Back in the day, New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie issued a statement to refute his opponents’ accusation that The Great One was a gun hugger: “Christie supports the assault weapons ban and all current gun laws. He opposes attempts to permit conceal and carry laws in New Jersey — hardly the NRA position.” That was 2009. Seven years later, our post NJ Gov. Chris Christie: An Anti-Gunner is Just a Lawyer Who Hasn’t Served Seven Years as a Federal Prosecutor explained the now-presidential candidate’s change of heart. Well his version. Well one version. Appearing on Face the Nation, confronted with that anti-pistol epistle, Christie revised both the motivation for and chronology of his newfound — although still unconsummated — love of gun rights . . .
“Again, John, you know you learn about these things over time, and I’ve learned about this overtime in New Jersey. I’ve grown up in a culture, in our state, of very, very vigorous anti-gun laws. And so I’ve traveled the country as RGA chairman, as I’ve traveled the country as governor, I’ve learned a great deal about this and my actions as governor of New Jersey have been exactly where I think they need to be.”
But not where gun rights advocates think they should be. I mean, should have been. Wait. Christie’s still Governor, right? Let’s go with “should be.” While The New York Times article on Christies “evolution” on gun rights concludes that the Gov’s transition is complete, is it?
The central question: would Christie throw gun rights under the bus if he was President? Or abandon them like he abandoned a high calorie diet? Like Donald Trump, Chris Christie is a gun rights Johnny-come-lately. So . . . too little too late? One way or the other, we shall see.