Behind That Photo of Chris Christie Wagging His Finger at a Teacher

[Emit]

Behind That Photo of Chris Christie Wagging His Finger at a Teacher

By David Weigel

On Saturday, during a short reporting trip to New Jersey, I watched Gov. Chris Christie campaign in Somers Point and captured a moment that quickly got memed. Over the weekend I've seen the photo I tweeted of teacher Melissa Tomlinson being lectured by Christie get copied on dozens of Twitter accounts and blogs ...

But here's what I saw. ...

~snip~

"This story—oh really? They have more money now than they’ve ever had before. This is an old story from you folks, and they fail because you guys are failing in those schools. Have you ever sent your child to one of those schools?

"You portray us as the bad guys," said Tomlinson.

"Guess what, this is the most money the school has ever spent on education in the history of this state," said Christie.

"It is not," said Tomlinson.

"$9 billion in education!" yelled an onlooker.

"Yeah, and it’s down 0.1 percent," said Tomlinson.

"And it’s never enough for you," said Christie.

"All I want is money for my students and my school," said Tomlinson.

"Do your job," said Christie, turning away and heading into the bus.




The crowd of Christie supporters cheered. "Good for him!" yelled the guy who'd supplied the $9 billion number. An elderly woman turned to Tomlinson and told her "you’re in the wrong place, hon."

"I know," said Tomlinson with a shrug.

~snip~

http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2013/11/04/behind_that_photo_of_chris_christie_wagging_his_finger_at_a_teacher.html

[onehandle]

1. So much ammunition to destroy his Presidential campaign, so much time.

This loud, obnoxious, worker hating Sopranos character, doesn't have a chance.

[hollysmom]

2. yeah but then we will be stuck with him to be governor

[dawg]

24. And yet, somehow he is a shoe-in to get re-elected in "blue" ....

New Jersey.

[onehandle]

25. This is much the same as Ah-nold in California.

He's a flash in the pan personality.

Nobody elects him President.

[Tanuki]

3. The simpering grin on Mrs. Christie's face as her husband heaps verbal abuse

on his female constituent is also quite sickening. WTF is her problem? She ought to be horrified.

[TeeYiYi]

11. She's relieved that he's not bullying her for a change. ..nt

TYY

[Divine Discontent]

13. hahaha... that's often how those types are.

Get it here -> http://www.zazzle.com/youre_not_in_the_1_why_vote_like_you_are_bumpe_bumper_sticker-128479630785214922?rf=238107662556833486

[ChisolmTrailDem]

27. It's really weird. And it seems like every time I see her she's doing that. Then,

in a video where Christie is wearing the same red jacket he was wearing during his finger-wagging and being interviewed by someone (don't recall who), she was also wearing that weird grin. But in that video she was grinning, then she stopped and seemed to rearrange her mouth, and then went right back to grinning. It's FAKE. And because she thinks that's what she has to do to become first lady, she's doing it even when it's inappropriate and/or unnecessary.

As horrible as it would be to see a President Christie, it would be equally horrible to have her as First Lady.

[stevenleser]

4. Fortunately for us, the Teahadists consider him a traitorous Rino. He has 0 chance in the primaries

as a result.

[JustAnotherGen]

6. Steve

Do you really think they are going to go for someone even more extreme than Chrisitie? Maybe it's because I live in this hell -

But to me - he's no different than Rand Paul. As a New Jerseyan - 'those people' are all the same to me now.

[stevenleser]

7. The hatred for him in the TeaBagger set is almost as bad as the hatred for Obama.

They think he is a traitor, they consider it his fault that Romney lost the election because he worked with Obama regarding Superstorm Sandy to get money for his state and they think that was the difference in the election.

[JustAnotherGen]

14. Ahhh

And maybe that's why he hoodwinked so many people and is going to win today? Take this nugget with you when he fully launches his Presidential Campaign - Stronger Than The Storm. Those ads? He gave gratis to an agency that supported him in 2009 - It cost more and they put him and his family in the ad. It was paid for out of Federal Recovery Funds. Not sure of the angle here - but it's not fiscally conservative. And basically you and everyone else paid for the first ad in his 2016 campaign.

Maybe you can get that "dig in" down the road? . It has stuck in the craw of several people I was able to "turn" while canvassing for Bouno.

[stevenleser]

15. Just like Giuliani. He does well at home with his electorate in the Northeast

That will not help him when the folks voting are only Republicans and Conservatives in Iowa, New Hampshire, the Carolinas, etc., when he is up against Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and their ilk.

He's a non-issue in 2016.

[JustAnotherGen]

23. Except

And saw your post on FB . . . Except he's friends with Rove and that guy is made of Teflon. It wouldn't take much for Rove to swing a few southern primaries in Christie's favor. And Rove - regardless of what he is doing now - - in spite of his mis step on election night 2012 - he'd come out for Christie. They've got to know (the Republican Power Brokers) that the crazies ultimately won't be able to help them achieve their desired outcome.

The other thing - I think Christie would take NJ and have the potential to take PA and Ohio. He in and of himself could be a game changer. I.E. Make it so the Republican does not have to win the South - go after the blue collar middle class in the Great Lakes. .. if his friend can just steal a few elections for him in the South in the primaries . . .

[Ikonoklast]

29. Rove's days as Kingmaker are done. He spent hundreds of millions and got jack squat.

Hundreds of millions of Other People's Money who were not happy, no, not happy at all about the outcome they thought Rove purchased for them.


Christie won't poll well in Ohio, his Jersey Fake Tough Guy schtick won't go over too well here.


Also, by 2016 New Jersey will be in a financial panic if something isn't done soon, the problems in that state are multiplying and Christie has no clue as how to stop them from blowing up in his face.

[davidpdx]

19. For once we agree

I get the feeling most people on DU think he's going to have a cakewalk for the nomination. They underestimate how far right the Republicans have gone.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

5. Is there no video of this?

Weird if there is none.

[Gothmog]

8. There needs to be more media coverage of this incident

Christie is a thug and a bully. This incident is typical of his behavior

[maxsolomon]

9. As population increases, even slightly...

doesn't the education budget have to go up in response? More students = more teachers, more schools...

Unless the birthrate declines, the budget can only go up.

[napkinz]

10. New Jersey, can you handle the truth?

Why are you voting to give him another term?????

[gopiscrap]

12. Thank you Ms. Tomlinson for your witness

if ANY school teacher would ever vote for that (Chrstie) bloated piece of rotting flesh, then they're a fucking moron!

[avebury]

16. I have to admit that, as much as I am not a fan of

Christie, I would have to side with him on this. Living in Oklahoma and watching the teachers' lobby in this state there will never be enough money on this planet to satisfy them. You could give education every penny of the state budget and they would still complain they don't get enough money.

The fact of life is that each state has a finite budget that has to cover everything and no one group can claim the whole pile of money. I grew up in a family with educators and after moving to Oklahoma I have come to look at them here as one greedy bunch of people, particularly when it is obvious that the existing budget is not spent wisely in the first place. There are way too many school districts in this state and way too much of the budget goes to administrative expenses versus the classroom.

Why don't they write a law that would require that the school budgets function the way the medical insurance companies are now forced to operate under and require that a specific percentage of the budget must go to school room expenses (including teacher salaries) and force them to bring administrative costs under control? Until such time as the schools make the best use of their existing funds I really don't want to hear any complaints about budget. Acting as better stewards of the taxpayers' money might result in teachers not having to spend their OWN money to make sure they have what they need in their rooms. I also think that parents should be required to volunteer a certain amount of time at their child's school each school year (in the Classroom, school library, etc). If ALL parents became more in the school system that might save money in some areas and free up more funds for the classroom. It would have the side benefit of keeping the parents informed on what goes on in the schools plus motivate them to fight for improvements in public education.

Corporations could become involved by adopting schools. I worked for a Bank in Maine that adopted a school in Portland, Maine and employees were encouraged to sign up to volunteer in the school. We were allowed to, on paid work time, to spend one hour a week at the school. I worked with a second grade class for several years.

Cash is not always the only way to solve problems. But I tell you, if they do not force the educational system to adopt real financial reform, they will always be screaming for more money while wasting tax payer money due to the tendency to operate inefficiently.

[Earth_First]

18. ...yes and Ms. Doe, single parent of two can read the advertisement by British Petroleum

On the side of the school bus on the way to her first of two jobs for the day!

How quaint!

[avebury]

22. Did I say anything about name branding

corporate support? No I talked about real world support in the form putting people into a classroom to help teachers. I can tell you that the Bank I worked for did not take advantage of public advertisement of our support for this inner city school. The general public did not know what we were doing because it was done for the right reason - to be of service.

One of the biggest problems with education (and so many other things) is that society has lost the concept of community. Society has become decisive and not inclusive. Taxpayer money is not the solution to all of life's problems. The Tea Party/Uber Conservatives would totally tear down public education system and force families to home school if they cannot afford to send their children to for profit private schools. The war on women's reproductive rights is aimed to make it harder for women to make their own decision on the issue of when and if they want to have children. It is all about moving society to the point where women might not be able to be out in the workforce as the more children she has, the more it costs for daycare if she does not have family assistance. And if a women is home with her kids then she has time to home school them. Forget the fact that not everyone has the skills to be a good teacher.

Look at the crap that they want to put in text books including ignoring historical truths or trying to rewrite history. People need to be concerned with the dumbing down of society where ignorance is revered. Money won;t impact those types of issues.

The problem with education far exceeds the issue of money and money will not cure all the additional problems.

[B Calm]

20. He reminds me of school yard bullies!

He blows up over the least little thing.

[erodriguez]

21. Christie, Booker, Obama are all on the same side when it comes to education.

[Arugula Latte]

26. Setting aside the pure gall and breathtaking "wrongness" of Christy here ...

the guy has major anger issues. How could he ever make it through the intense scrutiny of a presidential campaign? Add to that his ongoing health issues and he is a walking stroke/heart attack candidate.

[Demo_Chris]

28. If you think this incident is damaging to him, think again...

And I say this in regards to the general public. Christy's "thing" is coming across as a tough no-nonsense straight-talker who isn't afraid to speak his mind and stand up to anyone -- including the Teaparty and Fox news. That's his public personna.

More, he is politically pretty damn smart, and this teacher incident was a great example. She wants "Money for students and schools" but the REALITY is that the public feels that they are already providing money for those things. And for good reason -- NJ citizens spent an AVERAGE of $18,000 per student in 2012*. The money might not be getting to her classroom, but that's not the fault of the public writing the checks. Nor is the solution to simply write bigger checks.

In any case, I do not believe this incident like this will hurt Christy with the general public. This guy is the best that the GOP have, and if he wants the White House he has a good shot at winning it.

* http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/04/11/mapping-school-spending/