By David Cruz
NJ Today
It’s the kind of reception generally reserved for presidential visits. Beach Haven residents had the White House on their minds as they mobbed the governor this morning. The governor’s dad, on board for this leg of the tour, seemed convinced today that bigger things are on the horizon.
When asked if he’s ready for the next step his son might take, Bill Christie said, “Yes, that’s why I have my exercise bike in the basement and that’s just the start. Yes, I’m getting back in shape.”
The governor has been making two appearances a day, each one drawing an even larger crowd. This afternoon in Point Pleasant Beach, he was asked about whether his assessment of a summer shore comeback was based on any numbers or just on the reception he’s getting.
“What I also said earlier this week was that we’re gonna be getting information probably in mid-September on sales tax numbers from town to town. That’ll help to tell us a bit too. That’ll be more statistically based rather than anecdotally based. And we’ll certainly release those when we have them,” Chris Christie said.
Christie again refused to be dragged into the discussion — prompted by recent comments made by Republican Senate candidate Steve Lonegan — about what a real man is.
“We should each set for ourselves what we think a guy is, so I’ll define a guy from my perspective and we’ll let let everybody else define a guy however they want to,” he said. “I don’t have a pat definition off the top of my head, David, on what a guy should be.”
Christie said he still hasn’t read the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act, despite his opponent’s challenging him on it almost every day.
“When I have a chance to read it, I’ll read it. And if I have an opinion I’ll give it. There’s lots of different cases that come out that I don’t give opinions on. If you guys are gonna keep asking, I’ll give the answer that I’m prepared to give at the moment. I certainly don’t allow my schedule to be dictated to me by Barbara Buono, I can guarantee you that,” Christie said.
Three days into his end of the summer tour and the governor has honed his message to a fine point. Today the message is, there’s a long weekend still ahead and everyone should get down to the shore.