Chris Christie’s flirtation with destiny continues apace.
The Post reports this morning that the New Jersey governor is still on the fence regarding a presidential run — with a final decision probably to be made over the weekend.
Color us not surprised.
Republicans across the nation are very much taken with the plain-spoken Christie — and his speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library showed why.
In fact, it was hard not to draw comparisons between the late president and Christie himself — who spoke of Reagan as “a man who said what he meant and meant what he said.”
“Those who thought he was bluffing were sadly mistaken,” said Christie of Reagan’s historic firing of striking air-traffic controllers who’d refused to return to work.
Said Christie: “Reagan’s demand was not a ploy. It was leadership, pure and simple.”
Much the same has been said of Christie — particularly when it comes to facing down special interests, not least the powerful public-employee unions.
And the governor didn’t hesitate to make those parallels crystal clear.
Indeed, he sounded very much like someone about to enter a national campaign, raising both national and foreign themes.
As if to answer criticism that he has no foreign-policy experience, Christie again hearkened back to Reagan and the air-traffic controllers, noting:
“If President Reagan would do that at home, leaders around the world realized he would do it abroad, as well… The Reagan who challenged aggression, or who attacked a Libya that supported terror, was the same Reagan who stood up years before to [the union] at home for what he believed was right.”
After citing his own accomplishments in New Jersey — and his ability to work effectively with the Democratic-controlled Legislature — he blasted President Obama for being “a bystander in the Oval Office” who “has yet to find the courage to lead” even as he “prepares to divide our nation to achieve re-election.”
Yet he also attacked Congress for its unwillingness “to leave campaign-style politics at the Capitol door.”
All of which certainly sounds like a prelude to a presidential bid.
But when asked directly if he would make the run, Christie cited his previous denials, adding that the “reason [to run] has to reside inside me,” not just because voters are clamoring for his candidacy.
Still, he didn’t flatly rule out jumping in.
The Post’s Josh Margolin and S.A. Miller report that Christie is being pressed by some of the GOP’s leading figures to run — and, despite his prior reluctance, has given himself until the beginning of next week to make a final decision.
We hope it’s a go.
The GOP needs a strong candidate if it is to capitalize on its opportunities next year.
Chris Christie made a persuasive case for himself in California Tuesday night. It’s pretty clear that Republicans want to hear more — and we suspect strongly that America does as well.
Ramp it up, governor.