During an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani took aim at New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican, for not cutting his Disney World vacation short when the Garden State was hit by a massive snowstorm during the holiday season.
"Chris should've come back," said Giuliani of the recent trip. "I mean, if he asked me my advice, I would've said 'They elected you governor, they've got an emergency, they expect you to be there.'"
He added, "You know, you've got to be there if you're a governor, a mayor, or even a president, if it's important enough."
Giuliani, who is reportedly making moves for a possible 2012 presidential run, is by no means the first to criticize Christie over his decision to remain in the Sunshine State.
HuffPost's Nick Wing recently reported:
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has launched a new campaign bashing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) for a prolonged absence from his home state, even as his constituents attempt to dig themselves out of a massive snow storm.
"Partying with Mickey Mouse while serious incidents are happening back home isn't leadership. This is just the latest time that Christie has left the state at a critical moment -- putting his own interests above New Jersey's," the group's co-founder Adam Green wrote, according to The Hill.
In the wake of criticism following his return to the Northeast, Christie came to his own defense:
The rising GOP star, who often is mentioned as a presidential contender, defended taking his children to Disney World for a week while Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno also was away and said he was in constant contact with his staff and Sweeney as the storm unfolded.
"I would have been doing the same thing here as I would have been there," Christie said. "I would have been in a room someplace. I would not have been out, like, driving a plow.
Christie signaled at the time that because there wasn't "any significant loss of life," the way in which the inclement weather was handled could be considered an "extraordinary accomplishment."
WATCH: Rudy Giuliani: Chris Christie 'Should've Come Back'