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ENLARGED EXPECTATIONS

Christie: Weight Issues Won't Keep Me From the White House

Calls the idea that it should 'ridiculous'

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by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

Image: NPR

To those who'd say Chris Christie is too large to walk softly and carry a big stick, he's got two words for you: "That's ridiculous."

The New Jersey governor told Barbara Walters that his weight is a non-issue in a potential 2016 presidential run, despite murmurings to the contrary by some. Bloomberg reports that the bombastic governor appeared taken aback in his segment of Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People" of 2012 special that airs this week. When Walters pointed out that some have questioned Christie's health and how that could impact his shot at the White House, Christie replied "that's ridiculous."

"I don't know what the basis for that is," said Christie, who's been targeted by political opponents in the past for his weight. In 2009, then-Governor Jon Corzine made mention of Christie's weight in a debate moment many saw as mean-spirited - and a likely aid to Christie's eventual election win.

Via Bloomberg and Newsday.
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Should Chris Christie's weight be an issue if he runs for president in 2016?

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Comments (view in Forum)

  • u
    ctc
    !
    Anyone running for the highest office should be required to take a complete physical exam, it should be interpreted by independent physicians, and then made public.
    Some might argue a psychiatric exam might also be required.
  • NormalFlora
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    Ever heard of HIPAA? The public does not have a medical need-to-know other than "no pathologies of an immediate life-threatening nature."
  • u
    ctc
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    @NormalFlora Let me add that I'm starting to like Christie, but..........he's NOT obese.......he (IMHO) IS MORBIDLY OBESE.
  • DARSB
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    @ctc I get your intent, and I don't entirely disagree, but HIPAA doesn't leave wiggle room. Disclosure could be voluntary, though.

  • View all 6 replies >

  • Neo_NtheMatrix
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    @NormalFlora - He has to get the Republican nomination first. I don't see that happening when he's more like a Democrat than a Republican. We're looking for a spokesperson for true conservative values. Christie is not that guy.
  • u
    Nemesis3X
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    @NormalFlora yes, until 52% percent of them will have to start to pony up for the what the "rich" can't even put a dent in.
  • Fishbone345
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    @Neo_NtheMatrix "We're looking for a spokesperson for true conservative values. Christie is not that guy."
    Was Romney? Romney was the Republican most like Obama out of the gamut of them that ran and you all chose him. Don't be so quick to write off Christie keeping that in mind.

  • View all 77 replies >

  • FFX_VA
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    Taft was before TV. You're right, weight doesn't affect skills and capacity, but unfortunately it can affect people's opinions.
  • Fishbone345
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    @FFX_VA Exactly. And the very reason you don't see many pictures of FDR in his wheelchair. It was one of the best hidden aspects of a Presidency in our history.
  • gregorytoye
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    I dont think it matters i mean what pres has really been in great shape barracks the skinnyest id like to know more about christie i didnt think he was gonna run for office he better hope he dosnt go against hillary
  • Denizen_Kate
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    I've never voted for a candidate based on how they look, as long as they look well-groomed and clean. There are far more important reasons to support or not support a candidate for office. I'd like to start a whole new political party, called "Warts and All." How would that fly?
  • isis2012
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    In the news today, the life expectancy of US children has been lowered due to obesity rates. Chris Christie is not overweight, he's morbidly obese and as a leader of the free nation he would have an obligation to set an example for the youth of this nation. The media was Obama's back for smoking so what's the difference? Maybe Obama should say, I like smoking and you guys like being fat.
  • Dan_Tien
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    If he thinks that an overweight man faces no discrimination in this country then he is deluding himself. Even some doctors refuse to accept new patients as overweight as he is. These days, the more a candidate looks like a matinee idol the better their chances for getting elected. If Christie seriously wants a chance at the White House, he had better join Weight Watchers fast.
  • Denizen_Kate
    !
    I have to agree with that assessment. Weight discrimination does exist. IMO Christie needs to lose weight for the sake of his health (which is what I'm working on myself) and not because he wants to get elected. I still don't place much weight (ha!) on a politician's looks.
  • u
    Cheenoguy
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    @Neo_NtheMatrix
    Aside from putting the people of New Jersey ahead of worrying about someone else's during Sandy what makes Christie un-conservative?
    Republicans were all over his jock right up until then.
  • Fishbone345
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    @Denizen_Kate In fairness and addressing you both, yes discrimination exists in healthcare.
    But, lets be real. Larger patients are harder to take care of all around. They make surgeries more difficult, they make anesthesia administration much more difficult. Physical Therapy is almost non-existent half the time because they couldn't move 'before' they went. Healing times are increased. Drugs take longer and need higher doses.
    I can't blame a doctor for telling a patient "No, I don't want to work ten times harder for a minimal result"
    Personally, I think people should be a certain weight before elective surgery will be performed. We shouldn't have to increase our stress level and work load for personal life choices. Emergent Surgery is a different matter altogether.

  • View all 12 replies >

  • o
    Sonny
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    Geez what planet have you been on? Everybody know very well that Christie did NOT "campaign" for Obama. I think guys on the fringe right got all upset because the two men showed a moment of "professionalism" during the Sandy storm...Give the guy a break sometimes a political leader just needs to go to work and get things done for the people....Can't have partisan warfare ALL of the time....like you guys would like...
  • u
    AceLuby
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    The week before the storm he was on Fox saying that Obama couldn't find leadership if he fell on it. That he's like a kid trying to find the leadership light in the dark and keeps going for the wrong wall. It was literally days before the storm and every conservative not only agreed w/ him, but cheered on the partisan hackery. No wonder you guys are losing so many national elections... conservatives are the first to throw one of their own under the bus if they so much as hint at being bipartisan.
  • o
    Sonny
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    His "weight" is not the issue...His lousy policies, and Very Very rude & Nastiness towards his constituents WILL be his undoing....I don't that he would be able to win another term as NJ Gov.,,, much less the presidency...They guy has a very nasty streak---that turns a lot of people off.
  • PoliticalSpice
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    That rude talk is just what people like about him. Makes him more "authentic" then other pols. I thought he could have actually beaten obama. Good thing he thanked him after sandy hit, it will cause a lot of anger toward him in the gop. Make it hard to unify bejind him.
  • o
    Sonny
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    @PoliticalSpice I don't think this guy could win on a national basis, though. It really depends on who he would be running against, though. I just don't think he has the right "temperment" to be president...
  • PoliticalSpice
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    @Sonny with his base now calling him benedict arnold for his comments about obama during storm sandy we will probably never know, but i think had he run he could well have beaten obama. Just my opinion.
  • Fishbone345
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    Probably the same as she feel's about anyone's excessive weight. And like most of us in Healthcare. Heavy people are a burden to society, whether or not they want to admit it.
  • Zazziness
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    It doesn't matter if it "should" be an issue. It would be an issue if he runs. He's not just plump, he's morbidly obese. There are a lot of people who are really turned off by that on a gut level, no pun intended.
  • Fishbone345
    !
    "He's not just plump, he's morbidly obese."
    We don't know that for sure without knowing what his BMI is. There are a lot of factors that go into classification.
  • Fishbone345
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    @PoliticalSpice I would lean towards the same conclusion. But, working in medicine has made me much more patient in my years. Plus Morbidly Obese isn't used in healthcare anymore as it can be pretty hard hitting to some people to hear that term said at them. Here's a link for the current classifications and terms, being used in most hospitals in the US now.
    http://apps.who.int/bmi/index.jsp...
    While heavy people tend to make my job much harder than it should be, and I disagree with some of their choices in life. I would never try to make them feel badly. Our job is to heal, not harm. Thus if my hospital thinks certain terminology is hurtful, and wants other terms used. That is what I do.
  • DARSB
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    The governor's weight isn't a problem for me, but he's Governor of a state in crisis. This will leave precious little time for him to develop the ideas and policies appropriate to a national campaign. Maybe 2020.
  • greatsphinx
    !
    Well everyone another human bias showing itself in America. What does weight have to do with a man's or woman ability to lead a country? Do you think Hollywood or Madison ave is over shadowing our minds in the 21th century? Don't you think we put a person's physical traits above their intellectual capabilities too much? that's how we lose well qualified people in the long run and it's sad.
  • Fishbone345
    !
    "Well everyone another human bias showing itself in America." It's not bias to point out that being Obese is a serious health risk. Get real. This isn't the playground and no one is calling him "Fatty fatty Two by Four".
    "What does weight have to do with a man's or woman ability to lead a country?" Seriously? I can't even fathom how you could ask a question like that. Here I'll let Doctors teach you.
    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics...
    "Do you think Hollywood or Madison ave is over shadowing our minds in the 21th century?" No, I don't. This isn't a case of Americans judging him at the beach, or putting up hurtful pictures from the paparazzi on the Net. If you want to lead one of the most powerful nations on the planet, it should be assumed that you will live out your 4 year term. If you can't make the connection between worrying about health risk and expecting decent health from our leader, no one can make you understand it.
    I don't like the New York fashion industry. I think the women portrayed in magazines and on television in no way represent reality. Women are made to hate themselves because they can't live up to beautiful models (their words not mine. Personally give me a lady with curves over some wafer thin junkie any day). Asking our President to be somewhat fit, is NOT the same thing. And being as a very very limited few will ever get the chance to even run for President, let alone win. Having standards makes sense.
  • u
    Cheenoguy
    !
    That kind of weight is the result of poor choices and/or an attitude of laziness in selfishness. Those aren't traits I look for when considering someone to represent me and the rest of my country.
    Plus the trend of late is for a right leaning moderate to run with a far right winger for vp. I want the pres in good health.
  • Post Removed by Moderators
  • u
    Cheenoguy
    !
    @PoliticalSpice
    Genetics and metabolism make it more difficult to maintain a healthy weight. He long ago stopped being a man who is struggling with his weight. He is firmly entrenched in morbid obesity. I'm sure he loves his family, cares about his fellow man, and loves serving people. The traits that lead to obesity are not traits that give me confidence he can handle the job as leader of the free world.
  • Fishbone345
    !
    Anyone claiming that weight has nothing to do with someone's ability to lead our nation is seriously deceiving themselves. It's a health risk, and are we as citizens not able to say we want someone healthy leading our nation? Would we elect someone that was in End Stage Renal failure? How about someone with inoperable cancer?
    I don't think its too much to ask for someone to live beyond their 4 year term.
  • u
    Realthinker
    !
    If he runs his weight will be an issue whether it should be or not. America is currently obsessed with diet and exercise and weight issues.The obese are targets of a great deal of discrimination. Ask any obese person what its like to find stylish flattering clothing. There is even a movement by the fashion industry to call women "plus size" beginning at size 6. It's completely unrealistic.
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