Sometimes there are people who "need to be told to sit down and shut up," and that includes plenty of people in Washington, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Thursday during the
Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) being held in Maryland through the weekend.
Christie, who sat down with conservative radio show host Laura Ingraham for an interview rather than doing a traditional speech before the conservative crowd, fielded questions on his brash reputation, how he'd separate himself from other contenders, and even the early 2016 polls that show him trailing behind other candidates like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
The American Conservative Union posted video of the conversation onto YoutTube.
Story continues below video.
And when it comes to some people who describe of him as "explosive, short-tempered, and impatient" they forget the real word, "passionate," said Christie, explaining that he is the offspring of an Irish father and a Sicilian mother and grew up learning the value of being passionate on subjects.
Ingraham referred to the time Christie told a heckler to "sit down and shut up," and Christie told her that not only do some people need to do that, but "some more of that stuff should be happening in D.C.," making a dig at the Obama administration.
Meanwhile, Christie told Ingraham he is not worried about recent polls, including a
Public Policy Polling survey that showed him with just five percent of the voters, far behind Walker at 25 percent, Dr. Ben Carson at 18 percent, Bush at 17 percent, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 10 percent.
"Is the election next week?" the governor told Ingraham.
Christie also used the interview to bash the media, particularly The New York Times.
"Here I am, I'm still standing," he said. "What matters more...I wake up every morning knowing how to fight for the people in my state."
Ingraham also noted in her interview that Christie has been criticized over signing an application for Race to the Top Funds in 2010 under the federal Common Core standards.
But he noted that he has a hesitation over it all now, because he believes states need to be under the control of local boards and parents, not the federal government.
Christie also used the platform to remind listeners that he has always held a pro-life stance, running for governor both times on his record and vetoing Planned Parenthood five times out of his state's budget.
"My record has always been strong and resolute," he said. "Don't believe what the media tells you if you're pro-life you can't get elected."
Christie also questioned the stance of potential challenger Bush on Detroit and immigration, with Bush suggesting that the city should be repopulated with immigrants, and saying they have a stronger work ethic.
"The fact of the matter is the most entrepreneurial people in the world are in the United States, that's why people want to come here," he told Ingraham.
But overall, Christie called for more open politicians like himself who stand up firmly for their principles, including when it comes to the challenge of beating someone like probable Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton for the White House, who he says believes in giving a handout that includes a minimum wage increase.
"Parents aren't sitting around the table and saying 'if my kids could get a higher minimum wage' " how much better off they would be. Rather, Christie said he wants a country where parents can look at their children and tell them they can be anything they want.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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