Christie cries over spilled milk, says he should have taken that swing at Trump in 2016

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie used his considerable political girth to clear the path for Donald Trump’s presidential aspirations in 2016 when he took on Trump’s chief rival at the time, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), during a Republican primary debate.

Having launched his own 2024 presidential bid, running primarily as the anti-Trump candidate, Christie said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that it was a “mistake” not to go after Trump in 2016 — not only did he not go after the former president, Christie aligned with Trump and helped him prepare for debates with Joe Biden, famously catching COVID-19 in the process.

“Looking back at all that has happened since then, do you ever wish that you had taken that swing at Donald Trump and not at Marco Rubio?” asked anchor Jonathan Karl, after playing footage of Christie taking out Rubio.

“I wish that I had taken swings at both of them, Jon, looking back on it,” Christie replied. “I think we all made a mistake in 2016 — myself, Marco, Jeb Bush, John Kasich — in not going after Donald Trump. I think we all were under the illusion that somehow what was obvious to us at the moment, that there were better candidates on the stage than him would be obvious to the public.”

“It wasn’t, and I think it should inform everybody’s approach to the race this time. It certainly is informing mine,” he added.

Karl noted that Trump has said that he won’t sign the pledge, asking Christie: ” Do you think the RNC would really keep him off the debate stage if he doesn’t sign? They would keep the front-runner off the stage?”

“I do. I do think they would. I think that they are serious about wanting this pledge signed, and I do think they would keep Donald Trump off the stage if he chose not to sign the pledge,” the GOP presidential candidate said, adding that in 2016 Trump did not want to sign the pledge and was “waiting until the very last minute to do it.”

“We don’t know how much he would have respected the pledge even after having signed it,” Christie said. “So, look, I think this is all kind of nonsensical theater… I would not be the least bit surprised if sometime around Sunday or Monday of next week that he signs the pledge, and he shows up on the stage on Wednesday.”

GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie predicts that the RNC will keep Donald Trump off the debate stage if he choses not to sign the loyalty pledge.

“I think this is all kind of nonsensical theater. I’ve made that clear to the RNC as well.” https://t.co/OO6AOlQ1SC pic.twitter.com/8s1G2NPGm5

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 13, 2023

Trump has yet to commit to participating in the upcoming GOP primary debate, but Christie said he expects him to.

“This is about Donald Trump keeping the attention on Donald Trump, and he’s doing pretty well because, in the first question this morning, we’re talking about him and that’s what he likes,” he said.

Karl pointed out that John Kasich and Jeb Bush both signed the pledge in 2016 and didn’t support Donald Trump, before asking his guest if he has signed the 2024 pledge yet.

“I haven’t. I haven’t been presented with the pledge yet,” Christie replied. “They’re still going through, I guess, the process of verifying all of our donors and all the rest of it. But, I’m sure I’ll be presented with the pledge at some point in the next week. But I have not been presented with it yet, no.”

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Tom Tillison

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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.

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