President Obama will be in New Jersey today with Governor Chris Christie to survey the damage left behind by Hurricane Sandy.
The televised images of the two men side by side could help burnish Obama’s standing as a bipartisan, sympathetic and effective leader in the wake of the super-storm. They could also bolster Christie’s reelection hopes in 2013 and a potential White House run three years later. Obama is heavily favored to win New Jersey, which hasn’t voted for a GOP presidential nominee since 1988.
Christie, who endorsed Republican nominee Mitt Romney early in the primary process, attracted criticism for his convention speech in Tampa. Political analysts panned it, noting it took 17 minutes before Christie first mentioned Romney by name.
Wednesday’s joint tour by Christie and Obama comes on the heels of statements by the governor that were effusive about the president’s conduct in dealing with the storm.
On NBC’s “Today” show Tuesday morning, Christie described Obama’s performance during the crisis as “outstanding.”
“The president has been all over this and he deserves great credit,” he said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Christie added, “If you think right now I give a damn about presidential politics, then you don’t know me.”
Yesterday Christie posted a series of reflective tweets on his Twitter page and his office released devastating photos of the Jersey Shore.