GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson, like anyone else, is "responsible for his own personal story," fellow candidate Chris Christie said Monday, and the content of the story doesn't really matter, but telling the truth does.
"He should answer the questions forthrightly and directly," the New Jersey governor told
CNN's "New Day" program. "If he does, the American people will accept it. If he doesn't, he's got a problem."
"We are all responsible for our personal stories," he further said. "We bring that to you and the media to say, this is me. This is why that makes me qualified, unique for a particular position I'm seeking. It is, of course, his burden."
But at the same time, Christie ridiculed Carson's claims made over the weekend that he is being scrutinized more than anyone in the presidential race for the claims made in his autobiography,
"Gifted Hands" and at other times.
"Is he kidding?" Christie told CNN, referring to last year's
"Bridgegate" scandal.
"Did he watch what I went through in January of 2014 for months and months of relentless attacks from people in the media and in the Democratic Party, when it turned out I did absolutely nothing wrong? I haven't gotten a note of apology from anyone. I don't have a lot of sympathy."
Meanwhile, he said, Carson has the responsibility for his stories, because he put them out there to begin with.
"If he does, we'll move on next week to something else," he said. "If you don't, it lingers. He's got to be able to do and say what all of us are responsible for in this business, which is to be responsible for our own personal story."
The governor also appeared on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" and MSNBC's "Morning Joe" programs on Monday.
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