Not surprising, really. I predict these two to be running against each other in 2016 (with Christie winning): Here's the list from the survey:  Gov. Christie 53.1  Secretary Clinton 52.1  Sen. Warren 49.2  President Obama 47.6  Sen. Gillibrand 47.6  Sen. Cruz 46.8  Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida 46.5  Vice President Joseph Biden 46.2  Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley 45.7  Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal 45.2  Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky 44.8  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo 43.9  U.S. Rep. Peter King of New York 43.6  U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan 43  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker 41.1  Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania 40.7  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush 40.4  Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia 39.4  Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi 38.4  Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell 37.5  Republican House Speaker John Boehner 36.7  Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid 33.8 http://www.quinnipiac.edu/images/polling/us/us08052013.pdf/ Definitely some surprises here - Obama's position was underwhelming considering that he is president, and what the heck is Mark Warner even doing on this list? On the other hand, I'm not surprised that Harry "White Feathers" Reid deservedly finished dead last.
You really think the GOP will nominate him after he hugged Obama following Sandy? I agree with you that he is the best chance the GOP has but I just cannot see it right now. Those on the far right will block him. He is already being called a liberal.
Yup - you've got my bold prediction in the OP. It's not Christie's fault that Mitt Romney was a lousy candidate, and while Christie has caught flak from the Right, I think he'll do better with independents than Clinton will do. In light of that, I think he'll get the nomination. I would have liked to see a Christie-Paul ticket, but that might have gone up in flames recently. However, we're a long way from 2016, so anything can happen between now and then. Given the looks of the GOP field, I don't think the far right can block him.
I feel that by 2016 the picture may come into focus. The Rove vs TP battle will be a big part of that. Karl Rove realizes that, if it were not for the TP candidates that were pushed through the primary system, the GOP would have the Senate now. Rove is determined to keep the O'Donnell's off the ballot. It could be a huge fight.
In many respects, the GOP is going through the same things that the Democrats went through when "progressives" started taking over the party. There's a lot of dialogue about the identity of the party and its direction and that's a good thing. On one hand, the party establishment has taken the GOP in the wrong direction and on the other hand the TEA Party has produced candidates that lost elections in winnable races. If those issues can be resolved, the Republican party will be better and stronger for it.
Have you not been paying attention? To how much the GOP Base.....HATES Chris Christie for committing the Unpardonable Sin of...being nice to Barack Obama?!?!?
Christie has a lot of baggage. He's basically a dock worker union boss on steroids, that's more or less how he operates. He'll maintain perceptions but he'll also go for the occasional envelope full of cash under the table. http://thecontributor.com/chris-chr...andy-relief-fund-32-million-raised-0-paid-out
Really? I agree that he has baggage, but it is with the far right of the GOP, including the TP. They will not stand for a Christie nominee in 2016, and would probably run their own man.....no chance of a woman unless Bachman comes back.
Sad but true, hopefully we can just push Christie past the primaries where the righties are extremely right. Christie kills it with independents.
The GOP will not allow anybody to run that they cannot totally control. Christie is a loose cannon, much like Paul, and he is probable to close to being an actual conservative for comfort when it comes to being any good for the non conservative neocons base.
