Trump’s election won’t make Christie great again

By Art Gallagher

With the news that President-elect Trump demoted Governor Chris Christie to a secondary role on the Presidential Transition Team, thousands of New Jerseyans breathed a sigh of relief.

The narrative that Christie was demoted because he was stacking the new administration with his own loyalists and had been doing the job with the belief that Trump would lose the election is entirely believable to observers and participants of Christie’s governance of New Jersey.

That Trump quickly and decisively put Vice President-elect Pence in charge of the transition should give comfort to anyone who fears that the Trump Administration will be a reckless frat party.

Yet, New Jerseyans are hopeful that Christie will land and accept a job in the Trump Administration.  The best thing for New Jersey and Christie is for him to get out of Trenton.  The sooner the better.

A cabinet level nomination for Christie should not be considered at this time. Democrats at a Christie confirmation hearing would get their questions and talking points from NJ State Senator Loretta Weinberg, who is pushing for Christie’s impeachment over Bridgegate.  The media circus would give the Trump Administration a controversy that is not worth suffering through for the sake of Christie’s resume.

A senior job on the White House Staff should be the best that Christie is offered. A Karl Rove type position (in GWB’s first term) where he can advise the President and be a frequent guest on Sunday morning talk shows would be a good fit for Christie.

An job offer on the Vice President staff would make Christie critics smile. If he accepted such a low profile but important role, he would be demonstrating that he can put service over his own ambition.

Christie needs time, distance from New Jersey and new accomplishments before he will be great again.  He needs humility and to demonstrate that he can put service before ambition.

If Christie resigned as governor before Thanksgiving to dedicate himself full time to staffing the Trump Administration, even if he does not know what his job in the administration will be, he would making such a demonstration.  He would be putting the interests of The United States of America and New Jersey before his own.