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BROMANCE

Maher on Christie: He's a Refreshing Brand of 'Pr--k'

The comic and professional cynic admires the governor's plain talk

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by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: Politix

That sage of snark Bill Maher just professed a kind of qualified love for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie by calling him a "brand of prick" that's "kind of refreshing."

In an online post reported by Politico, the comedian exalts plain-talking politicians not corrupted by sanitizing consultants. The figure best exemplifying that kind of brash truth-telling, at least currently says Maher, is Chris Christie.

"Say what you will about Chris Christie, but the man is the most candid politician on the national stage today [for better or worse]," Maher writes. "He's not afraid to have enemies."

Of course Maher himself knows something about being candid, and in ways that'd cost him dearly if he'd chosen a career in politics (or at least elected politics). In 2002, Maher was fired from ABC for saying that while the perpetrators of 9/11 were a lot of things, they weren't cowardly: "We have been the cowards, lobbing cruise missiles from 2,000 miles away."

Via Politico.
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Comments (view in Forum)

  • o
    Cool_voter
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    @LGRepublican I'm sorry are you talking about bush now. Didn't know tis pertained to someone who is no longer the president...
    Sorry about that..
  • LGRepublican
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    @Cool_voter So let me see if I understand this. If the discussion pertains to things done or said against Bush, he's "no longer the president". If BHO wants to blame someone for his ineptness, then it's all "Bush's fault". Sorry, can't use him when it suits you.
  • HPthinker
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    christy is a straight talking hard core new jersey style guy. he can clean up the fiscal mess in the state, but can't stop the whining. the left is naturally against the policy he is forced to enact and in doing so has created enemys on that side.

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    RobertJHarsh
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    I acutally do like watching Maher's show. I disagree with a lot of his views but he has the guts to say them and I can respect him for that.
  • Real4WheelDrv
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    @Litdes Beck stated many times that he was an entertainer on live television and radio, and encouraged people to check for themselves every conclusion he drew, no matter how wacky. Not his fault that both the right and left are full of mindless drones.
  • u
    Litdes
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    @Real4WheelDrv Of which, Beck is one of the loudest voices. Here's the difference, Beck was on a news network (until he got canned), whereas Bill Maher is a stand up comedian with a show on a premium cable TV channel.

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  • Real4WheelDrv
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    That's one of the big reasons no one would vote for me if I ever ran for public office. People are so conditioned to accept perfectly groomed politicians literally and figuratively, that I'd be too much of a risk unfiltered. Think about it, we have such a strict image of what a politician should be, that President Obama is considered a vigorous free spirit for giving speeches sans tie and with rolled sleeves.

    Second big reason, I have no idea how tempted I'd be to pander for votes...and I can't brong myself to do something I yell at others for doing.
  • MRMacrum
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    @Real4WheelDrv - I once toyed with joining the town planning committee. Some friend told me I would be good. Thankfully I talked with another friend who knew me better and he talked me back from the edge. Seems I am more blunt than I think I am.
  • Real4WheelDrv
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    @MRMacrum You can be pretty in your face true, but better that than the cookie cutter presentation we get from politicians now. Heck, Congress has done everything BUT the group fistfights we've seen in other nations in the past. Let's see some schoolyard FIGHTS instead of schoolyard namecalling, the revenue generated from betting alone would help our debt a little!
  • kirbstomp1
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    Although I don't agree with alot of his socialist ideals, since he is a logical and reasonable person. I would enjoy to have a drink with Maher and Christie. Even us three all having different political views could sit down and help solve alot of these countries problems. We need more honest and reasonable people like Maher and Christie
  • justapirate
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    You prefer dishonesty and backstabbing? I'd vote for Christie in a heartbeat. I may not always agree with him but he's honest about what he believes and will throw Party to the side of the road in a heartbeat if it helps his neighbors.
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
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    @justapirate - So you have two employees (and make no mistake, all politicians are our employees), one is honest and the other one is not. Which do you keep? Well one tells you at the end of the shift that he stole $50 out of the cash register because he needed to get some weed and he's got a hot date tonight. The other employees is a little embarrassed so he lied that he has a wife and kids at home, although he doesn't. He comes in to work early everyday, works hard, and leaves late and never asks for anything extra. Which employee are you keeping? Honesty only matters when you're doing the right thing.
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
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    @justapirate - It proves honesty isn't worth squat if the person is up to no good. Why should I praise Christie for being honest when he isn't promoting ideas that better the nation?

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  • Jean
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    I do not agree with Maher. While I truly like politicians who say what they mean and mean what they say....there is one more caviat that needs to be tied to that ...that i feel Chistie fails on. A politician that speaks honestly and frankly is great but for what purpose. Purpose says it all. it should be for the best for the whole of the people that you represent. not because you are grandstanding for a Presidential run. when he appeared with Obama at election time (supposedly for the good of the whole) and then much later the "media" checked up on one of the unfortunate people of hurricane Sandy that had been "photo opted" with these two ...only to find she was still in a state of misery.....that sort of says it all.

    Christy says all the right things....but in the end is it merely for political ambition and again...people be damned....as "something" you have to deal with to get there? I was severely disappointed with Mr. Christy.
  • justapirate
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    My opinion, of course, but I believe what Christie had to say and his intent. The unfortunate part is the application of bureaucrats afterward. That messed up anything he may have thought.
  • Jean
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    @justapirate are you saying that in election time you do not think that Obama would of made every use of the Sandy disaster in being there anyway whether Christie jumped through the hoop or not? i disagree...I think he would have been right there soaking in all his glory. Who was the other official that blew him off?!? can't remember his name (point taken of who was campaigning and who wasn't) but remember he didn't play the game as he had people to take care of. they still got what help they were going to give and besides which election or not....the President should do his job in providing what relief is available irrregardless of party , election etc.
  • DerivePI
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    For a Republican Governor in a Democratic state that was nearly run into the ground by the Union mentality, Christy is doing a good job. New Jersey is still in trouble though and will need time to recover from years of liberal policies. After Sandy, Christy did not endorse Obama, but thanked him for answering his phone calls during the crisis and providing FEMA support. He sacrificed political expediency in favor of coordinating with the Federal Government after the crisis. Wouldn't it be nice if we could expect Obama to do the same?

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    Cheenoguy
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    @Romney2012
    Is the year spent trashing him while campaigning for Romney was what?
    Had the Republican media been using their brains they could have used Christie's acknowledgment that Obama was being the help that a president should be as a positive for Romney. Reasonable people would give more credence to Christy when he talks about why he thinks Obama is bad when they know he will acknowledge the good. See only extreme idiolouges believe everything about anyone is bad and when you refuse to acknowledge the good you lose credibility with reasonable people.
    Congratulations, by the way, on acknowledging you don't actually know when the word communist applies.

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  • Dan_Tien
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    I agree with Mahar that the perpetrators of 9/11 were not cowards. Any man who willingly gives his life to accomplish his mission is not a coward. The US has been underestimating our opponents from the beginning. I disagree that using cruise missiles or drone attacks is cowardly though. That is just technological superiority. You may as well call a soldier a coward for using a rifle instead of a knife.

    "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." - George S. Patton
  • jessejaymes
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    I don't agree with a lot of what Christie believes but I do like his candor and I really like the agreement he came to with the Teachers Union of rewarding teachers who excel and dumping dead weight. I totally agree with that one.
  • jessejaymes
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    Christie was the only one I was worried about who might get the GOP nomination and beat Obama. Huntsman could have but had no chance of the nomination. Now Christie would appear to have alienated the far right. Which is a good thing for him four years from now. I suspect within those 4 years the far right will start eating their young.
  • PoliticalSpice
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    @jessejaymes Having read some oc what their young write here, I think even the republicans might find them distasteful, so eatting might not be an option. Huntsman was smart, je was qualified, but I thonk Christe had more charisma, and was more plainspoke, the bubba quality people love in clinton. Kind of a popularist thing. But yes, a relative who backed romney, earlier wanted chridte to run. After they picked romney he wanted christe to be the vp pick. After storm sandy he called christy a benadict arnold (sic). That pleases me, cause christe would be formiddible.
  • jessejaymes
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    @PoliticalSpice The Christian right has really done a admirable job of alienating the rest of conservatives. Moderate conservatives like myself won't vote for their choice anymore. Joe Scarborough is right. The GOP has to purge the right wing or they will never win the Presidency again. I think 4 years from now that will happen and Christie could be sitting pretty then.
  • u
    AndBegin
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    I am an independent voter. i lean left on some topics and right on others. i like that christie doesnt care who he angers. i think if christie had run and gotten the nod, then he would have won the election. he did a great job after sandy and i commend him on that. he also did a great job by putting politics aside and doing what is best for his state during the storm. politics shouldnt be about party, it should be about people. the two sides are ruining this country.

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    texas_cutie75
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    I think it may be time for a new generation of politicians, not so flashy and polished. There are issues that need to be addressed and I truly, down to my toes, think that Christie would be good for the country, be it Senate, House or even White House.
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