Mitt Romney received the endorsement of New Jersey Governor and Republican establishment favorite Chris Christie in New Hampshire today.
“I’m here for one simple reason: America cannot survive another four years of Barack Obama,” Christie said.
This isn’t a shock, as the two men are both Northeastern moderates who have defied party orthodoxy.
But to the extent that Christie is seen as a natural charismatic leader and a tough-talking budget guru — and Romney’s campaign is largely centered on jobs and the economy — the Romney camp is surely pleased. And Romney, beaming as he stood behind Christie, did nothing to hide it.
“Mitt Romney is the man we need to lead America and we need him now,” Christie added.
Christie also took pains to defend Romney on his greatest vulnerability: his healthcare reform law in Massachusetts.
It’s “completely intellectually dishonest” to compare what Romney did to the federal health law, Christie argued. “Mitt Romney did not raise one tax in doing what he did in Massachusetts to improve the healthcare system.”
He even went so far as to say “I’m proud of him [Romney] for doing what he thinks right” and demanded that people not “compare the two.”
