Here's How Chris Christie Got His Name

Chris Christie.
Say it fast. Say it again. Say it several times.
The name is both alliterative and somewhat repetitive. And it works that way even when you say Christopher Christie.
It's a catchy name. You tend to remember it.
But you also may be wondering: What the hell were this guy's parents thinking when they named him?
That question is answered in the excellent new biography by Bob Ingle and Michael Symons entitled Chris Christie, The Inside Story Of His Rise To Power.
According to the authors, here's how it happened:
Chris Christie arrived a month ahead of schedule on September 6, 1962. A superstitious method of predicting a child's gender told his parents (William "Bill" and Sondra "Sandy" Christie) that they were going to have a girl. So, they had not focused on male names. But at the last minute Bill Christie suggested to his wife that in the event the child was a boy, they might name him after Bill's dad, James Christopher. This was also the name of Bill's older brother who became Chris's godfather. Still thinking she was about to deliver a girl, Sandy said "yes" to her husband's request.
But then Bill worried that his brother (whose wife was also expecting) might name his first child James Christopher as well and Bill thought that could be confusing. So, Christie's dad switched the order of the names from James Christopher to Christopher James. And that's how Christopher J. Christie came about.
As the story goes, it wasn't until after the name was chosen and they heard the name repeated that the parents realized they'd planted the monicker "Chris Christie" on their child.
Was it hard growing up with a name like that?
Well, for the answer to that question -- and lots of other great, inside stuff -- you'll have to read the book, available now in bookstores or at Amazon.
We highly recommend it!

Ex NJ Judicial Biggy Gets Job At Pol-Linked Firm

Over at Politics Patrol, Bob Ingle has the scoop on the future of former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice John Wallace -- the man who Governor Chris Christie failed to renominate.
Hey, don't feel sorry for Wallace.
He just landed a job with a major South Jersey law firm -- one that's extremely well-connected politically.
Here's how Ingle tells it:

John Wallace Jr., the man Gov. Christie refused to re-nominate for the state Supreme Court, has found a job with a politically connected law firm. He will work with Brown & Connery in Westmont. A partner in that firm, William Tambussi, made $50,200 in campaign donations in 2009, including $7,200 to a PAC called The Leaders Fund which is tied to the Boss George Norcross Democratic organization. The firm’s clients include the DRPA, the Delaware River & Bay Authority, South Jersey Port Corporation, municipal governments, school districts and county agencies across South Jersey.

So, now that the final chapter of the Wallace saga seems to have been written, why are the Democrats who control the NJ State Senate still dragging their feet on the nomination of his successor - Anne Patterson? Why?
Patterson was nominated many months ago but the Senate won't even hold hearings on her nomination.
What are the Democrats trying to prove with this senseless, stubborn maneuver?
Wallace has moved on.
Why can't the Democrats in the Senate do the same?
Click here to read more from Bob Ingle.

Christie's Ratings Surpass Obama, Lautenberg, Menendez

The Quinnipiac Poll says that Governor Chris Christie is the MOST popular public figure in New Jersey -- MORE popular that President Obama; MORE popular than crusty 'ole Sen. Frank Louseybird and MORE popular than the self-impressed Sen. Bob Menendez. In just one year, Christie has gained higher approval ratings than any of them.
Are we surprised? Not one bit.
Click here for the full story from Bob Ingle of Gannett New Jersey,

NJ Election Aftermath Winners

Now that the dust has settled after last week's New Jersey gubernatorial battle it's time to tally up the winners.
After Chris Christie himself (the obvious Big Winner) we now list (in no particular order) those who gained the most from last week's historic election:

Kim Guadagno: Smart, articulate and poised, New Jersey's first Lt. Governor is a real asset; a bright new star.

Gannett NJ newspapers: After a superb and well-times series on New Jersey's high taxes, the Gannett papers picked the right candidate.

Senator Tom Kean: Proved himself to be an adept political operator and a go to guy in Trenton.

Jersey 101 radio: The whole gang - Jim Geahart, Dennis and Michele, Casey and Rossi - helped to fuel the Christie campaign and keep Jerseyites focused as they bedeviled Corzine.

Assemblyman Jay Webber - Great new Chair for the NJ GOP.

Bob Ingle - Gannett Trenton guru and co-author of The Soprano State (along with Sandy McClure) Ingle is a powerhouse of information on the Garden State and a fearless reporter, columnist, blogger and the third New Jersey 101 Jersey Guy.

Senator Joe Kyrillos - Steered Christie campaign in the right direction.

Ocean and Monmouth counties - They're calling these two the new Hudson and Essex.

Governors Tom Kean and Christie Whitman - Not so lonely anymore, they're both class acts.

Rudy Giuliani - Campaigned for a fellow prosecutor, Giuliani could pick up the Senate seat in neighboring New York.

Conservative blogs - Most notably, Save Jersey, More Monmouth Musings and Conservatives With Attitude. They did us all proud.

Corzine: NJ Not Ovetaxed!

From Bob Ingle at the Courier-Post:

Gov. Jon Corzine's administration's reputation for being arrogant and out of touch with little regard for the middle class keeps getting reinforced by the governor and his treasurer, David "Let Them Drink Beer" Rousseau.

The French Revolution-inspired nickname comes from a press conference in which Rousseau was asked why Corzine wanted to increase wine and liquor taxes but not those on beer. The treasurer indicated they were tossing a bone to the little guy and the middle class. He was joking, I think, but his comments reinforced what many believe is Corzine's attitude.

It didn't stop there. Before a Senate committee, Rousseau testified Corzine had "finally brought property taxes under control," which came as a shock to most New Jerseyans. The next day, when asked before an Assembly committee whether he thought New Jerseyans paid too much in taxes, there was a way too long pause. Finally Rousseau said, "No."

Assemblyman Joe Cryan, D-Union, who also heads the state Democratic Party, tried to rescue Rousseau with a series of leading questions.

"You don't believe, for example that New Jerseyans are not overtaxed, all you tried to do today was put it in context of the national figures. Is that correct?"

Nice try, but it fell flat when considering the rest of Rousseau's answer about overtaxing. "The only way to cut taxes right now would be to cut services in this state either at the state level (or) the local level."

He wasn't talking about the national picture. He was repeating the bogus Corzine line that no more waste and perks (like state cars and hundreds of political patronage jobs) or Corzine's pet programs can be eliminated to save money.

Then, the next day, reporter Martin DiCaro of 101.5 FM caught up to Corzine and put the overtaxed question to him. The governor didn't have a "yes" or a "no" but, "People who ask that question need to ask it in conjunction with do they want their children educated? Do they want safety on public highways? Do they want the kind of highway that is safe?"

Ah, the dastardly taxpayers. But if he thinks it's their fault, Corzine should explain why New Jersey spends $2.2 million per mile to build and maintain roads when the national average is $128,538. Are taxpayers demanding that? Why does it cost more per pupil to educate kids here but they don't get more in education? Witness the high number of kids who get a diploma but can't pass the High School Proficiency Assessment. Is that taxpayers' fault too? Why does Corzine's cabinet continue to ride around in state cars with insurance and gas paid for by taxpayers?

In this awful economy, Corzine wants to spend $77 million to expand pre-kindergarten while cutting aid to higher education. Is that because parents are demanding it, or is that so he can deliver to the teachers' union, which stands to expand and collect more dues when pre-K grows?

The nonpartisan Tax Foundation ranked New Jersey first in total tax burden three years in a row. Corzine and Rousseau would have you believe that's taxpayers' fault too.

'Soprano State' Meets Philly

We joined The Soprano State authors Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure (pictured) for a wonderful party in center city Philadelphia last night at the world famous Irish Pub where Bob, Sandy and their friends celebrated their emergence as New York Times bestselling authors. Among the notables at the event were New Jersey 101's irreverent Jersey Boys, Ray Rossi and Casey Batholomew, the redoubtable Renee from nearby Rouge and Willie Nelson's piano and guitar tuner, introduced to us simply as "Tunen Tom."

If you haven't yet purchased The Soprano State rush out and get this NYT bestseller which details the true story of corruption that has pervaded New Jersey's politics, government and business for the past 30 years. Everything in the book is [sadly] true but it reads like fiction. The Associated Press called it a "page turner" and noted: "You start out laughing and end up pounding he table for reform."

Well, as you may have noticed we are among those pounding the table for reform. And we couldn't think of finer people than Bob and Sandy to lead the way - and more inventive rascals than The Jersey Boys to share the journey. If Jersey is to have any chance at all to climb out of this mess, we need more people like these folks.

After we dined on Irish stew and shepherd's pie at the Irish Pub we relaxed and enjoyed the balmy weather in Rittenhouse Square for awhile before heading over to Marathon-On-The-Square for dessert. There we walked into Philadelphia Museum of Art Director and CEO Anne d'Harnoncourt (looking regal as usual) and her husband, senior museum curator Joe Rishel. You can listen to my podcast interview with Anne d"Harnoncourt by clicking here.

We told the folks at Marathon how much we were longing for waffles and ice cream and even though it wasn't on the menu they quickly obliged with a heavenly version that sent us home ready for sweet dreams.

It was a truly wonderful evening!