Because we live in the worst timeline, every media outlet under the sun (including NYT, CNN, MSNBC, and what? The Daily Show?) are hosting former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's promotional book tour, which is, of course, a campaign launch for 2024 and an effort to reconstruct his tarnished image.
What has Christie done to warrant so much airtime? He wrote a book promising to "save" the Republican Party from Trump.
Finally speaking out against Trump's conspiring to overthrow the 2020 election does not warrant a media blitz. But Christie's book is published by Threshold Books, the "conservative imprint" owned by CBS/Viacom. "Threshold Editions is the proud publisher of many bestselling authors, including Tucker Carlson, Mark Levin, [the late] Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, John Bolton, Dick Cheney, Tom Fitton, Michelle Malkin, and Karl Rove."
You know who else is owned by CBS/Viacom? Comedy Central.
The whole publishing world is an incestuous cesspool. If anyone in the news industry wants their OWN books promoted on The Daily Show, they gotta promote Chris Christie as newsworthy. I'm sure the question "WHY?" isn't even asked.
And even without that quid pro quo, the mainstream media always has a soft spot for Republican politicians, even ones that left office with a 14% overall rating.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who refused to become a puppet for Trump and voted to impeach him over the January 6 insurrection at the US capital threw a wrench in the sickening coverage Chris is receiving.
Christie did more than any other Republican politician during the primaries and then the 2016 election to normalize, coach, and support the odious, immoral Trump to the American people.
Christie's response to Kinzinger was pathetic.
"With all due respect to Adam Kinzinger, he doesn't know Donald Trump the way I've known him over the years and had the experience I had," he insisted. "In the end, what I'm saying is the former president needs to understand that the election is over, and that exacting vendettas and revenge for people who don't believe that the election was stolen and the facts prove it was not, that's not the way for us to win elections in the future."
If Christie knew Trump so well then why didn't he know the damage his friend of 20 years would do to the entire country, as well as the Constitution and US democracy as a whole?
If Christie is so smart and insightful then what has that gotten this country? Anti-VAX and MAGA cultists are causing chaos and confusion where ever they go, threatening places of business, airports, school board meetings. They refuse to comply with CDC recommendations during a deadly pandemic, and instead spread conspiracies about the vaccines and the virus.
MAGA is promoting violent reactions that target wherever right-wing media hosts and former Trump officials guide them.
Instead of taking ownership of his actions, Christie is trying to suddenly remake into, 'MR. Good Republican Guy,' swooping in to save the GOP.
Go to hell.
Susie has it right when she writes, "In summary: Chris Christie is a ruthless, ambitious tool of the special interests who, while strategically backing away from Donald Trump, fully embraces Trumpism. Don't believe a word he says."
Frances Langum contributed to this post.
