Rudy Giuliani Defends Chris Christie Over Bridge Drama: Candidates 'Miss A Lot Of Things'

Giuliani Uses Benghazi Comparison To Defend Chris Christie

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani says he finds it "pretty darn credible" that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't know about an apparently politically motivated plan to create traffic jams near the George Washington Bridge.

Speaking on ABC's "This Week," Giuliani says candidates "miss a lot of things" in the heat of political campaigns, comparing Christie's oversight to President Barack Obama's response during the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya.

“He was in campaign mode at the time,” Giuliani said. “During campaign mode, you miss a lot of things. You’re not paying as much attention. We see that with Benghazi."

He continued, "The reality is you miss a lot of things when you're running a government as complicated as New Jersey, New York, or the United States.. It’s happened to the present president at least three or four times, where he said, 'I didn't know,' and the press asked, 'Gosh, how could he not have known?'"

Giuliani then drew comparisons between Christie's staff and workers at the Internal Revenue Service, which was embroiled in a controversy over auditing conservative groups last year.

"This is what happens in political operations: people get wrong messages," he said. "It happens all the time. I go back to the IRS scandal. People in the IRS thought President Obama wanted them to do this, when President Obama didn’t want them to do this."

Fellow Republican Christie was way ahead in his race for a second term when his deputy chief of staff gave the go-ahead for closing two lanes to the bridge, backing up traffic for hours in Fort Lee.

Democrats maintain the lane closings were political retribution against a Democratic mayor.

Christie political adviser Bill Stepien is a former Giuliani staffer. He was among four people to lose their jobs over the scandal.

Fellow Republican Christie was way ahead in his race for a second term when his deputy chief of staff gave the go-ahead for closing two lanes to the bridge, backing up traffic for hours in Fort Lee.

Democrats maintain the lane closings were political retribution against a Democratic mayor.

Christie political adviser Bill Stepien is a former Giuliani staffer. He was among four people to lose their jobs over the scandal.

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