By JULIE PRASCSAK
Staff Writer
“I have to give the President great credit. He’s been on the phone three times in the last 24 hours. He has been very attentive and anything that I’ve asked for, he’s gotten to me. So, I thank the President publicly for that. He’s done, as far as I’m concerned, a great job for New Jersey,” N.J. Governor Chris Christie said.
Geez, why don’t we build Obama a marble statue while we’re at it and all bow down?
Even after a devastating disaster like Hurricane Sandy, I would never expect to hear such adoration for the Chosen One from our Republican Governor Chris Christie. He should know better. It is the President’s duty to be a leader in a time of crisis and it shouldn’t be considered this great act of virtue. It’s as if our teachers were to praise us for doing homework we’re supposed to do in the first place.
Now I’m not saying that Christie didn’t do the right thing in setting politics aside and focusing on his first priority, our state. He did what he needed to do to help New Jersey, and I applaud that. But come on, did he really have to start drooling all over Golden Boy? Obama’s fans in the mainstream media already polish him up enough with their own metaphorical slobber.
And now even Christie, keynote speaker at the 2012 Republican National Convention, has Obama up on a pedestal. For what? A few phone calls, cutting through the “red tape,” a photo op on the Jersey Shore, and a brief helicopter ride? And, while many continued to suffer, it wasn’t even like our buddy Barack stuck around like a true friend. After playing president, he hopped back on his plane and continued off to Las Vegas to again resume his job as Campaigner-in-Chief. Now there’s a president who really cares.
Sadly, too much focus has been placed on the “deeds” of politicians, when in fact the real heroes of Sandy’s aftermath are American people like you and I. The real credit is due to our linemen, our police officers, our firefighters, charities, volunteers, local governments and of course the neighbors who have selflessly helped other neighbors. These are the people that are directly making the recovery possible.
Sure, in the heavily devastated areas, we do need some help from the government, but in the end it will ultimately be We the People who will restore normalcy in our lives and the lives of our fellow Americans. And we don’t need a camera or a pat on the back to do it.