Quote of the Day

[NJCubScouter]

Here in New Jersey we have a relatively new Governor, Chris Christie. I disagree with most of what he has done since taking office, but that's beside the point of this post. He has spent the 10 months since he took office gaining a reputation (apparently nationwide) as a "budget-cutting conservative", and he has indeed cut the state budget, not necessarily in any rational way, and influenced heavily by who he sees as his political friends and enemies, and with a lot of detrimental results that could have been avoided, but he definitely has cut the budget. He also has undercut the federal stimulus program, by telling school districts who received federal funding this year (intended mostly to reverse teacher layoffs) that they'd better keep the money in the bank because their state aid is going to be reduced by whatever the federal government sent them. Quite a guy.

 

In light of Tuesday's election results, he is suddenly being talked about as a Republican presidential candidate -- probably because he is "ahead of the curve" by a year, following the "Tea Party" platform before there was even a Tea Party. Now this is a guy whose only elected office prior to governor was as a county governing body member (we call them freeholders here, for obscure historical reasons), and that was for one term, and he couldn't even get his own party to renominate him for re-election. Then his political cronies got him an appointment from the last President to be U.S. attorney, now he's Governor, and being discussed for president. Go figure.

 

But I do have to give him credit for what he did yesterday. Since Tuesday he had been besieged by reporters and others asking him over and over whether he will, might or could run for president in 2012. Here is what he finally said:

 

I've said I don't want to. I'm not going to. There is zero chance I will. I don't feel like I'm ready to be president. I don't want to run for president. I don't have the fire in the belly to run for president. But, yet, everyone seems to think that I've left the door open a little bit. Short of suicide, I don't really know what I'd have to do to convince you people that I'm not running. I'm not running!

 

So I guess he's not all bad -- just all bad when it comes to policy, finance, etc.

[Eagle92]

I beleive a certain jr. senator from IL said something very similar.

[NJCubScouter]

I beleive a certain jr. senator from IL said something very similar.

 

Oh? What exactly did he say?

[GernBlansten]

I won't take him seriously until he quits mid-term. Does he have teenage kids? That helps.

[Eagledad]

!!So I guess he's not all bad -- just all bad when it comes to policy, finance, etc. !!

 

Says the guy in the state of the third highest dept.

 

Barry

[ntrog8r]

 

NJCubScouter asks:

Oh? What exactly did he say?

 

I believe these are the types of statements Eagle92 is referencing:

 

I am a believer in knowing what youre doing when you apply for a job. And I think that if I were to seriously consider running on a national ticket I would essentially have to start now, before having served a day in the Senate. Now, there are some people who might be comfortable doing that, but Im not one of those people."

 

On "Meet the Press" Jan. 22, 2006, Tim Russert and Sen. Obama had the following exchange:

-Russert: "When we talked back in November of '04 after your election, I said, 'There's been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your six-year term as United States senator from Illinois?'

-Obama: "I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10909406/

 

Russert: "So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?"

 

Obama: "I will not."

 

 

NBC News and news services updated 10/22/2006 8:26:33 PM ET 2006-10-23T00:26:33

-WASHINGTON Sen. Barack Obama acknowledged Sunday he was considering a run for president in 2008, backing off previous statements that he would not do so.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15026621/

 

Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, October 23, 2006

Until yesterday, Obama, one of the brightest stars in the party since he electrified the 2004 Democratic National Convention with his keynote address, had said he planned to serve out the full six years of his Senate term, which would have ruled out a presidential or vice presidential campaign in 2008.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/22/AR2006102200220.html

 

So before anyone goes crazy on me, I'm only answering the question.

Can folks change their minds? We all do, so yes.

Did the President state he would not run '08? Yes, he did.

Is there deeper meaning or insight into his character because of this? Well, that's what makes theses forums get so many more responses than the Scouting questions, isn't it...