With New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's lengthy apology for a political traffic scheme out in the open, one GOP strategist did not hold back his opinion on future political jams that could still emerge for the potential 2016 candidate.
In a Thursday interview with National Journal, former Rudy Giuliani campaign staffer Rick Wilson claimed Christie "goes out of his way to be a d*ck to other Republicans," charging that potential repercussions from the bridge scandal would reflect that.
"You're going to see conservatives returning the favor he gave them over the last year," Wilson said. "There's no love lost between Chris Christie and conservatives. I don't expect them to be in love with him, and he doesn't want their love. But if you want to win a GOP primary, you better find a way to get there."
Christie stressed Thursday that the conduct surrounding the traffic mess on the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, N.J. was exclusive to staff members who either had their employment terminated or resigned, headed by the dismissal of Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly. He painted himself as the victim in the fallout, expressing how saddened he was by the news.
"It is heartbreaking to me that I wasn't told the truth," Christie said. "I'm a very loyal guy, and I expect loyalty in return. And lying to me is not an exhibition of loyalty."
Prior to Christie's Thursday apology, the National Review rounded up a lineup of Republicans' thoughts on what his course of action should be. Among those weighing in was former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, whose advice appeared to line up with some of Christie's actions.
“He should apologize to the public, apologize to the mayor, he should dismiss his staff, and move forward," Fleischer said in the piece published late Wednesday. "He needs to be blunt, he needs to be direct, and he should be himself.”
Before You Go
