WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 Of 2011: No. 11 - Gov. Chris Christie
WCBS Newsradio 880 is counting down the top 11 Tri-State Area news stories of 2011, with several stories each day this week.
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't quite make the top ten, but he almost did. He's number 11 on the WCBS 880 Tri-State Top 11 of 2011.
WCBS 880's Wayne Cabot With The Story
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"It's extraordinarily flattering," said Christie at one point about rumors and pushes for him to run for President.
Christie, with his megawatt personality, turned on and off those rumors that he'd run and shake up the GOP.
At one point, he said he'd have to commit suicide to end the rumors, until he finally ended them himself in a dramatic news conference.
"The people sent me to Trenton to get a job done and I'm just not prepared to walk away... New Jersey, whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me," he said.
He also wasn't prepared to fly away.
2011 was the year he took a New Jersey State Police helicopter to Montvale to watch his son Andrew catch for his Catholic school baseball team. Then he choppered back to Princeton to meet with Iowa money men to talk about running for President.
Christie initially refused to reimburse taxpayers but later gave in.
This wasn't the year's first scandal.
The January blizzard stranded drivers and tripled commerce as the governor vacationed in Disney World.
"I would have been doing the same thing here as I was there. I would not have been out, like, driving a plow," said Christie.
He does say he'll stay in-state this winter.
Then there was the foul-up for filling out the form for federal education money - a $400 million mistake that Christie deflected.
"Does anybody in Washington, DC have a lick of common sense? Pick up the phone and ask us for the number!" said Christie at the time.
The mistake did turn out to be that of Christie's own administration.
Still, the tough guy Jersey persona resonated and, as the year came to a close, there was again talk of Christie going to Washington - this time as Mitt Romney's running mate.
"If Gov. Romney comes to me, we'll have a full and complete conversation about it," said Christie of the man he endorsed for President.
The governor of New Jersey - now a national figure and fodder for late night television.
"Why would you go to Washington, DC, give up all the glamour of Trenton, New Jersey?" jokes Jay Leno.
The top 11 countdown continues all week.
What do you think of Gov. Chris Christie? Sound off in the comments section below!
