Brian Kirwin, Chris Christie and a clueless reporter
By Brian Kirwin | Saturday, October 1st, 2011 | PoliticsHuge unemployment, financial instability, government debt to the point of being insane, and Barack Obama not having a clue what to do about it other than trying more failed stimulus.
What does a New Jersey newspaper want to write about?
Is a candidate too overweight to be President?
Better question – Is a person too dumb to be a reporter?
I frequently get asked media inquiries about political issues of the day, and except for one lying toad from a Washington DC rag, I’ve been treated fairly.
But I’ve never had a dumber question from a reporter than I had this week. Of course, it was from Newark.
“With the speculation about NJ Gov. Chris Christie’s running for president refusing to die, we’re wondering whether his weight and questions about his health would be an obstacle to his potential candidacy… Do you have any thoughts about how Christie, should he seek the GOP nomination, should handle questions about his health and weight?”
That’s what the liberal press wants to talk about? This is the First Amendment that the founders fought for and shed blood for? So that top reporters for big, metropolitan newspapers could make fat jokes.
The reporter, Susan K. Livio, writes for the Star-Ledger in Newark, NJ, where homicides have been so prevalent, you’re lucky to live long enough for weight to be a health issue.
The Star-Ledger almost collapsed two years ago and had to rid itself of 40% of its staff to stay afloat. It’s easy to see why.
Susan the scribe was so excited to write about whether Chris Christie was too fat to be President, she could hardly contain herself.
I asked her if she was serious, and she replied:
“Uh, yeah. It’s not like every pundit and media outlet hasn’t talked about it. I don’t mind snarky comments about how the media shouldn’t be talking about this.”
Well, contacting me, I should hope not!
I drew on my years of experience as an effective political communicator and addressed the issue with a sobering, yet thoughtful, analysis.
“So what if Christie’s waist size is higher than Obama’s approval polls?”
Somehow, I don’t think I made it into the story…
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About the author
The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
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Comments
8 Responses to "Brian Kirwin, Chris Christie and a clueless reporter"
LOL. GREAT (big) answer Brian, and further proof of your lightning-rod flair!
Why doesn’t Ms Reporterette have concerns about our anorexic chain smoking President?
Wait for Ms Reporterette’s concerns about every statement by a Mormon over the past 100 years.
Of course Brian fails to mention that the Governor himself taled about his wide girth as both an asset and a liability. I guess Brian would prefer not to discuss why Christie has so many political contradictions. That is, he has supported Bowles-Simpson, including its recommendations in regard to increasing revenue. He is much more moderate on gun control than the Party radicals, and his position on immigration is nuanced and balanced. He is a character, yet his combative style may wear thin at times, but his appearance as an everyman may appeal to some tired of scripted politicians like Romney.
No more tired than we are of you, Mike…..
So Mike will only give a Republican a partial break if he’s from Joisey?
Here they go:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/02/us-usa-campaign-christie-obesity-idUSTRE7911YH20111002?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29
Then, maybe Christie will name me his FTA Administrator. At least Ambassador to South Sudan.
Mike Barrett loved Bill Clinton’s girth…
Shaun- Clinton was overweight, Christie is fat.
I’m not sure I think the health issue is legitimate. The legitimate question about Christie’s weight is a perception problem. Whether we like it or not, image has a lot to do with how people vote. The tallest candidate generally wins for instance, although GWB bucked that trend succesfully twice. In the television era, neither party has nominated anybody close to Christie’s size, so it’s fair to speculate what affect it might have on voters.
However, what’s more likely to have an impact on GOP voters in the more-and-more unlikely event that he gets in the chase for the nomination is that Christie has a lot of “moderate baggage.” When someone as conservative as Rick Perry is criticized for his views on immigration and vaccination, you know Christie would take some heat. He’s just said too many things that aren’t crazy.
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