Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), whom I suspect most neutral observers would consider one of Congress' more offensive clowns, is in a competitive re-election fight this year, but will get a boost today when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) headlines a luncheon on King's behalf.
It's such an odd pairing that American Bridge, a Democratic super PAC, released a video on the subject.
And why, pray tell, is the governor of New Jersey traveling 1,300 miles to campaign in support of a right-wing congressman even many Republicans find embarrassing?
As Yoda might say, begun the 2016 presidential race has.
For Democrats, the process has slowly been unfolding for much of the year, most notably at the recent Democratic National Convention. Among those cozying up to Iowa officials and delegates were Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (who also headlined Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's annual steak fry), Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
Of course, this makes sense, given that President Obama is running for re-election this year, and no matter what happens in November, he won't be on the ballot in 2016. It stands to reason that ambitious Democrats would start laying the groundwork for an eventual campaign.
But Republicans are ostensibly focused on electing Mitt Romney, who, if the GOP succeeds, will presumably be running for a second term in 2016. The problem, of course, is that many in the party expect Romney to lose, and want to be well positioned for the next campaign.
It's why Christie's stumping for King in Iowa, Rick Perry recently told Chuck Todd he's looking forward to 2016, Rick Santorum will be in Iowa this week, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal was in Iowa last month to headline a GOP event hosted by the National Rifle Association.
The New Republic, reporting a few weeks ago that the "jockeying has already begun," highlighted many more names, including Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Gov. Nikki Haley (R-S.C.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Gov. Suzanne Martinez (R-N.M.), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-Va.).
It may seem inappropriate for Republicans to scramble behind the scenes, working under the assumption that Romney will lose, but that doesn't mean it's not happening.
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He's cozying up to the wrong King, the King is dead, but not forgotten. Elvis Presley the only King our Nation has ever known. Who did you think I was going to say?
This is the story of the Johnny Rottens!
Vulture/Voucher 2012
Proving Two Rights DO Make a Wrong!
;-)
I thought you meant Stephen King, the author. I'm sure he gets mad every time he hears this moron's name.
The bigger question is............will NJ voters remember this next election? Why is Christie spending their taxpayer money to go to another state to lobby for a nutjob?
You get what you pay for.
Beacuse with him gone the whole state rises a few inches above sea level and many of us here in the Garden State hope he'll stay there!
Dick Dale King of the Surf guitar
New Jersey voters only need to wait til next year on Christie. He and VA gov McDonnell run for re-election in 2013.
And here I thought it meant Christie was getting cozy with the ideals of Martin Luther King Jr, in an attempt to start wooing the liberal vote in 2016. Guess not.
if this is a luncheon, no one will get to eat but Christie
I feel sad for America.
While most of the political hyenas are waiting to claim the furniture from Mitts cubicle, it seems that Christie is cozying up to King because he can not get a 'Snuggy" that is big enough.
LOL, what a whiz you are.
Iowa has- count 'em- 6 -SIX- electoral votes! (One less than they had last go 'round.)
"Raising one's profile" could be better done with a couple of Letterman/Leno appearances, or pushing a peanut with your nose from Newark to Trenton. In Christie's case, with a CAUTION- WIDE LOAD sign on his keister. . .
think this is just the add on from his convention speech, now trying to sure up the Iowa vote LOL
peanuts are old fashioned, a krispy kreme tied to a stick would be more efficiient in Kris Kristie's case(named spelled wrong on purpose)
Day..eating and laughing = choking.LOL
Christie you think King will help you get your states credit rating back to at lease aa-
LOL sinking fast and good for you grabbing more rats to take with you.
Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Gov. Nikki Haley (R-S.C.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Gov. Suzanne Martinez (R-N.M.), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-Va.)Gov. Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum, Christie......plus other mentally unstable wingnuts
Ladies and Gentleman I give you Clown Car 2.0
Great comment sick-n-effin-tired...
I was going to make a comment about a Clown Train that would have lots of cabooses. Or maybe a comment about an oversized republican elephant that has one hell of a lot more @sses than normal elephants.
Those are all very serious people. It will be delightful listening to them discuss policy
/snark
I can't believe those people are even possible. What has come of the right? I am truly scared. Every election from now on is going to be survival from the loons?
I think I just threw up a little bit…I can't even begin to bend my mind into the shape it'd have to be to allow me to even THINK those things much less say them.
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!! You're entrusting this nation to those who have no souls!!
you only have to be a "good Christian" who believes some of the nuttier bits in that bible.
velkyn - "Good Christian" that should leave all of those vying for a spot off of the list as none of their policy positions and statements are those of that "Christ".
well, Zora, I'd agree with you but since there's no way to see who are the real Christians, no divine approval written in the sky for any particular sect, I think we have to go with what they say about themselves.
As for what that Christ says, well, we have "love thy neighbor" and "do unto others", but we also have all that bringing the sword, killing those who don't agree with him, Paul's claim of speaking for him with that disregard of women and saying various people "deserve" death, and well, all of Revelations.
and what of Twit Robme's religious beliefs? Mormons place themselves on the same level as God. they claim one cannot get to heaven but through Joseph Smith, which is blasphemy since Christians know you can only get to heaven through accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior. So I would worry less about this bunch of mental midgets and put your vote in Obama's slot and not the sacriligious Twit's.
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (who also headlined Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's annual steak fry), Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
Secretary Clinton has done a stellar job as Secretary of State. In fact, I wish she'd stay on for another four years. However, if given the opportunity, I won't vote for her in the 2016 Democratic primaries for many of the same reasons that I didn't vote for her in the 2008 Democratic primaries.
On the other hand, I would be thrilled to see either Senator Kirsten Gillibrand or Senator Amy Klobuchar break the glass ceiling and become our first female President of the United States. Personally, I'd lean toward Klobuchar, but nevertheless, I'd be ecstatic if either one followed President Obama into the White House.
God help the Democrats if they nominate Los Angeles Mayor Villageidiot. I voted for that moron twice: once when he didn't win, once when he did, and against his re-election. He's as emblematic as was re-electing Jerry Pissant Brown (the cause of Proposition 13 with his political malfeasance 35 years ago) of the political bankruptcy of the California Democratic Party. Past what's in office now, there is nothing on the horizon here but deep doo-doo.
TCinLA, I voted for that moron twice: once when he didn't win, once when he did, and against his re-election.
1 + 1 + 1= 3, not twice for those keeping score at home.
You loose credibility when you can't add simple numbers and you regress to calling your governor 'pissant'.
Nit-picking is bad enough when you're right, but read it again: he voted for him twice, and for emphasis mentioned voting against him to show that there won't be a third time.
You also "lose" credibility when you let "loose" your wrong-word gene.
As for Christie, we needn't worry about him. He will burst open like an overripe tick on a bloodhound long before 2016.
gordona, thats 2 for and one against, the original post was correct.
You guys laugh all you want but I owe Steve King a debt of gratitude. Go to the :38 mark. Until I saw that video, I had no idea how to design not just a fence, but a wall. That King would take the time to show Congress, and by extension the nation, how to design a wall, the wall HE HIMSELF DESIGNED, complete with wire to replicate barbed electrical wire...I mean how the hell else was I going to know what a KING-DESIGNED wall would look like were it not for this video? And when you see the scale model...of the wall...I think you'll agree "oh, yeah, you can totally tell this is a King wall." It's the attention detail, it's like when seeing a painting by Klimt or hear a song by Springsteen...you just KNOW.
He is not crazy. He'll tell you so himself.
lol
It's like standing next to a really fat person to look thinner. By standing next to King, Christie will look almost sane. And, of course, King will look thinner...
Day, now I can't get that (wide load) picture out of my head!! Thanks.
Slightly OT. I think one of the advantages of naming an older vice-president like Biden is that he is unlikely to run for president in 2016. Normally the vice-president from an outgoing administration has first dibs on the next presidential nomination. I like multiple democrats having to run in primaries rather than having a preordained candidate as we did with Al Gore in 2000.
You mean it's not looks or personality? Gosh, the standards these days sure are complicated...
Y'all bear in mind that the Republican Party has a long tradition of nominating the runner-up from the previous open election. The "designated heir" as it were.
Which means that barring unforeseen events, we already know the top of the ticket in 2016: Rick Santorum. The 2016 primaries will select the candidate for 2020.
You are correct. But Jeb Bush is standing in the wings and Daddy Bush is going to be pulling strings. This could make for very interesting Republican primaries unless the state parties change their rules on delegate selection. Santorum has public support but not the Republican establishment support. That could mean financial issues for Santorum to compete in primaries unless he starts gathering funds and support now. That is the only way he can be competitive against Bush.
this from TPM if only?? oh just who are the main stream republicans?
Schumer: Mainstream Republicans Planning Resurgence If Obama Wins
Mainstream Republicans have confided in Sen. Chuck Schumer that they intend to regain control of the GOP from the tea party wing if Mitt Romney loses the election,
The people with the money: banks, Wall St., corporate execs, the wealthy. Their problems are how to cut out the Tea Party and the Paul libertarians from candidate selection without losing a significant number of votes and stopping their primary challenges. This is the problem for national and local races. If the establishment cannot cut these people out, then the Republicans will lose the next elections. And the TP and libertarians are not about to negotiate with the establishment. They will certainly want to double down on the crazy.
They're gonna put up Santorum and Bush. One from the crazy and one from the establishment.
I can't see how either has any hope with the wider electorate. No one is going to be willing to triple down on Bush no matter how much they say he is the "best Bush." Jeesh just the thought makes me gaggy, As for Santorum, if tepublicans become so crazy that he is their candidate..... well. As scary as that is, I can't see him winning as long as the dem is a warm body that can smile.
Many voters have a short memory and attention span. By 2016 GWB will be largely forgotten unless he tries to campaign for his brother.
so true,,smiling but the one thing Jeb can not do>>>> is lose that last Name which will be the anchor that's takes him out of the game.
if he could run on just Jeb, he might have a shot.
vote for Jeb ---- hes the man.
Christie is a character, but he's not going to be electable to national office. He's an abrasive loudmouth, and nobody wants to see that in a POTUS.
mark warner? seriously? the same guy who put me to sleep at the 2008 convention droning on about cell phones? ain't happening.
and o'malley did himself no favors either. he had to follow deval patrick, who had the best convention speech not given by bill or michelle (sorry barack, but you set a high bar). all i remember is he started out recounting a battle during the revolutionary war. nothing like a history lesson to get the kids fired up!
Steven King is an embarassment to the state of Iowa. he is a right wing, tea party nutjob and needs to get out of office.
Yes, but "he is a right wing, tea party nutjob" and Christie knows the the immediate future of the Republican Party lies in the hands of right wing, tea party nutjobs. Christie may be an ignorant, fat slob, but he is not a total fool!
I guarantee that if Christie aligns with King, Christie will not win Iowa in 2016 or any other year.
And as a constituent in Steve King's district I am routinely in awe at how he gets re-elected despite the insanity. He has been able to get away with the inane behavior because the district would elect anyone as long as there was an (R) behind their name on the ballot. Case in point, Steve King. Fortunately, the redistricting has changed the map and now includes some moderate areas of the state and I am hoping this unseats him. It's telling that he is nervous this cycle having already spent more then in previous campaigns, I get multiple flyers each week from PACs that include Karl Rove's and he's even consented to do debates so visits from prominent republicans come as no surprise. Fortunately these are publicized and every time he opens his mouth, the evidence of idiocy comes spewing out. Even on his FB page once ardent supporters are turning against him...including Tea Party folks.
During the DNC someone on MSNBC suggested that the Dems "clear the field" for HRC in '16. Don't know how good an idea that is, but a biracial man and a woman back-to-back would drive certain people insane. And Hillary has the experience, the policy, and of course the name and national respect to get elected. As far as King and Christie goes, maybe @!$%#s of a feather just flock together.
Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-6000
Make your voice heard.
I just called the Governor's office to ask why Governor Christie is traveling to Iowa to stump for Rep. Steve King. I was thanked for my comments as "assured" they would be passed onto the Governor....despite the fact that they didn't take down my name, address or phone number. Disenfranchisement.......
Rep King is an embarssment to the state of Iowa and Christie is the worst of New Jersey, put the two together and you have a very dangerous situation. God help us if they ever get a higher office. They have done enough damage to 2 states already
Gordoni: You also "lose" credibility when you let "loose" your wrong-word gene.
As for Christie, we needn't worry about him. He will burst open like an overripe tick on a bloodhound long before 2016.
O R'LYEH? Evil enough, not, yet?
We are talking about the Steven King that likes to tell outlandish horror stories and scare little children and not the author from Maine, correct?
The 2016 R Debates will be every bit as [fill in the blank] as this year's. Pop the popcorn!