Ezra Klein:Chris Christie’s problem is that he’s really, truly a bully

[cal04]

The release of e-mails suggesting that Gov. Chris Christie's top aides choked off transportation to a small town as political retribution against the town's mayor are a huge deal. I wouldn't go so far as Jonathan Chait, who says "they will probably destroy Christie’s chances in 2016." But they make it much likelier that something will emerge to destroy Christie's chances in 2016.

Christie inhabits a rare space in American politics: He's a bully. He's followed around by an aide with a camcorder watching for moments in which Christie, mustering the might and prestige of his office, annihilates some citizen who dares question him.

(snip)
It's entirely possible that Christie didn't know very much about the bridge episode. It might just be the product of the culture he's created, or permitted, to arise around him. What's dangerous for Christie, though, is that now every political reporter in the country will begin believing rumors of his punishments and hunting down evidence of his retaliation. And things Christie was able to do before to wide applause — like berate a schoolteacher and then have his staff upload it to YouTube — will begin feeding a very different kind of narrative.

Chris Christie rose because he's a bully. It might be why he falls, too.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/08/chris-christies-problem-is-that-hes-really-truly-a-bully/

[Cha]

1. Thanks cal.. looks like

a good article from EZ.

Live like a bully die like a bully.

[DonViejo]

2. Ezra is correct, the media will devour Christie...

he's going to be shown to be a bully. Tony Soprano indeed.

[Lex]

3. Yes, now the press has its "meme" on Christie.

From the article --> "What's dangerous for Christie, though, is that now every political reporter in the country will begin believing rumors of his punishments and hunting down evidence of his retaliation."

Good, I'm glad.

[gopiscrap]

4. Exactly

I hope this finishes this piece of shit off!

[brooklynite]

5. What I don't understand...

...is why you would risk your political future over something so petty as a Democrat who won't endorse you.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Oh my lord, I know a few pols,

and they believe they are pretty much above the law and gotta get even.

It is in the political water they drink.

[freshwest]

8. Reminds me of the most rabid of teabaggers. They insist you agree with them wholeheartedly on

every single word or slogan they utter - or they go ballastic. Nothing less than full enthusiastic agreement will suffice. If you don't agree vehemently, you are the enemy. You have to be in their emotional state about whatever they spew. Or else. It's like a cult.

[mythology]

11. Because deep down he's insecure

He has to get everything he wants because he doesn't think he's good enough to succeed on his own. He reminds me a lot of my dad. Outwardly very gregarious, but as soon as he gets questioned he snaps.

[onehandle]

7. The Bully™ was always going to crash and burn. nt

[spooky3]

9. Ezra, lots of us have said that for months. We

Have also said he will not play well in the Midwest or with many women, who see the bullying and bombast as negatives, rather than "colorful" or "honest."

[Squinch]

10. I hope we are not unpleasantly surprised by the outcome of this. That incident of berating the

teacher was amazingly disgusting, as was the incident of berating the veteran, but the press and a lot of the public seemed to love both of those incidents.

[Fumesucker]

12. Dubya was and is clearly a bully

Didn't seem to hurt his electoral viability much.

[Lex]

13. The press doesn't feel the same about Christie as

they did about Bush. The press covered for Bush for some reason, not so much for Christie as is now obvious.

[jsr]

14. Christie's thugs use cops to look up IP addresses of critics:

[Lex]

16. Modern day Nixon

is about right.

[Mr.Bill]

15. I wouldn't even give him the satisfaction of calling him a bully.

He's probably proud of that moniker. To me he's always been just a plain old asshole.

[moondust]

17. Worse than a bully.

A "micromanager" with a 24-point electoral lead and scheduling his own special election costing taxpayers millions, this bridge thing rounds out the profile of a despot.