Christie Gets High Marks On Foreign Policy

Headlines …

“Christie Backs Patriot Act, More Defense Spending In Portsmouth”

– New Hampshire Public Radio

“Chris Christie Lays Out Foreign Policy Vision”

– CNN 

“Christie Calls For Bigger Military In Portsmouth Speech”

– Portsmouth Herald

“In NH, Christie Calls For Larger Military, More US Intervention”

– NECN

“Christie’s Tough Take On National Security”

– The Washington Post 

“Christie Wants To Grow Military, Invest In Intelligence”

- The Philadelphia Inquirer

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What They’re Saying …

CBS News: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie outlined a muscular vision of American defense policy on Monday, placing himself squarely on the hawkish wing of the Republican Party ...” (Jake Miller, “Chris Christie Throws His Lot In With Republican Hawks,” CBS News, 5/18/15)

• “He bemoaned the current state of global politics, accusing President Obama of emboldening America's enemies and snubbing her allies.”
• “He also offered a robust defense of government surveillance programs, rebutting civil libertarians who fear that privacy rights are being eroded.”
• “Christie … has sounded a hawkish note on foreign policy issues before, but Monday's speech marked the most comprehensive take on international politics he's offered to date.”

NECN: “Making the case for a more active U.S. presence overseas, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called for a larger military and a boost in defense spending while defending the government's intelligence-collection efforts, in a speech Monday setting forth his foreign policy approach.” (“In NH, Christie Calls For Larger Military, More US Intervention,” NECN, 5/18/15)

The Washington Post: “In New Hampshire today, New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie delivered a hawkish and detailed national security speech, referencing his experience as a U.S. attorney in prosecuting terrorism cases.”(Jennifer Rubin, “Christie’s Tough Take On National Security,” Washington Post - Right Turn, 5/18/15)

• ““The most effective part of his speech was his defense of intelligence gathering. … He rightly dismissed the scare mongering about data mining ‘driven by some purist, theoretical vision of how we should manage our intelligence efforts’”
• “Christie’s speech made the case in great detail about the need to properly fund the military.” 

The Associated Press:“Christie, who worked as a U.S. attorney before he was elected governor, also offered an unapologetic defense of the U.S.'s intelligence-collection efforts.”  (Jill Colvin, “Christie call for larger military, more US intervention,” The Associated Press, 5/18/15)

CNN: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will lay out a hawkish foreign policy vision in a wide-ranging speech on Monday, calling for an expanded military and pushing back against critics of government surveillance programs." (Alexandra Jaffe, “Chris Christie Lays Out Foreign Policy Vision,” CNN, 5/18/15)

Portsmouth Herald: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called for a stronger international presence for the U.S., better cyber security and more compatible relationship with allies Monday afternoon at Prescott Park.” (Jesse Scardina, “Christie calls for bigger military in Portsmouth speech,” Portsmouth Herald, 5/18/15)

• “The roughly 45-minute speech touched on several aspects of national security, including investing more in military, brokering a relationship between the government and Silicon Valley for help with cyber security and extending the Patriot Act.”

New Hampshire Public Radio: “Speaking in Portsmouth’s Prescott Park, Chris Christie said the army needs more soldiers, the navy more ships, the air force more planes --and the government more intelligence.” (Josh Rogers, “Christie Backs Patriot Act, More Defense Spending In Portsmouth,” New Hampshire Public Radio, 5/18/15)

• “Christie chided purists in both parties for pointing the US in the wrong direction on intelligence…….But it was the president who Christie mostly criticized.”

The Washington Times: “Citing his post-9/11 experience prosecuting terrorists using tools like the Patriot Act, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday offered a forceful defense of U.S. intelligence and surveillance techniques, saying the ongoing debate over the subject is being dominated by ‘intellectual purists’ worried about theoretical abuses that haven’t occurred.” (David Sherfinski, “In N.H., Chris Christie forcefully defends Patriot Act, U.S. intelligence,” Washington Times, 5/18/15)

Huffington Post: “Chris Christie Defends NSA In Hawkish Foreign Policy Speech” (Scott Conroy, “Chris Christie Defends NSA In Hawkish Foreign Policy Speech,” Huffington Post, 5/18/15)

• “During his latest campaign-style swing through New Hampshire Monday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) criticized opponents of the Patriot Act and government eavesdropping, while calling for an expansion of the military in a speech designed to highlight his hawkish national security views.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Warning of threats posed by Iran, Russia, and ‘the sinister black flag of ISIS,’ the Republican governor sought to draw a contrast with President Obama, accusing the Democratic president of failing to articulate clear policies abroad and worsening relationships with allies.” (Maddie Hanna, “Christie Wants To Grow Military, Invest In Intelligence,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/18/15)

• “Christie also took a hard line in favor of government intelligence gathering while touting his experience using the Patriot Act as U.S. attorney for New Jersey.”

Talk Radio Host Hugh Hewitt: “Just read @GovChristie speech on national security --very strong, very specific, and very much a template for all GOPers” (@HughHewitt, Twitter, 5/18/15)