NEW YORK – Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a correspondent for ABC News, who hosted last night’s presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is once again making people wonder what his angle is.
Today, Christie commended Harris for a wonderful debate performance against his arch-nemesis, the former president.
Chris Christie appeared today on Good Morning America praising Vice President Kamala Harris for her strong performance during her debate with Donald Trump.
Christie was joined by George Stephanopoulos and Donna Brazile.
He immediately criticized Trump’s debate performance, declaring he was the key to Trump’s previous debates in the 2016 and 2020 elections. Without him Christie said, Trump did not perform well.
“It was incredibly typical performance on his part when he’s unprepared. Now, I ran his debate prep in 2016 and 2020, and it was always a wrestling match, George, to try to get him to focus, to try to get him to stay disciplined. And it really was like a boxing match between us in prep. It’s clear he didn’t anybody who would smack him around during prep this time because he went out there and just did whatever the heck he wanted straight from his instincts in his gut, which is to be angry and a grievance candidate,” he said.
Christie, the former Republican governor of New Jersey and once a key Trump ally, highlighted Harris’s preparation and strategic approach, stating she “laid traps” for Trump, who “chased every rabbit down every hole.” This phrase emphasized how Trump struggled to stay on topic, often letting Harris guide the conversation. Christie went on to say that Harris proved she “belonged on that stage,” and even suggested that many people are now seeing her as a future presidential contender.
“The amazing thing was for me is that it’s clear vice president Harris spent a lot of time preparing, and she very deftly put in a whole bunch of bait. Every time she threw the bait out, he chased every rabbit down every hole, whether it was about rallies, whether it was about people eating pets in neighborhoods and all these different crazy stories. Look, I think what people heard go last night for the people that she was talking to was to look like she belonged up there. She is a very lesser known candidate than Donald Trump, and so she did it,” Christie added.
Christie’s evolving relationship with Trump is particularly interesting. He was a staunch supporter during Trump’s 2016 run, helping with debate prep and serving as an advisor. However, their relationship has soured over the years, especially as Christie has become one of the more vocal Republican critics of Trump. Christie has often critiqued Trump’s handling of debates and his inability to focus on substantive issues.
“The other thing I’d say to Vice President Harris is it was a good performance. It wasn’t a great or perfect performance. If she decides to debate again, if they decide to do it again- She said she wants to,” Christie said.
This shift reflects Christie’s growing distance from Trump’s brand of politics, signaling his willingness to commend someone across the aisle, like Harris, while continuing to critique Trump’s performance.
Christie finished by offering advice on how Harris could fix her past image and prepare for her next potential debate.