Chris Christie On Occupy Wall Street: I Understand Why They're Angry

Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told a crowd of voters at a town-hall style event in Little Falls, NJ that he sympathizes with the Occupy Wall Street movement. Although he doesn't agree with their ideas on how to solve the country's problems, he validated their anger.

"What they're saying is 'The government's not working for me anymore, the government is not being fair, the government is not helping me the way that they should,'" Christie said.

Christie went on to add "I understand why they're angry. Because you look down at what's happening in Washington, D.C., it should disgust all of us. You have a president who's unwilling to drag people to the same room and bang heads and force solutions. You have Congress in both parties who won't talk to each other. ... At the same time we have people out in the country who are suffering. And they're playing games in Washington, D.C."

The New Jersey governor said the Occupy movement comes out of the same frustration that lead to the rise of the Tea Party two years ago, just at a different point of the political ideology spectrum.

The Tea Party folks have one set of views on how to solve the problems, the Occupy Wall Street crowd has a different view, Christie said.

Christie said a governor or president should be the one responsible to get something done and force compromises.

He said everything he's been able to accomplish in the legislature during his own tenure has all been bipartisan.

"I couldn't do it without Democratic support," Christie insisted. "Why can't they figure out how to do that in Washington? And that's where the frustration is coming from."

Check out the slideshow below for reactions to Occupy Wall Street from politicians on both sides of the aisle:

 

 

Comments

[WhatsREALLYgoing on]

08:28 PM on 11/09/2011

According to the SEC, Todd Christie committed more that 1,600 improper trades between January 1999 and March 2003, generating “riskless profits” of more than $1.59 million for Spear Leeds (his own company) and costing investors $1.4 million. Fifteen of the 20 specialists facing civil charges were also charged with allegedly ripping off investors to the tune of $19,000,000.00, in the biggest crackdown on illegal trading in the Big Board’s History.

[WhatsREALLYgoing on]

07:58 PM on 11/09/2011

?

[ProudMilVet]

11:05 PM on 10/19/2011

"Weight" until Christie gets defeated for reelection.

[hemorrhage]

11:53 AM on 10/19/2011

Governor Christie is essentially correct. However, what he fails to mention is that one party has stated their top goal is to make sure the President isn't re-elected. As such, they will not negotiate. How can bipartisanship be achieved in that circumstance? I really wish he would address that and not pull the same media-inspired "both sides are equally responsible" BS card.

[Hailey73]

12:39 PM on 10/19/2011

The democrats did everything except sacrafice chickens to stop Bush from getting his second term. Both parties suck.

[hemorrhage]

01:03 PM on 10/19/2011

Many did vote in favor of the Iraq War, Medicare Part D, two tax cuts, failed to go after the administration on torture, failed to go after voting irregularities in Ohio ('04). That is hardly "everything except sacrafice chickens." They also negotiated and passed his budgets. If the roles were reversed, there would be no Republican votes for these policies.

While I agree that both parties suck, they do not suck equally. One is much much worse.

[gemini68]

10:04 AM on 10/19/2011

That headline was meant to be funny right? "Weighs in" I certainly laughed.

[layman]

12:24 PM on 10/19/2011

Christie totally understands the weight in part.

[ghkusa]

09:43 AM on 10/19/2011

It's risky for elected officials, Republicans as well as Democrats, to identify with Occupy Wall Street -- especially if they fail to stress non-violence, respect for the rights of others, and support for our free market system.

Many OWS protesters actually admit supporting violence. Nearly "... one-third (31%) would support violence to advance their agenda." as discovered by a Clinton Democrat Pollster. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204479504576637082965745362.html .

That explains the steady stream of reports of violence and injuries caused by OWS:

"Two police officers ... had to be hospitaliz­ed Saturday. One had a head injury." -- CBS: http://www­.cbsnews.c­om/stories­/2011/10/1­5/ap/busin­ess/main20­120961.sht­ml .

WaPo -- officer viciously attacked: http://www­.washingto­npost.com/­todays_pap­er?dt=2011­-10-15&bk=­A&pg=1 Police attacked, injured: http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/rampaging-liberal-mobs-attack-police-new-york-city-trash-city-park ; http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/rampaging-liberal-mobs-attack-police-new-york-city-trash-city-park Police attacked: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/occupy-wall-street-protest-broadens-scope-20111005 ; Assaults: http://www.asmainegoes.com/content/rampaging-liberal-mobs-attack-police-new-york-city-trash-city-park ;
Offenses v children ; http://www.komonews.com/news/local/132064518.html ; Kidnapping/rape : http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2011/10/18/occupy-cleveland-protester-alleges-she-was-raped/ ; Bottle throwing: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/10/occupy-wall-street-protesters-clash-police-tk/43699/ .
.

[cowanln]

01:53 PM on 10/19/2011

You expect me to take the Wall Street Journal's poll seriously regarding this matter? As a matter of fact unless I'm there I'm not taking many media outlets word on whats going on. There is a lot at stake here and the power players are bound to start using their influence.

[ghkusa]

02:54 PM on 10/19/2011

It absolutely was NOT a WSJ poll. Rather, it's a Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) poll, a Democrat polling company. Mr. Schoen worked for Pres. Bill Clinton. http://www.psbresearch.com/what_we_do/political.html . The WSJ simply reported the story -- as did other media sources!

But, OK, you don't like the PSB poll, where's your evicence?

How about all the evidence in the coverage of ACTUAL violence, attacks, people hospitalized, etc.? Maybe, just perhaps all that violence substantiates the violent propensities revealed to Schoen's pollster. The TPs have no such legacy of violence, occupying (taking) other's property, criminal trespass, resistance to arrest, etc.

It all exists whether or not you believe it, like it. or wish it would vanish.
.

[ZombyWoof]

09:06 AM on 10/19/2011

I thought he was going to say “Let them eat cake….and cheeseburgers and pizza and chocolate pudding and fried chicken with mashed potatoes smothered in gravy and did I mention chocolate pudding and, and, and….

Food, glorious food!
Hot sausage and mustard!
While we're in the mood --
Cold jelly and custard!
Pease pudding and saveloys!
What next is the question?
Rich gentlemen have it, boys --
In-di-gestion!

[lNSCOUT]

09:06 AM on 10/19/2011

I understand....now cut taxes and regulation.......

[MahatmaCoat]

08:55 AM on 10/19/2011

He's saying he understands why people are protesting, then seems to go off on a prepared script about how Washington is broken, the President needs to do more, etc. That's not really the message I'm hearing. The message I'm hearing is there's an ever-widening gulf between the rich and poor and while the majority of the country is suffering, the rich get tax breaks and loopholes that empower and enrich them further. Basically they're protesting against the unfairness that exists -- largely due to the deregulation begun under Reagan, championed by Republicans, and continued through subsequent presidencies.

[JBM83]

09:29 AM on 10/19/2011

Excuse me, that is exactly what he said. Maybe the reason you can not hear what Christie is saying is because you have and ideological problem with the party he belongs to. You are saying it's the governments fault and he is saying it's the governments fault. You just take it one step further and blame republicans. You have the right to do so however, I have the right to remind you that the democrats owned the white house, the senate and the house of reps for two years - what did they do to fix the wrongs that you say have been here since Reagan? They had 22 years since Reagan was president to figure out what to do.

[jmikhl]

11:42 AM on 10/19/2011

jbm83...fanned with badge. That's hitting the nail on the head....

[Nardac]

02:52 AM on 10/20/2011

Yes, two years. To fix eight years of Bush mess. And during those two years Republicans used the filibuster like it had never been used before, to make sure nothing of any consequence got passed. Even the healthcare bill, which they moan so much about was basically a Republican bill, except that they couldn't agree to it because it was put together by Obama. And now that Republicans control the House, what do they do? Abortion bills.

[cowanln]

01:55 PM on 10/19/2011

Matahma your right. Whats happening is the Republicans have started the spin machine. The spin is this "Your not angry at Wallstreet, your angry at Washington" If that were true this movement would be called "Occupy Washington"

[OT]

08:50 AM on 10/19/2011

CC U R NOT THAT SMART. Oh yeh CC u r so skinny u need to eat more

[lmab]

08:42 AM on 10/19/2011

Christie weighs in? Ducks on a ponds.

[ecrichert12]

08:48 AM on 10/19/2011

All the sixth grade boys chuckle.

Oh by the way we spent $2 trillion more than we took in last year and we're bombing 6 countries right now.

[lmab]

08:55 AM on 10/19/2011

Let's drop Christie on one of them.

[OT]

08:39 AM on 10/19/2011

Christie EVIDENTLY THINKS EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE DUM
HE IS SAYING THAT THE 99%
WANT LESS REGULATION N MORE TAX CUTS.

[Pleasedontdelete]

08:02 AM on 10/19/2011

No one doubts that 'they' understand.

We doubt that they care!

Actually, there is no doubt, we know that they don't care...

[Valerie Howard]

07:46 AM on 10/19/2011

Christie, riding both sides of the fence. He too is part of the problem, but will say anything to avoid being attacked politically. He has a short memory. He forgot about the 40,000 plus jobs he lost for our state. Go away Christie...you're only going to be a one term governor anyway.

[Wandaz]

08:19 AM on 10/19/2011

"I couldn't do it without Democratic support," Christie insisted. "Why can't they figure out how to do that in Washington?

And did he just bust on the republican house?

[JBM83]

09:33 AM on 10/19/2011

No he busted on the democratic senate! The one who wouldn't pass the presidents jobs bill. There are only 48 republicans in the senate - why didn't it pass?

[deafwolf]

03:24 PM on 10/19/2011

He'll break the fence if he's riding it!

[Valerie Howard]

10:53 PM on 10/19/2011

It's already broke, that's why he won't fix it...

[eaarth2]

06:54 AM on 10/19/2011

If the Governor really understands what OWS is about he should check and see how many NJ jobs have been shipped overseas the last 20 years. He should also check how many finance, Retail, construction jobs have been lost by GOP policies that led up to the 2008 meltdown. Lastly why NJ has seen a 30 year growing chasm between the haves and have nots- and over 750,00 people in his state without health care access. Or why NJ faces dire threats from climate change

If the Governor understands these issues, and wants to initiate real change, he needs to disavow the extremist views of the republican party, that offer no solutions to the questions raised above.

[JBM83]

09:36 AM on 10/19/2011

Who just signed free trade agreements with three new countries? You guys get your panties in a wad and accuse Republicans for sending jobs overseas because of all these free trade agreements but you let the dems of the hook for doing the same thing. Who signed NAFTA into law? Any guesses? BILL CLINTON!