Monday, September 27, 2010

Meg Whitman Has A Champion

Meg Whitman recently discovered what a great many Republican candidates are discovering. You don't mess with Chris Christie or his friends. At a Whitman campaign event in California, Christie took on a heckler in the inimitable Christie manner that is becoming a big reason to have him at Republican events.

Whitman was making a speech when a heckler in the audience started shouting epithets and disrupting the event. "What are you hiding? You're looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in a dress," shouted Ed Buck. Big mistake when the big man is on the podium.

Christie waded into the crowd and defended the honor of his lady fair. OK, enough with the allusions to medieval chivalry. But it was a joy to watch. I'm still not sure whether the heckler was a Democrat, a libertarian or a disgruntled Republican. But it really doesn't matter. Bad behavior is bad behavior, regardless of party affiliation, or lack thereof. This clown didn't want to wait for a Q&A session, or even to let Whitman finish her remarks. He just wanted to interrupt and get his fifteen minutes of fame.

Christie armed himself with his lethal weapon, his forefinger, and let the big-mouth have it. "You want to yell? Yell at me, but don't give her a hard time" quoth Christie. "It's people who raise their voices and yell and scream like you that are dividing this country. We're here to bring this country together, not divide it." That got the crowd on its feet and cheering--as much for Christie as for Whitman.

The leftist spinmeisters went into full attack mode almost immediately. Christie became the bully. The heckler was just exercising his right to free speech (never mind that he was denying Whitman her right to free speech). Christie's confrontational style was the real issue (as opposed to Obama's listless demeaning style, I suppose). Ed Schultz at CNN couldn't come up with any logical reason for criticizing Christie's defense of Whitman's right to speak, so he just called Christie a "smug bully and a fat slob." That's pretty much what former New Jersey Corzine called Christie, and we all know how well that worked out.

Meg Whitman is perfectly capable of defending herself, but there was something charming about an old-fashioned gentleman taking it upon himself to intercede on behalf of a damsel in distress. Not to mention, I'm really enjoying watching a no-nonsense male politician get in the face of men (and occasionally women) who claim victimhood, a monopoly on genteel behavior, and big mouths. The gloves are off, the future of the republic is at stake, and politics ain't beanbag. Now I'm just hoping to see a New Black Panther attempt to stop Christie from voting. That should be a sight to behold.

Invitations from Republican candidates for Christie to appear at their events are increasing at breakneck speed. I suppose I should add that Christie has disproven the adage that real men don't eat quiche. Christie looks like he eats a lot of quiche. Well, I say, more girth to him!

10 comments:

Tennessee Jed said...

I know he is not perfect, but I am a huge Chris Christie fan. Of course, no surprise with the Dem spin is there?

Unknown said...

Tennessee: He gets the important things right, and as you say, if we wait 'til we agree on everything with a candidate, we'll never have any candidates. The Democrats prefer anonymous thugs like the SEIU goons to bold high-profile defenders of free speech like Christie.

AndrewPrice said...

You know, this is an area Republicans need training. Nothing backfires more on jerks like this than letting a politician make an ass of them with a quick, witty cut down.

That's something stand up comedians are good at as are a lot of British politicians because of the practice of PM Question Time.

Sadly, too many Republicans come across looking like deer caught in the headlights when they get heckled, or they come out sounding angry. I think they should hire some people who are good at it, and get training in this.

In terms of Christie though, I have to say that honestly I was not impressed with what he did. I thought he made Whitman look weak by making it look like she needed to be protected.

Unknown said...

Andrew: I think it's a generational thing. Although I would have preferred Whitman to handle the heckler (which she has done nicely in the past), there's something both nostalgic and satisfying about seeing a man get in another man's face when the latter is misbehaving.

T_Rav said...

It takes a lot of chutzpah for Ed Schultz to call Christie a "fat slob." Chutzpah's the correct term, right?

Unknown said...

T_Rav: Chutzpah is as good a word as I'd be able to come up with. Cojones wouldn't be bad either, except it suggests a certain masculinity to Schultz that I won't grant him. LOL

Writer X said...

Can you imagine if it was a Republican or Conservative yelling this at a Democratic rally? Ed Schultz would be calling the heckler unhinged, psychotic, demented. Such a double standard. The jig is so up with these guys.

I love Chris Christie. While I'm sure Meg Whitman could have handled this bozo, I loved him for stepping up.

Unknown said...

WriterX: Right, on every point. I feel the same way about Christie. Just because Whitman can defend herself quite adequately does not diminish his gentlemanly obligation to step forward. This guy is no-nonsense, and an imposing figure that is exactly the type liberals love to hate.

T_Rav said...

LawHawk: That would definitely be a misnomer for Schultz, especially since Rachel Maddow is the only one at MSNBC with such masculinity.

Unknown said...

T-Rav: Right again about Maddow. The boys and girls at CNN and MSNBC definitely need some hormone shots.

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