‘No Regrets at All’: Christie Defends Calling Man an ‘Idiot’ at Town Hall
- Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:44pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP, N.J. (The Blaze/AP) — Earlier in the month, The Blaze reported that ouspoken New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called a man an “idiot” and told him to “shut up” at a town hall meeting clash. Now, Christie said he has no regrets about calling a former Navy SEAL an “idiot” during a shouting match at a recent public event.
Below is the video for reference:
Christie’s comment capped off two minutes of increasingly heated back-and-forth with 34-year-old William Brown at a town hall-style event in Burlington County on Thursday.
“He acted like an idiot. He’s an idiot. I don’t have any regret about it at all,” Christie said Monday during a news conference after touring a regional high school and meeting with students in a financial literacy class.
Brown, a former Democratic candidate for state Assembly, challenged the Republican governor’s plan to merge two public universities, Rutgers and Rowan. He is a law student at the Rutgers-Camden campus who opposes the merger.
Thursday’s exchange ended with Christie berating the Mount Laurel man, who had interrupted the governor several times before being escorted from the event. The governor said: “Let me tell you something, after you graduate from law school, you conduct yourself like that in a courtroom, your rear end’s going to be thrown in jail, idiot.”
“I allowed him to talk for two, two-and-a-half minutes to lay out his position. I sat there and tried to answer. Every time I tried to answer, he yelled and started to interrupt. He did it four different times,” Christie said Monday. “If you want to get into with me, I’m happy to get into it with you. But if you give it, you’re going to get it back.”
Christie said he’s willing to entertain divergent viewpoints but insists on respect. He said Brown went to the town hall with a political agenda “to try to make me look bad.”
Assembly Democratic Leader Lou Greenwald said Christie should apologize.
“Unless Gov. Christie is using his town hall meetings to audition for a spot on the Real Housewives of New Jersey, he should apologize immediately for his immature and nasty remarks,” Greenwald said in a statement. “Legitimate policy disagreements should never devolve into schoolyard taunts.”
Christie said he honors Brown’s military service, but that “doesn’t give him the right to be a jerk.”
This is not the first time the tough-talking Republican governor has been criticized for using blunt language.
He infamously suggested that the media “take the bat out” on a then-76-year-old Democratic state senator who criticized him in 2011, and referred to another woman Democrat in the Legislature as “a jerk” after she criticized him for taking a state police helicopter to his son’s baseball game.
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Comments (57)
peteto1
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 9:11pmFat, arrogant, and a blowhard is NO WAY to go through life, Crispy Creme Christie!! Does this guy even WANT to be reelected again?? Apparently not………
Report Post »Zeke2020
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 9:00pmWTH DOESN’T SOMEONE POST THE ENTIRE VIDEO?!!!
Why are we relegated to only seeing what Christie said? What did the guy say to get Christie riled up and get himself escorted out? I‘d bet it wasn’t something as innocent as liberals and the MSM would have us believe…
Report Post »GodisaFarce
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 10:47pmI agree. I wanted to look at the video and be objective about it, but with so little of the video to watch, it was impossible to be objective about it.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:58amnever apologize..
Report Post »NoteApplicable
Posted on March 13, 2012 at 12:40pmCan’t agree more. What is the point in claiming someone behaved in a certain way, then say: “Below is the video for reference:”
In this case the video only verified that Chris called someone an idiot. It was highly edited (probably by a Chris opponent) and shows nothing to back up the articles claim that it was in response to a 2 min. shouting match.
My rebuke and admonition here is for “The Blaze”. Come on, raise your internal bar and get up to the next level in news coverage. Put up video links that backup your articles better. We know you can do it! You loose credibility with us when your attempts to allow us to verify what you are telling us fall as short as this one did.
Report Post »QuietBeige
Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:10pmI agree! What is the deal?!
Report Post »RegularFolk
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:51pmRepublican or Dem–it doesn’t matter. They need to remember that they are public SERVANTS. They need to show respect to citizens. He is not fit for office. Obviously, he has self control issues in more than one aspect of his life.
Report Post »Freedom Hound
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:27pmA public official should show the same respect for the citizens that is shown to the public official. The Gov. was merely a mirror of the young man addressing him.
Report Post »vehoae
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 11:34pmSure he’s got problems. His endorsement of a liberal/progressive like Romney tells you that!
Report Post »football lady
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:43pmHigh Five, Governor!
Report Post »spirited
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 8:06pmFist Bump! Governor
Report Post »Abraham Young
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:34pmWhat happens in Jersey should stay in Jersey, and is Jersey’s business. If they want to act like uncivilized Americans, they will reap what they sow.
This is a natural law.
Report Post »GBMBulletsSKNRD
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:33pmI have a man crush on him. He is the best.
Report Post »stratomaster
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:12pmI think the gov is awesome. If he wasn’t supporting Romney I think a lot more of the people on here would be liking what he did. It’s awesome that he has the balls to speak up. What do you people want him to be? More like Obama. Should he have bowed to the guy. Christie Rocks! Period.
Report Post »Caballosinnombre
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 7:01pmYou can’t coddle liberals and expect them to behave respectfully.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 6:49pmGuess the Blaze has been “ occupied” by the Far Left which has taken on a frightening tsunami of federal over-reach and media manipulation. The old freedoms we have always taken for granted are in serious jeopardy of being slowly strangled by this administration.
Report Post »lisalake
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 6:21pmWhat a slob.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 6:09pmA Navy Seal is a baby killing, child molester supporting Democrat? My opinion of Navy Seals just went way down.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 6:35pmGet a stiff drink Ted. Stay off the Kool-Aid.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 6:59pmSo Beckerhead, you support hte troops as long as you approve of their political position.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:48pmSome People “just can’t handle the truth”. enough said.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 9:13pmMost of those that can’t handle the truth blindly follow Beck and Fox News.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:19pmcongrats – here you see the future of the republican party if it stays on its current trajectory. A big mouth, an ego, and no humility
Report Post »martinez012577
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:27pmMan he is such a bad ass calling that guy a name as he was hauled off by police.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:13pmThe political spin is ” Christy aint afraid to take on the unions,much less a Navy Seal”.What a bloviated bloated blowhard.Eat another Krispy Kreme (no offense to Krispe Kreme fans) moron.I think to get the full perspective of the conversation (i.e. the entire video) would have been nice.Christy wants you to vote for Romney?Sorry,just don’t like the guy.
Report Post »soybomb315
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:22pmI have noticed that theme among the romney endorsers. They are detestable
Mccain, Pawlenty, Christie, Trump, Lindsey Graham, and Coulter to name a few
Report Post »Micmac
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:12pmThis has been editted to make Christy look bad. GG Blaze…
NoBama 2012
Report Post »Live_Free_orDie
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:09pmOkay You’re fat. Yes you’re fat! Well he is…and we should all point it out to him every chance we get I guess using Gov McChubbies logic! Whatever happened to civil discourse? BTW you’re fatt…oh yeah…actually Grover Cleveland blimp like!
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:05pmFellow Blazers, I am as conservative as the rest of you,I also happen to live in the state of NJ…Christie is as arrogant and foul mouthed as they come..believe me..but he has to contend with a liberal democratic atmosphere that would make most heads spin…He is crass at times ,but he does get the job done…He is still a politician, never fully trusted {Whitney}…BUT he is cleaning up the mess a closeted homosexual governor {mcgreevy} and a criminal mastermind {corzine} left for him…Its NJ, what do you expect…Christie is fat, loudmouthed and crass..but at least he is trying to turn this hellhole of a state around….enjoy the show that is Christie!..you guys aint see nothin yet!!
Report Post »Live_Free_orDie
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:29pmYes I agree, Christie is better than Cornholio (who is the only Gov ever rear ended in a State Trooper Car) and Corslime. But he is still an Anti Second Amendment RINO…and he should give the legal citizens of this state a chance to speak their mind even if he (or we) disagree<<<<he's a Politician<<<<no one forced him to take the job! Additionally his comment about "I'm the Governor" speaks volumes to me and to that I say…well Governor McChubby….lottie freakin' da!! We pay your salary so shut up and answer the questions when we ask them!!!
Report Post »mymissusisanutter
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:55pmFrom the raw video, the guy was being fairly polite to Christie. Christie makes all Republicans look bad. Truth is, he didn’t have a real response and was out gunned by facts.
To boot, this poor kid is a veteran who fought for our country. Christie only lifted a finger to put Cheetos in his mouth.
Christie is a back room typical politician thug.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:59pmI liked Christie when he talked like that to the Unions, not so much to a SEAL. To be fair, I’m not sure Christie was aware he was talking to a veteran. I do like your Cheetos crack though. Hysterical!
Report Post »aragona
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:08pmBoy, you sure do have a persuasive argument! You really won me over with your intelligence when you posted this bit.
“Christie only lifted a finger to put Cheetos in his mouth.”
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:12pmChristie was responding to a known Democrat who ran for office but didn’t get in. The Law student was a veteran but also one of the few liberals who WAS in the military, that’s why he got out and failed at running for office. Now he wants to become a liberal lawyer.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:21pmAragona, I thought it was funny and obviously a joke.
Report Post »mymissusisanutter
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:54pmThe cheeto comment was meant in jest.
I am however interested in seeing the data that supports the claim that our military is mainly conservative.
My family, largely liberal democrats, have served through WWI to Vietnam.
I personally know, many military personnel that are liberal, atheist, Muslim, Jewish, straight, gay, etc.
Christie has the opinion that he is a god. He feels that he is infallible.
If this kid was a known democrat, then Christie should have been aware of his service, since many politicians bring up their service when running for office.
Christie has become a typical politician. It’s a real shame, I was really into him as a prospect for president.
Report Post »Mark0331
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:53pmThis heckler opposes the merger over the idea that a name change on his diploma ‘might’ hurt his chance at employment….Guess what moron, your worth and performance earn you a spot in a decent firm…not a ‘school name’ on a diploma…I too respect your service, but hey, learn and perform well and you will be successful…Barry went to Harvard and is complete moron, just saying…
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:53pmNavy Seal…huh? Christie may be deflated by a sharpened pungee stick in his sofa cushion. Seals are sneaky.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:38pmAHH….Nice one.I’m sure his sofa odor would cover up the dung coated tips.
Report Post »Layla13
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:52pmWhy would anyone give any credability to someone that cannot even control their caloric intake, this man is offensive at so many levels (flags lowered for any entertainment person that dies) why anyone would listen to a word he says I cannot fathom…
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:52pm“Damn man, I’m governor. Could you just shut up a minute?”
Sounds more like something that you would hear from royalty, a prince or king.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 5:00pmYeah… instead of “Let them eat cake” he’d be like… “there’s cake?”
Report Post »Charybdis
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:51pmChristie is not nearly conservative enough for me. But I just LOVE the way he handles moronic a-holes and the rest of the media.
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:49pmSomeone who lacks the self-control and self-respect to keep his mouth shut when it comes to food has a whole lot of guts, pun intended, calling anyone an idiot.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on March 12, 2012 at 4:49pmSin of Arrogance!
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