Christie To Miss Obama's Commencement Address At Rutgers For Son's Baseball Game
PRINCETON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will miss President Barack Obama's commencement address at Rutgers University this weekend – but because of baseball, not politics.
Christie's son, Andrew, is a catcher on the Princeton University baseball team, which will play Yale this weekend for the Ivy League championship.
Christie said last month that he would skip Obama's address Sunday if his son's team was playing for the title. The first game of the best-of-three series is Saturday at noon in Princeton and the second game is Sunday at noon.
The winner of the series advances to the NCAA Tournament.
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno is scheduled to attend the commencement address Sunday afternoon at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium.
Christie had harsh words for Obama multiple times during his own campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, and has endorsed Republican frontrunner Donald Trump since dropping out. But Christie did say last month that he was honored that Obama chose to come to Rutgers to deliver one of his final commencement speeches as president.
"I thank the president for his willingness to come to New Jersey and honor Rutgers, it's a great institution," Christie said last month. "I'm happy that he's coming. I'm honored for the people of the state and for the people of Rutgers."
More than 52,000 people, including approximately 12,000 graduates, are expected to attend the ceremony.
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