disappointed” by a leaked tape in which Trump makes predatory comments about women.
“It is completely indefensible and I won’t defend it and haven’t defended it,” Christie, who leads Trump’s White House transition team, said Tuesday on WFAN’s “Boomer and Carton.” “I made that very clear to Donald on Friday when this first came out and urged him to be contrite and apologetic because that’s what he needs to be.”
These unusually harsh words are the New Jersey governor’s first public comment on the “Access Hollywood” tape published by the Washington Post Friday, in which Trump boasted about using his celebrity status to do “anything” he wanted to women.
Christie appeared at Trump Tower on Saturday as the campaign strategized over how to triage the fallout from the video, but did not attend Sunday night’s debate because of “issues to deal with” in New Jersey, according to NJ.com.
While Christie told “Boomer and Carton” he was “still supporting Donald,” he said that he was “embarrassed for him and his family” and understood why other supporters would withdraw their endorsements.
“I’m not going to sit here and be critical of other people who make the decision that they don’t want to support him,” he said.
Over two-dozen Republicans in Congress have already done so. New Jersey’s Republican lieutenant governor, Kim Guadagno, also announced this weekend that she would break with Christie and not vote for Trump.
Christie, who is typically one of Trump’s most aggressive public defenders, said on WFAN that the recording made him “think about” his own support for Trump and that he was “disappointed, in some respects” by Trump’s response.
“I would have done it much differently, but I do think he’s sorry and I do think he’s embarrassed by it,” Christie said. “I think that he should have been much more direct and much more focused on just saying I’m sorry and only I’m sorry.”
Better jump ship and close the connection to New York again, Chrispie Creme.
Christie is really hateful, but he is a smart guy with some real political instincts. He’s the only person in Trump’s inner circle who is of the cut of an old time Republican. I bet he really is disgusted by Trump.
@imkmu3 Christie generally seems to have a good take on matters. He hitched onto the Trump train because his NJ and Presidential future are dead. Calculated gamble. He’s better than Giuliani, who is only other actual politician in Trump’s inner circle. Low bar, I agree.
Christie, “God damn it Trump, you didn’t lie convincingly enough!”
He also said he considered withdrawing his support for Trump, but decided to continue to support him “at this time.”
Ah, the exhortation to fully admit what you did wrong, because that’s always the best policy. Acknowledge it and take your lumps! Don’t shuffle and dodge! Come clean! So says Governor Straight Shooter!
For the eleventy-dozenth time, all you can do is shake your head.