Christie: 'No Discontent' Over Trump's VP Pick
CLEVELAND (CBSNewYork/AP) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday dismissed the rumors that he was disappointed over presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump's decision to choose someone else as his running mate.
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Speaking to CBS News' Gayle King, Christie said at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Monday night that the claims that the was disappointed that Trump on Friday chose Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was chosen were "not true."
Christie also told reporters Sunday night that he didn't lobby for the position and was honored to be considered. Trump on Friday chose Pence after a vetting process that also included New Jersey's Republican governor.
Christie also called Pence a friend.
"I'm glad that Donald picked the governor," he said.
He added that as chairman of Trump's transition, he will have a lot of preparing to do if Trump becomes president-elect in November.
Trump called Indiana Gov. Mike Pence "a solid, solid person" and is contrasting his character to what he deemed "the corruption of Hillary Clinton," his likely Democratic opponent in the fall election.
The two men are scheduled to formally become their party's nominees at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week.
Christie gave his first public comments since Trump's decision after a private speech Sunday at a hotel near where Republicans are gathering for the convention.
He says he has been friends with Trump for 15 years and this is "just another one of those steps along our friendship and a hard decision for him to make, and he made what he thought was the best decision.''
Christie has been an ardent Trump supporter since dropping out of the presidential race and was the first governor to endorse the billionaire.
Pence has been a longtime advocate of trade deals such as NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, both aggressively opposed by Trump. He's been critical of Trump's proposed temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the U.S., calling the idea "offensive and unconstitutional." Pence also endorsed Sen. Ted Cruz instead of Trump ahead of Indiana's presidential primary.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
