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Governor Chris Christie (file)
Republican convention-goers can look forward to Chris Christie as the keynote speaker. NBC News' Jamie Gangel reported Wednesday the New Jersey governor scored the coveted gig at next month's Republican National Convention in Tampa.
Christie has been making the rounds as a surrogate for the Romney campaign and his name has been floated as a VP contender. Though, his selection suggests Christie got picked over for the slot. If history serves as a guide, the vice presidential nominee addresses the crowd on a different night than the keynote speaker.
While this may knock him out of the veep race — a job he swears he didn’t really want in the first place (wink, wink) — the role has a history of launching politicians into the national spotlight. Remember, a little-known U.S. Senate candidate gave the keynotes address at the 2004 Democratic Convention: Barack Obama.
The RNC hasn’t released a detailed schedule yet. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, "You’ll have to stay tuned."
Former Republican rival Newt Gingrich floated Sarah Palin's name as a must-get speaker."Gov. Palin motivates and arouses an entire base," Gingrich said in an interview on Tuesday. "[She] should absolutely have a speaking slot."
Just in case you're taking requests, RNC, Newt said he'd gladly speak if asked. Maybe they could book Snooki as well? I see a theme forming...
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When Christie spoke last week and proclaimed the war on drugs a failure and actually expressed compassion for drug addicts, I knew he really, really didn't want to be picked as VP. If next he reverses his opposition to same-sex marriage, he's going to need a bodyguard (uh-uh-uh, don't go there) at the convention.
Obama was chosen by the establishment wing of the Democrat Party (Kerry was the establishment candidate) to be the keynote speaker for three reasons:
1) to provide the face of diversity to the ticket of two rich white men, Kerry and Edwards.
2) to give an impression of youth and vigor to the party of mostly overthehill Senators and some oddball hasbeens like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
3) because he had a knack of reading with excellant eloquotion skills a speech written for him and placed on his teleprompter while looking impassioned...the penultimate JIVE speaker.
Who knew Obama was going to take that a put it on an otherwise bare resume of accomplishments and run with it against the establishment of his party in 2008 as the polished JIVE Talking candidate of diversity and youthful vigor without a resume of accomplishments?
Christie giving the keynote speech will be like a Billy Mays infomercial; some guy yelling at you to buy something you don't want.
Christie calls citizens "Idiots"; suggests they are "Stupid"; therefore, call it like it is, "Fatso" will talk at the Republican Convention!!!! I mean no disrespect to anyone other than "Fatso"!
Jerome Wozniak, 101 W River Rd, Unit 187, Tucson AZ 85704-5121
If you want me to come there, I would be honored "Fatso"!
I think, in all fairness, its members of the media that are asking idiotic and stupid questions off topic at every opportunity they get to try to embarrass him that he calls "idiots" and "stupid", not the citizens that elect him, punk!
Chris Christie, the repub golden boy.
Apparently Newt Gingrich and Snooki hit it off pretty good on the Letterman Show last night, so maybe it would goose up the interest in the Rebub Convention if they sandwiched them both in...maybe between "bat crazy" Michele Bachman the champion of sexual abstinence Rick Santorum? LOL!
Or maybe we will just leave things well enough alone, and go with the grownups in the Republican Party with current effective leadership positions.
Christie's schtick will wear thin. He won't be on the ballot in 2016. Especially if he doesn't lose 100 lbs and tone down the Tony Soprano act. It may play well in local politics but it will not play well on the national and global stage.
Americans won't look at someone in his condition talking smack for 4 years. Just won't happen. He will need a MAJOR transformation. Looking forward to the carnival show at the Republican convention. Popped popcorn for the last one. Was well worth it with Sista Sarah, Guiliani and the other circus acts.
This means that Gov. Christie is out of the VP race (no surprise). But does this mean the GOP is hedging its bets and giving Gov. Christie a bead start for 2016?