QOTD: "I am clearly the disaster Governor," Chris Christie
We can't argue with that, Governor.
Gov. Chris Christie joined the Morning Joe crew earlier today and he was asked Sam Stein, why he left New Jersey quickly to go back to New Hampshire to continue his campaigning since the massive snowstorm left a lot of damage in its wake?
Christie's response was his typical liberal conspiracy nonsense and he told Sam that everything was perfectly fine in his home state and his critics are just making it all up.
SAM STEIN, THE HUFFINGTON POST: Hey, Governor. Just back to the storm quickly. There are some critics in your state and elsewhere who do wonder why you are back up in New Hampshire so early. I know there is some flooding damage in the southern part of your state, clearly a lot of residual damage from the storm. What do you say to those critics who say why did you go back up to New Hampshire so quickly?
CHRISTIE: Sam, I don't even know what critics you're talking about. There is no residual damage, there is no residual flooding damage. All the flooding receded yesterday morning. And there was no other damage. People were driving around the streets yesterday morning of New Jersey. So this is just what they wish would have happened.
Unfortunately for them, we know how to do this. We managed the storm extraordinarily well, New Jersey transit was back at noon yesterday after the storm, our roads were all open as of 7:00 a.m. yesterday and so, you know, I think that's just folks who want to criticize me for anything that I do. And I have not heard any of that criticism, I haven't seen any of that criticism, and I think you are just making it up.
Now, I don't know about you, but I didn't believe a word he said. Christie left to go back to NH faster than a speeding bullet. There was massive damage in the storm's wake throughout the east coast and it didn't seem plausible that New Jersey was left unscathed.
Tommy Christopher found the proof that Christie was pretty much lying.
That might come as a surprise to Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, who, even as Christie spoke, was headed to the shore to assess the damage that Christie says doesn’t exist:
Officials are beginning to assess the beach erosion and flood damage caused by a major nor’easter snowstorm that churned the surf and caused tides to swell in southern New Jersey.
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin on Monday plan to visit the Ortley Beach section of Toms River, the Holgate section of Long Beach Township, Stone Harbor and North Wildwood.
Many homes were flooded on North Wildwood’s west side. Cape May, Stone Harbor and Ocean City saw record flooding.
Guadagno is also fielding complaints on Twitter from residents who suffered that non-existent damage.
Maggie Day, Stone Harbor NJ business owner, disagrees with Christie that flooding wasn't bad. "I was in my waders in three feet of water."
— Bob Ingle (@bobingle99) January 25, 2016
Christie is right that this storm could have been much worse, and it was managed well, but even a well-managed worst storm in history needs a minute when its over. How does Christie think the families of the New Jersey residents who were killed in the storm feel about him taking off for New Hampshire the day after?
Maybe Chris Christie really hasn’t heard about any of this, but maybe that’s because he’s in New Hampshire!
Update: Here’s a little more background on the residual damage from the storm, and the criticism that Sam Stein referenced, including this package from MSNBC’s Jacob Rascon, who reports widespread damage to homes because the water level from this storm was a foot hu=ighr than it was during Superstorm Sandy:
