By on November 01, 2012
TRENTON — What a difference a hurricane makes.
At a campaign event in Richmond, Va. two weeks ago, Gov. Chris Christie — one of Mitt Romney’s staunchest supporters — questioned President Obama’s leadership, dismissing him as someone "blindly walking around the White House, looking for a clue."
Then Hurricane Sandy crashed into the New Jersey coastline packing 90 mph winds before clawing its way through the state and leaving a trail of destruction.
In the storm’s wake came consolation and swift assurances of federal aid from the Democratic president, sweeping away the governor’s political gripes and replacing them with heaps of praise. Christie also canceled his campaign stops on behalf of Romney to tend to his battered state.
With less than a week to go before Election Day and the presidential candidates running neck and neck, Christie and Obama teamed up Wednesday to assess Sandy’s trail of devastation along the Jersey Shore and comfort residents displaced by the record-shattering storm.
EnlargeChristie consoles Janet Misiur, of Sayreville whose home was wiped out in the flood. (Julia Terruso/The Star-Ledger).Gov. Christie tours Sandy destruction in Sayreville gallery (4 photos)
"I cannot thank the president enough for his personal concern and compassion for our state and the people of our state," Christie said at a news conference in Brigantine as Obama stood by his side.
The Republican governor has effusively praised Obama’s leadership all week — telling reporters the president has been "outstanding," "all over this" and "deserves great credit."
Obama returned the compliments, thanking Christie "for his extraordinary leadership and partnership."
FOCUS ON REBUILDING
Christie said the task of rebuilding New Jersey is far more important than helping Romney get elected.
On Fox News, the governor scoffed at the idea of having the Republican candidate come to tour the hardest-hit communities, an idea the Romney camp had floated.
"I have a job to do in New Jersey that is much bigger than presidential politics," Christie said.
Wednesday night, Christie acknowledged the odd circumstances.
Chris Christie talks about President Obama touring damage from Hurricane SandyThe president said the wants to make sure there is nothing we ask for as a state that we don't getWatch video
"I’m aware of all the atmospherics," he said. "I’m not in a coma. But the fact is I don’t care. There will be some folks who will criticize me for complimenting him. Well you know, I speak the truth.
That’s what I do. I say what I feel and what I believe. And I’m just doing the same thing with the president of the United States."
Democrats and Republicans in the state welcomed the teamwork between the Statehouse and the White House, saying that providing relief to those left homeless, without power and surrounded by floodwaters as well as rebuilding the Shore would be any governor’s first priority.
Tom Wilson, a former chairman of the state Republican Party, said Christie is "honest to a fault."
"He’s just being honest and telling people, ‘Look, the president is doing everything he possibly can to help us in this situation,’ " Wilson said. "He’s worried about what he should be worried about, which is helping people."
Star-Ledger staff writer Matt Friedman and Christopher Baxter contributed to this report.
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