No surprise announcement from Christie at Reagan Library

by Michele Willer-Allred

Sept. 27, 2011–Ventura County Star

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie talks to the audience Tuesday night at the Reagan Library in
Simi Valley. Christie, a Republican, wouldn’t say whether he plans to enter the 2012
presidential race.
Is he or isn’t he?
That was the main question on people’s minds Tuesday
night as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke at the
Reagan Library in Simi Valley.
Many in the audience hoped Christie, a Republican, would
make a surprise announcement that he was entering the
2012 race for the White House.
While he never gave a definitive answer at the event,
Christie told the audience to look at the website Politico,
where there are video clips of him saying he’s not a
candidate for the White House.
“Those are the answers,” he said.
One audience member urged him to run for president,
telling Christie the country needs him.
“I hear exactly what you’re saying and the passion with
which you say it. It touches me,” Christie said. But he
added that deciding to run “has to reside in me” just as it
did with Ronald Reagan when he ran for president.
Christie instead kept his main focus on his speech. The
topic was American “exceptionalism,” and he used
Reagan’s “transformative leadership” to depict how the
United States’ role and significance in the world is defined
by who we are at home.
Christie’s appearance Tuesday was part of the Reagan
Foundation’s Perspectives on Leadership Forum.
Christie was invited to appear at the Reagan Library by
former first lady Nancy Reagan, who he escorted into the
Presidential Learning Center to a standing ovation.
His visit to California was part of a three-state fundraising
tour, which also includes Missouri and Louisiana, being
paid for by each state’s GOP organization.
The tour was also a chance for the New Jersey
Republican Party to raise money through three fundraisers
the governor is hosting.
Talk of Christie entering the 2012 race for the White
House intensified last weekend, pushed in part by Texas
Gov. Rick Perry’s shaky debate performance last week
and his loss of a key test vote in Florida to businessman
Herman Cain on Saturday.
Though Christie might not have revealed his own
presidential aspirations on Tuesday, he did take the
opportunity to criticize President Barack Obama, who he
said is preparing to “divide our nation to achieve reelection”
by insisting on taxing, taking and demonizing
those who have already achieved the American dream.
“That may turn out to be a good re-election strategy, Mr.
President, but it is a demoralizing message for America,”
Christie said.
Christie also addressed a question by an audience
member about illegal immigration and education, a hot
topic as California Gov. Jerry Brown considers signing a
landmark bill that would extend state financial aid to illegal
immigrants.
“I want every child that comes to New Jersey to be
educated. But I do not believe that those people who
came here illegally, that we should be subsidizing with
taxpayer money for in-state tuition for their education. That
isn’t a heartless position. That’s a common-sense
position,” Christie said to the applause of the audience.
After two fundraising events in Santa Ana and Beverly
Hills, Christie will hold a dinner Wednesday at the home of
Meg Whitman, the new CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co., who
lost to Brown in the November governor’s race. Tickets go
from $15,000 to $25,000 a couple.
Christie will conclude his trip in Louisiana on Thursday at
an appearance with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal at a
Republican fundraiser, where tickets range from $10,000
to $100,000.