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| January 24, 2015--Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) faced perhaps the greatest challenge of any of the prospects to address the Iowa Freedom Summit, how to counter the perception that he is a moderate (see for example Judicial Crisis Network's digital campaign from July 2014 +). Christie addressed the issue, although not entirely directly, at the front of his speech, suggesting that although critics say he is "too blunt, too direct, too loud and too New Jersey for Iowa," he keeps getting invited and keeps coming back to Iowa "because our values are consistent, and we are fighting together to make this a better country." Also later in his speech he noted, "I'm sure you will not agree with me or any other candidate on every single issue." Christie described how he has upset conventional wisdom as governor of New Jersey. He touted his pro-life credentials, saying that he ran in 2009 as a pro-life candidate and in 2013 as a pro-life governor. "The notion that our party must abandon our belief in the sanctity of life to be competitive in blue states is simply not true, and I am living proof of that fact." He highlighted the need to speak to middle income workers. "Every domestic policy we advance, every decision we make, should be focused on making their lives better, renewing their future, renewing their faith, their belief in this country," Christie stated. Toward the close of his speech he described movingly how the "direct, blunt New Jersey stuff" came from his mother. "My mother had raised us our whole lives to understand that in a trusting relationship, you need to tell people what you're really feeling and what you really believe, and that sometimes it might be uncomfortable, but it's better than not saying it," Christie said. [transcript] |
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| Christie launched his Leadership Matters for America PAC the day before the Summit. At the Summit he wore a dark suit, white shirt and light blue tie; he had a New Jersey pin on his lapel. He had no other reported or announced events on this trip. |
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