"Stories Add Up as Bully Image Trails Christie"

[applegrove]

Stories Add Up as Bully Image Trails Christie

By KATE ZERNIKE at the NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/25/nyregion/accounts-of-petty-retribution-reinforce-christies-bullying-image.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

"SNIP..................................


But the gesture would come to seem genteel compared with the fate suffered by others in disagreements with Mr. Christie: a former governor who was stripped of police security at public events; a Rutgers professor who lost state financing for cherished programs; a state senator whose candidate for a judgeship suddenly stalled; another senator who was disinvited from an event with the governor in his own district.

In almost every case, Mr. Christie waved off any suggestion that he had meted out retribution. But to many, the incidents have left that impression, and it has been just as powerful in scaring off others who might dare to cross him.

Now, the governor is dogged by another accusation of petty political revenge. Two close political allies ordered the abrupt shutdown of two local access lanes on the George Washington Bridge in September, gridlocking Fort Lee, N.J., for four days. The borough’s mayor said it was punitive because he had declined to endorse the governor’s re-election.

The governor mocked the suggestion as preposterous. But Democrats in New Jersey — and privately, some Republicans too — say it would hardly be out of character for Mr. Christie. As the governor prepares to run for president, the accusation has reinforced his reputation as a bully.

“Every organization takes its cues from the leadership as to what’s acceptable and what’s not, and this governor, in his public appearances, has made thuggery acceptable,” said Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, the Democrat leading the hearings that have exposed the role of the governor’s aides in the lane closings. “For the governor to say, ‘I knew nothing about this’? He created the atmosphere in which this is acceptable.”



..................................SNIP"

[CTyankee]

1. good for the New York Times reporters!

keep piling the wood onto the pyre of the stake where Christie's political ambitions will be burned...

[Tansy_Gold]

2. The GOP has no problems with bullies

Thuggery is their S.O.P.

Christie will be perfect.

no

[indepat]

3. Gee, who woulda' ever thunk Governor Christie would be one to throw his weight around over

petty issues or incidents, would be one to scream at a teacher in a face-to-face shout-down with his honor being the only one shouting? His honor is some swell fella' who would never use the power of his office, his weight, or his aggression to ever push/beat someone down.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

4. Although I don't personally favor Hillery, she has been looked into for decades

The Christie asshole is just getting started. He is an asshole and will go down in flames.

[Thinkingabout]

5. The bully program does not start and end with the Christie program, it is deeply entrenched

In the GOP. Take the war on the poor, homeless, homosexual and ethnic worlds. Phil Robertson just lashed out on homosexuals and African Americans. The GOP claims voter fraud and makes laws to suppress Democrat voters. The RW now thinks women should not be covered for Birth Control but on the other hand coverage for Viagra is allowed. HUH?

The GOP platform is the problem but as Democrats we must GOTV, we can beat the GOP at the polls by voting.