June 30, 2015

Chris Christie Announces Presidential Bid, Doesn’t Break Internet

The reaction to Christie’s declaration is not overwhelming.

Dennis Van Tine/ZUMA

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On Tuesday morning, Chris Christie, the brash and gruff scandal-tainted governor of New Jersey, announced he was officially entering the GOP race for president. Flanked by his wife Mary Pat Foster and his four kids, Christie hit the stage at his high school alma mater to Bon Jovi’s “We Weren’t Born To Follow,” and he declared, “We must tell each other the truth about the problems we have and the difficulty of the solutions.”

Once upon a time, Christie was widely regarded as a potential leader of the GOP pack; he was a favorite of Republican-leaning billionaires (Koch Brothers and others) and a GOPer who could boast success in a Democratic state. His entry into the contest would have been major news. But after Bridgegate and various economic setbacks in New Jersey, he’s fighting for to be at the top of the second tier. (There are now 14 contenders officially in the race.) A recent poll found that only 4 percent of Republican voters want to see Christie as president. And his announcement hardly set the Internet on fire.

Here’s some of the immediate reaction on Twitter, which was, to tell it like it is, a bit underwhelming:

Ann Coulter

Laura Ingraham

Ted Cruz

Greta Van Susteren

Mark Murray

Nate Silver

Fortune

Deborah Wasserman Schultz

Seton Hall Law

Mashable

Chris Christie has gone from telling people to sit down and shut up to having to ask them for attention.

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Thank you!

We didn't know what to expect when we told you we needed to raise $400,000 before our fiscal year closed on June 30, and we're thrilled to report that our incredible community of readers contributed some $415,000 to help us keep charging as hard as we can during this crazy year.

You just sent an incredible message: that quality journalism doesn't have to answer to advertisers, billionaires, or hedge funds; that newsrooms can eke out an existence thanks primarily to the generosity of its readers. That's so powerful. Especially during what's been called a "media extinction event" when those looking to make a profit from the news pull back, the Mother Jones community steps in.

The months and years ahead won't be easy. Far from it. But there's no one we'd rather face the big challenges with than you, our committed and passionate readers, and our team of fearless reporters who show up every day.

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