Top political advisers on both sides of the aisle say time is running short if Gov. Chris Christie decides to reverse months of stark denials and enter the presidential race Watch video
Gov. Chris Christie takes a question after delivering a nationally televised speech Tuesday night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie woke up Wednesday morning to find himself the most talked-about politician in America.
More people searched for him on Google than for Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry or President Obama. His name was in constant rotation on cable news, and his future was mulled by everyone from Rush to Regis.
But his speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Tuesday night also started the clock ticking.
Top political advisers on both sides of the aisle said time is running short if Christie decides to reverse months of stark denials and enter the race. If he’s in, he faces a logistical challenge in quickly assembling a top-tier national campaign to win the nomination. If he’s out, the bloc of wealthy Republican donors urging Christie to run need to move on and choose a frontrunner before they start damaging the party.
And then there’s the incessant media attention, already cranked to the max, that can quickly turn from a glowing spotlight to a harsh glare.
"This most recent bout of Christie-ism has peaked," said Ari Fleischer, who was press secretary for President George W. Bush.
He said the governor has to take decisive action one way or the other to avoid wearing out his welcome on the national scene.
Although Christie has steadfastly denied he will enter the race, his artful responses to audience members begging him to run for president Tuesday left some wondering if he left the door open a crack.
Julie Roginsky, a Democratic consultant, called the media speculation over a possible Christie run "ridiculous" but said the governor has sent mixed messages.
"You don’t give speeches on foreign policy at the Reagan Library when you’re the governor of New Jersey with no experience in foreign policy," she said. "You do that when you’re aspiring to be the leader of the free world."
Other political operatives said Christie benefits by stoking the flames, allowing him to expand his bully pulpit and build his fan base. After the governor’s brother was quoted by The Star-Ledger saying a presidential run wasn’t happening, anonymous sources revived the speculation in other news outlets by saying Christie’s mind may not be made up yet.
But the question drums up excitement at the slate of fundraisers Christie is headlining this week. He held two fundraisers for the New Jersey Republican Party at private homes in California Wednesday, and today will be in Louisiana for a rally with Gov. Bobby Jindal and a fundraiser for the state party there.
Tom Wilson, former chairman of the New Jersey Republican Party, likened Christie to the most popular kid in the school cafeteria: "When people are willing to pay to sit at your lunch table, that’s a big deal."
Still, some say the hype has an expiration date. The presidential primary is becoming a two-man race between Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and they said Christie’s flirtations could become a drag on his party.
"I hope after this episode is over with Chris Christie, (his donors) will dive in," Fleischer said. "The longer the contributors wait to engage, the more they inadvertently help Barack Obama."
Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University presidential scholar, said Christie could seem like he’s boosting his own popularity at the expense of other campaigns. The more people talk about Christie, the more people wonder if there’s something wrong with the current crop of candidates, he said.
"There is a certain point where this becomes destructive to whoever the candidate is," Zelizer said.
Some Democrats said Christie needs to stop the speculation if he’s not going to run, no matter how many times he’s denied it.
"He needs to smile, get in front of a camera, and say, ‘I’m flattered, but there are other great candidates running, and I need to tend to problems in my own state,’ " said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic consultant with experience in New York and New Jersey. "If he doesn’t get out of the way soon enough, it’s going to be a problem. He’s got another couple weeks of this."
Roginsky said Christie "should learn from Sarah Palin," whose stalling has exasperated members of her own party while her poll numbers dip among primary voters.
Although she doubts Christie will run, she said the discussion is grounded in real fears about Republican chances against Obama.
Underwhelmed by Perry and perennially cool to the prospect of a Romney candidacy, top Republican strategists are still urging Christie to seize the moment and jump into the race, warning that the wave of national popularity he’s riding does not come often and rarely more than once.
"It’s not too late. 2016 will be too late," said Mark McKinnon, a top adviser to the presidential campaigns of George W. Bush and John McCain. "In this game, you have to jump when the opening presents itself. Ask Barack Obama."
McKinnon, who is not working for any of the 2012 campaigns, spoke highly of Perry when he first declared his candidacy but became skeptical of his chances after he fumbled in debates.
"If Christie gets in, I suspect he’ll be the frontrunner within a month," he said. "More than anything, voters are looking for strength, candor and conviction. Christie is the trifecta."
That was the prevailing view among Washington strategists who steered the presidential campaigns of Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and John McCain. Christie’s growing fundraising network and star power would give him an edge, they said, opening several routes to clinch the nomination.
But Fleischer said it’s too late for Christie this time around.
"Christie himself has kept the window closed," he said. "The people who keep trying to pry it open are influential donors and others in the party, who don’t realize how difficult it is to build a national campaign."
By Chris Megerian and Salvador Rizzo/ The Star-Ledger
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