Chris Christie 'is his own news outlet

AP Photo/Mel Evans

Mat Katz of the Philadelphia Inquirer has a piece in Politico Magazine divulging what it's like to be devoted to the Chris Christie beat. In essence, it's like watching a 24/7 made-for-TV production:

Christie uses reporters the same way comedians use those in the front rows at stand-up shows. The back-and-forth amuses him, amuses his staff, amuses us (sometimes). We also act as his foil, tossing the alley-oops for the sound bites that land on the gubernatorial YouTube channel. The clips are emailed to every political reporter in America and likely a few county Republican chairs in Iowa. (I can’t confirm where the emails actually go; I’ve repeatedly asked and been denied those records.)

Christie creates his own reality show, playing up the Jersey guy persona he’s cultivated for the national stage. State workers are on site at his public appearances to tweet out one-liners and attach hashtags (#StrongerThanTheStorm). They are there to film his comments and immediately cut clips on their laptops, email-blasting the best nuggets while I’m still on my way back to the office to file a story. My biggest competition is not other reporters; it is the man himself. He is his own news outlet.