Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Gov Christie Introduces President Christie With Christie 2016 RNC Speech
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 29, 2012
Modified Aug 29, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Aug 29, 2012
Modified Aug 29, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
It wasn't until he was 16 minutes into his keynote speech at the Republican National Convention that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie mentioned the name of a certain someone who wants to win a presidential election in November. The long wind-up to Mitt Romney—who tried to woo Christie as his Vice President—was prefaced by a quarter hour of Christie this and Christie that, and several reporters say Romney looked extremely dissatisfied with Christie's self-aggrandizing speech. But did Mitt really expect Christie to reference him before the almighty Bruce Springsteen?
The Boss was invoked in the first several minutes of Christie's autobiographical speech, which began with the governor introducing himself to America as "the son of an Irish father and a Sicilian mother... They both lived hard lives. Dad grew up in poverty...Mom also came from nothing. She was raised by a single mother who took three buses to get to work every day... She spoke the truth - bluntly, directly and without much varnish. I am her son. I was her son as I listened to 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' with my high school friends on the Jersey Shore."
(AP)
Christie carefully left out the part where he always fell asleep by the second verse and his friends had to tuck him into bed, but no matter. Intentionally or not, the speech drew a stark contrast between Christie's hardscrabble roots and Romney's elite upbringing, which might explain Romney's "death stare." Sources tell the NY Post that Christie declined to run as Romney's Vice President because he didn't think Romney could beat Obama. (Sources say Romney's camp also insisted Christie resign as governor in order to campaign, because otherwise campaign finance laws would have limited donations from Wall Street executives who do business in NJ.)
Christie's famously aggressive tone was kept mostly in check during the speech, which highlighted his, heh, soft side. But Christie did spray some contempt in Obama's direction, even if he didn't mention the President by name. "It takes leadership that you don’t get from reading a poll,” Christie told a rapturous audience. "You see, Mr. President - real leaders don’t follow polls. Real leaders change polls... Our leaders today have decided it is more important to be popular, to do what is easy and say ‘yes,’ rather than to say ‘no’ when ‘no’ is what’s required. It’s been easy for our leaders to say not us, and not now, in taking on the tough issues. And we’ve stood silently by, and let them get away with it."
But after planting the fertile seeds for a 2016 "President Christie" campaign, the governor finally got around to fluffing Mitt Romney, telling the party, "Tonight, we stand up for Mitt Romney as the next President of the United States. And, together, we stand up once again for American greatness." But should American voters fail to stand up for greatness in November, it's still going to be an uphill battle for Christie to the GOP nomination in four years. “My impression is that he’s part of the eastern elite,” Iowa delegate Ruth Long told the Daily News. Time to dial down the Springsteen and crank up the Nugent, Governor.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Tagged
Chris Christie
mitt romney
republicans
rnc convention
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Why New Yorkers should care about bats beyond spooky season
As Bat Week begins, state wildlife officials urge New Yorkers to protect bats, which play an important role in the environment.
By
Catalina Gonella
Published Oct 25, 2026 at 6:44 p.m. ET
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
News
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
Retired NYPD detective charged in George Washington Bridge killing out on $1M bail
By
Michael Sol Warren
Suicides decline in NYC, but inequities persist across groups
By
Jill Webb
Cuts to rural healthcare become key issue for upstate votes in race for NY governor
By
Samuel King
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .