Media Give Christie High Marks For Debate

What They're Saying About…

“Christie Was Forceful”

“New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie … Did A Good Job Of Speaking Plainly While Defending Policies”

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The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie touted his economic record and stuck by his tough stance on anti-terrorism, getting into a shouting match with Rand Paul and accusing him of blowing hot air while he was busy defending Americans from terrorists.” (Jennifer Rubin, “The first debate,” The Washington Post, 8/6/15)

• “That said, it did highlight Trump’s clownishness and allow serious contenders — especially Rubio, Bush, Kasich and Christie — to shine.”
• “He also lowered the boom on Huckabee for suggesting we can’t touch Social Security or that cutting lawmakers’ retirement benefits would solve the problem of runaway retirements. He was specific and tough on foreign policy, admonishing Rand Paul who insisted we should eliminate all foreign aid including that to Israel.”

Charles Krauthammer: “But overall, I think the winners were Cruz, Rubio, and Huckabee, and Christie. Because of the way I think he bested Rand Paul in the debate about eavesdropping and national security.” (Fox News, The Kelly File, 8/6/15)

CNN’s S.E. Cupp: “I think Chris Christie and Marco Rubio had a great night tonight... the only person I thought had a terrible night was Rand Paul. He looked pretty childish haranguing Chris Christie for the hug.” (CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, 8/6/15)

Ed Rollins: “[H]e showed moments of leadership, had some good answers.” (Fox Business Network, Lou Dobbs Tonight, 8/6/15)

MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell: “I think Chris Christie has done well in his responses on 9/11 and some of those issues.” (MSNBC, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, 8/6/15)

Steve Schmidt: “Christie has been strong.” (MSNBC, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, 8/6/15)

Business Insider’s Hunter Walker: “I think Christie, Rubio, and Kasich all did pretty well tonight and will get more notice.” (Twitter, 8/6/15)

Forbes’ John Zogby: “Chris Christie – he got to tout his record and also show why he is a conservative on issues like the Patriot Act and the military. But he offered the straight talk that angry voters are looking for while at the same time showing that he has taken on some special interests while he has made New Jersey a better place.” (John Zogby, “Kasich, Bush And Christie Won The First GOP Debate,” Forbes, 8/6/15)

Fox News’ Chris Stirewalt: “Well, obviously the Rand Paul/Chris Christie just like absolute volcano over the NSA was a hinge point in the debate....But that was the very best. It just was the best I've seen.” (Fox News, The Kelly File, 8/6/15)

Marc Thiessen: “I think Christie really did a good job. I think his exchange with Rand Paul and his exchange with Huckabee. He showed himself to be a fighter without being too New Jersey. I think he did a really good job.” (Fox News, The Kelly File, 8/6/15)

Janine Driver: “Chris Christie is going to be seen as more likable here. So Chris Christie even though he can be a pitbull, he has this lean, and this is evaluating. He's leaning to the right and the left, this is evaluating right then and there it’s creating a system, what’s important, what are the priorities here. And so Chris Christie is very interesting. He has no trouble saying that this is the priority.” (Fox Business Network, Loud Dobbs Tonight, 8/6/15)

The Washington Post: “Christie issued a sharp retort: ‘That’s a completely ridiculous answer,’ he said, saying Paul’s experience on national security matters is limited to ‘blowing hot air’ on a congressional subcommittee.” (Karen Tumulty and Philip Rucker, “Donald Trump roils the Republicans’ first debate,” Washington Post, 8/6/15)

The Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes: "Rubio and Christie did very well." (Twitter, 8/6/15)

Hugh Hewitt: “On points, he gave A’s to Christie, Kasich, Rubio and Walker.” (James Hohmann and Elise Viebeck, “Megyn Kelly out-Foxed Donald Trump,” The Washington Post - The Daily 202, 8/7/15)

National Review Online’s Rich Lowry: “Christie was forceful.” (Rich Lowry, “A Fabulously Awful Night For Donald Trump,” National Review Online, 8/6/15)

Politico’s Matt Friedman: “Overall it was a good night for him, if not a great one...His argument with Rand Paul was possibly the most memorable exchange of the night, and he seemed to get the better of it. A lot of people liked his specificity on his Social Security plan.” (Politico New Jersey Playbook, 8/7/15)

The New York Times’ Frank Bruni: “That back-and-forth was debate platinum, because it was simultaneously fiery and substantive, impassioned and important, a perfect distillation of the two sides of an essential, necessary argument.” (Frank Bruni, “A Foxy, Rowdy Republican Debate,” New York Times, 8/6/15)

Des Moines Register’s Kathie Obradovich: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie...did a good job of speaking plainly while defending policies that conservatives have criticized. Christie engaged in a spirited but civil mini-debate with Huckabee over the need to reform Social Security and Medicare. Christie’s idea of slowly phased-in changes to the retirement age and means testing seems more realistic and would likely play better with a conservative crowd than Huckabee’s idea of maintaining the programs as they are and paying for it with a “fair tax” on consumption.” (Kathie Obradovich, “Several winners in GOP debate,” Des Moines Register, 8/7/15)

Buck Sexton: “Chris Christie hit his stride on entitlements.” (“So, who won the Republican debate?,” CNN, 8/7/15)

Tom Rogan: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie showed spark by challenging Rand Paul on national security and Mike Huckabee on entitlements.” (“So, who won the Republican debate?,” CNN, 8/7/15)

The Washington Post’s Stephen Stromberg: “New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio won the debate. Christie gave forceful and sometimes detailed answers, particularly on reducing public benefits for wealthy seniors, without seeming angry.” (Stephen Stromberg, “Forget Trump. These three candidates shined through the low moments in the first GOP debate.,” Washington Post - Post Partisan, 8/7/15)

The Boston Globe’s James Pindell: “[B]ut Christie showed better overall during the evening. After narrowly qualifying for this debate, Christie won by going toe-to-toe with his party nemesis.” (The Boston Globe - Ground Game, 8/7/15)